Tom Jolliffe takes on a double bill of overlooked thrillers from 1993 with Trespass and Judgment Night…
1993 was an odd year for movies. Looking back, there wasn’t a big selection of instant classics that might immediately jump out at you for their potential longevity. Some of the more pop culture films of the year included True Romance, Jurassic Park and Falling Down, so it certainly wasn’t without its primo selections.
Furthermore, the year is kind of blessed with an array of genre films that were greeted somewhat apathetically but have since found more love. Demolition Man which almost seemed to perfectly predict cancel culture, has finally seen its tone and message find an audience. Likewise, Last Action Hero, dubbed a potentially career ending bomb for Schwarzenegger (and a constant figure of fun at his expense around the time) has since found a little more love for its quirky inconsistency, as well as the finer observations of Arnold’s CV that it was spoofing.
Indeed, there were two more overlooked films that year which were released to mediocre reviews and uninspiring box office. Walter Hill’s Trespass and Stephen Hopkins’ Judgment Night. Both feature protagonists who find themselves on the wrong side of the tracks and witnessing murders at the hands of local gangs. It becomes a battle to survive. So let’s take a look back at two great high concept films.
Trespass
Two firefighters tackling a blaze unearth a key and a treasure map. The premise might make you think a National Treasure-esque adventure story might kick off, or that you’re watching an unofficial sequel to Goonies, but no. Our intrepid firefighters head off to an abandoned warehouse, just off a bad part of the town they’ve travelled to. In a derelict warehouse they begin their search, but matters are complicated by the discovery of a vagrant sleeping rough there, and then further by the arrival of a gang about to make a traitor in their ranks sleep with the fishes.
Trespass is a forgotten film in Walter Hill’s CV. It’s well after his peak, but shortly before a brief resurgence in Bruce Willis’ Last Man Standing. It has a few pinches of The Warriors (though not as much as the next film to be discussed ironically), but isn’t as action heavy as Hill’s usual fare. Bill Paxton and William Sadler make an excellent duo, and somewhat unexpected choice as leading men. They were more renowned as character actors and supporting parts than taking the lead. It’s a welcome move, although ultimately it probably impacted the box office. In fact you might call the ‘marquee names’ the two notorious rappers at the height of their musical notoriety. It’s an Ice double with Cube and T, both of whom were firmly establishing themselves as movie stars at the time. Cube was fresh off Boyz in the Hood and just prior to Friday. For T, this was sandwiched between New Jack City and the thoroughly underrated Surviving The Game which came the following year.
Once we get to the warehouse, the film sticks to that location. Vince (Paxton), despite giving into the greed of tracking the treasure, still retains a moral line. Don (Sadler) however, begins to descend slowly into darkness as his morality fades. He’s willing to go to greater and more extreme lengths to get away with the loot and he’s far more prepared for the conflict they find than Vince, who finds himself over his head. Hill expertly keeps the pace up and stages each set piece well. Each escape idea the boxed in duo have, inevitably fails, whilst the gang member hostage they have (brother of Ice T’s ‘King James’) is the only thing keeping them from a full onslaught.
Cube and T, along with a few recognisable faces like the late great Tiny Lister, make for an engaging band of villains. The film is ruthlessly simple in its approach, resting everything on the concept and the confined location. As expected with Hill, the ante is upped for a finale with the building turned to a blazing inferno and set to explode. Those who enjoy a relentless, escalating thriller, will find plenty to enjoy with Trespass, the kind of straight up stakes thriller we don’t see much of anymore.
Judgment Night
Trespass is good, and Judgment Night is even better. Three friends (Emilio Estevez, Jeremy Piven, Cuba Gooding Jr.), and the younger brother of one (Stephen Dorff) head off in an RV to watch the boxing. Stuck in gridlock, they exit the highway and take an alternate route to the venue. Unfortunately, said route leads to trouble, firstly as they encounter a gravely injured gunshot victim who is desperately trying to escape. Then they run into the gang (lead by Denis Leary) chasing the victim. Frank (Estevez) and his buddies are stuck in a moral quandary – whether to help or opt for self preservation. Ray (Piven) is all about self preservation. Fallon (Leary) captures and finishes the job on the injured ex gang member who tried to fleece him. The four friends botch an escape in the RV and then have to flee on foot through a desolate district, only populated by people unwilling to put themselves in danger by helping.
The four friends have to reach deep within to make it through, pushing their wills to the limit. Hopkins, who had plenty of genre experience with films like Predator 2 and A Nightmare on Elm Street 5, provides an assured hand in a thriller that doesn’t ease up and keeps the tension high with a real time immediacy. It’s also a great looking film. Hopkins almost brushes the screen with horror strokes, with lots of shadow, some striking ambers. Alan Silvestri provides a suitably energising score which has a few dashes of predator within.
Judgment Night didn’t get very pleasing judgments from critics on release, though fans catching it more on the video run began to see the appeal. Estevez was on a downward slope by this point after his 82-92 heyday, probably reflected by the box office here. He’s excellent in the role however, well aided by his co-stars Gooding, Piven and Dorff. The respective arcs are engaging and the group have a good chemistry and dynamic that feels unique from this era. Heading up the band of villains, Denis Leary is excellent, riffing a little on his stand up persona, but retaining a suitable intensity and threat to make Fallon a great foe.
Judgment Night has taken on more of a cult following over the years. The simple concept is exceptionally delivered. It’s the kind of cat and mice chase thriller that was probably going out of fashion (sadly) even by the point this one was made. They really don’t make em like this, and with memorable set pieces, like a rooftop to rooftop ladder cross and a market set finale, this really does deliver some brutally simple thrills. Additionally it’s become as much if not more renowned for the soundtrack (which also features Ice T).
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