Trespass (1992)

Maverick director Walter Hill, who had a big hit with 48 Hrs., indulges his customary yen for violent and disturbing scenes in this overlooked action film, which was also released under the name Looters. Set in the economically-depressed town of East St. Louis, IL, the film's release was delayed several months because its riot scenes were too similar to those that actually took place in the summer of 1992 in L.A. Bill Paxton plays Vince and Bill Sadler plays Don. They are a couple of good-old-boy firefighters who are tipped off that some stolen gold treasures have been hidden in an old warehouse. They find and enter the building but witness a brutal murder. The gangland killing is part of a turf battle between two rival drug lords. When one of them finds out that the firemen have seen the execution, he orders the witnesses murdered. But they have found the treasure and have kidnapped one gang leader's brother. An elaborate and violent series of skirmishes and chases ensue. Rapper-actors Ice-T and Ice Cube have roles as leading gang members.

Synopsis by Michael Betzold, Allmovie.com

Not nearly enough movies begin with treasure maps. If I were an actor, I'd demand them in my movies, just so I could enjoy that delicious opening scene where my eyes grow wide and my jaw drops open, and I look at the crumbling parchment while the director shines light up into my face like reflected gold.

There is a scene something like that at the outset of "Trespass," and although the movie doesn't quite live up to it, few movies can. There is something powerful and elemental in the appeal of gold, especially somebody else's buried treasure, and it plugs holes in the plot that no base metal could possibly cover. In "Trespass," for example, why would two firemen from Arkansas remain inside an abandoned factory in East St. Louis, surrounded by violent gang members, faced with death by bullet or fire, when rescue is there for the asking? One word: Gold.

Gold! The firemen find the map in the burning apartment of an old man, who confesses he stole it years ago from a Greek Orthodox Church. We aren't talking about a chalice and a crucifix here. This was a visiting display of priceless treasures from the old country, and the map shows where the old guy hid it in the factory.

Bill Paxton and William Sadler play the two firemen, Paxton the nice guy and the Sadler the psychopath (he was Death in "Bill and Ted's Bogus Journey"). Inside the factory, they find the gold easily enough, as well as a local homeless man (Art Evans) who they tie to a chair until they decide they need him. Meanwhile, nearby, a street gang performs an execution, which one of the firemen accidentally witnesses.

The gang is headed by Ice-T, whose brother (De'voreaux White) is captured by the treasure hunters. They barricade themselves into a room, tying him to the door so he'll either get shot or have his arms ripped off if Ice-T tries to break in. Meanwhile, a quarrel over strategy breaks out between Ice-T and Ice Cube, rap artists in real life, who both demonstrate once again that they're impressive actors (Ice-T was in "New Jack City," Ice Cube was in "Boyz N the Hood").

Walter Hill, who directed, is a specialist in this kind of archetypal male action movie. His credits include "The Warriors," "48 Hrs.," and "Streets of Fire." This time he gives each of the characters a strong and uncomplicated motivation, and spends most of his time manipulating the ways they can, and cannot, get out of the building. The movie ends with one of those spectacular explosions where the whole block goes up in a ball of flame (the owners of abandoned buildings advertise them for this purpose in Variety).

Does "Trespass" have any lasting significance? No. Does it do anything particularly well? No, only skillfully. Do the actors find depth in their characters? There is none to find. But there is the lust for gold, which counts for something, and when the firemen are looking out the window and see the squad car and decide not to call for help because the cops might get the gold, I could almost hear a ghostly echo: "Badges? We don't need no stinking badges!"

Review by Roger Ebert

Special Features:

- "Behind the scenes of Trespass" - featurette (4:05 min)
- Deleted scenes (4:59 min)
- "Ice T and Ice Cube: Trespass" music video (3:23 min)
- Theatrical trailer (1:58 min)