Synopsis

Burned-out New York detective Jack Mosley is ordered to escort Eddie Bunker, a small-time criminal and key witness, 16 blocks to a courthouse. What should be a routine transfer becomes a running battle when corrupt officers try to silence Eddie. As the two men evade ambushes across the city, Jack must confront his own compromised past and decide whether to protect the witness or obey his colleagues.

Factoids & Trivia

• The story unfolds in a near-real-time structure, with the short distance to the courthouse providing the film's ticking-clock premise.

• Although the action is set in New York City, much of the production was filmed in Toronto, with additional location work carried out in Manhattan.

• Bruce Willis used a pebble in his shoe throughout the shoot to create Detective Jack Mosley's convincing limp.

• For research, Willis spent nights patrolling Brooklyn with an NYPD detective who advised the production on police procedures, uniforms, weapons, vehicles, and dialogue.

• Willis originally wanted rapper Ludacris to play Eddie Bunker. The role ultimately went to Mos Def, who was credited under that name; he later adopted the name Yasiin Bey.

• Eddie's surname refers to Edward Bunker, the former criminal, novelist, and actor who appeared in Reservoir Dogs and Runaway Train.

• The film has no traditional opening credits; the title 16 Blocks appears before the story begins.

• The DVD includes an alternate ending in which the final confrontation develops differently and one of the conspirators attempts to stop the killing.