Overview
A police station under siege becomes the battleground for survival against a ruthless gang.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Simple
- Violence
- Graphic
- tense
- brooding
- foreboding
- late night viewing
- cult film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, inventive, and highly effective low-budget crime thriller whose escalating siege suspense and direction outweigh its simple premise.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Police staff and detained criminals must cooperate to survive the attacking gang.
The nearly abandoned precinct becomes a fortified trap during the sustained gang assault.
The gang's retaliatory attack is driven by collective blood-pact vengeance and repeatedly erupts without meaningful dialogue.
The closing Los Angeles police station is both a workplace and the central defensive stronghold.
Films like Assault on Precinct 13, and why
Rio Bravo
shared siege thriller structure, escalating violence, institutional distrust, and stripped-down suspense
The Thing
shared isolated-location survival, terse ensemble dynamics, and austere action filmmaking
The Warriors
shared urban crime tension, morally fluid alliances, and siege-like pressure between police and criminals
Assault on Precinct 13
shared exploitation edge, nocturnal urban danger, and relentless thriller pacing
Movie Details
- Director
- John Carpenter
- Release Date
- 1976-10-08
- Runtime
- 91 min
- Rating
- 7.3 / 10 (1260)
Cast
- Austin Stoker
- Darwin Joston
- Laurie Zimmer
- Martin West
- Tony Burton
- Charles Cyphers
- Nancy Kyes
- Peter Bruni
- John J. Fox
- Marc Ross
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Assault on Precinct 13 about?
- A closing Los Angeles police station becomes a merciless battleground where cops and prisoners forge an uneasy alliance against an implacable gang assault.
- What is Assault on Precinct 13 like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Assault on Precinct 13 as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as simple.
- Is Assault on Precinct 13 violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Assault on Precinct 13 as graphic.
- What did critics think of Assault on Precinct 13?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, inventive, and highly effective low-budget crime thriller whose escalating siege suspense and direction outweigh its simple premise.
- Which films are like Assault on Precinct 13?
- Films with a similar feel include Rio Bravo, The Thing, The Warriors, and Assault on Precinct 13.
- How long is Assault on Precinct 13?
- Assault on Precinct 13 runs 91 minutes.
- Where can I watch Assault on Precinct 13?
- In United States, Assault on Precinct 13 streams on Amazon Prime Video, fuboTV, Night Flight Plus, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, Shout! Factory Amazon Channel.
