if nyc bus driver drive their mta bus with the dogged determination that det . jack mosley ( play by a paunchy bruce willis ) display in this action or adventure or crime or drama or thriller and the folk at the nyc mta complaint department would have little to do but punch in and out on a daily basis . mosley reason for hi jack an mta bus coincides with his desire to successfully escort a fast talk witness and eddie bunker ( play with sublime brilliance by mo def ) and from police custody to a courthouse . the title of the film be derive from the distance 16 block between the police precinct where bunker have be hold to the courthouse where he be due to testify . relative to the plot represent age cop must escort witness 16 block and go into the film i have doubt that director richard donner and writer richard wenk would have enough skill to pull off an action pack drama and let alone edge of your seat thriller . but and give credit where credit be due and they surpass my expectation and and then some . like det . mosley and 16 block deliver the good . of course and one do have to look the other way during some of the movie sequence and especially the never end string of escape that the gimpy detective and his ever chat custodial responsibility make in the course of their short trip . believe it and houdini would be impress by these two if he be still around . even after mosley wedge the hi jack bus into an alleyway with no outlet they manage to elude their pursuer . but and a we all know by now and that be the nature of thriller . most often the pursue be trap in no escape situation by slip out the back door and or high tailing it up a stairwell and or and a aforementioned and hi jack a city bus . willis and def and the two lead character in the movie and carry the load and and do so with a combination of dead pan humor and knowing exchange and and sheer will . play the grizzled and alcoholic nypd police detective and who be on the verge of retirement and or suicide ( whichever come first ) and willis hit all the right mark . there something in his face that play perfectly to the tone of be there and do that without play that tone a stereotypically jade . that not so surprising a willis have show his chop in a handful of previous flick . what be surprising be mos def performance a the inscrutable yet amiable eddie bunker . def character brings to mind the character play by mel gibson in conspiracy theory ( produce by mr. donner ) . one moment you think the guy be full of hot air and fantasy and but in the next his obtuse ramblings make sense . thanks to the believable relationship these two build in their short time together and def get to deliver several of the movie most hilarious line and make all the more poignant in light of willis response and or lack thereof . by movie end and these strange bedfellow act in unison and achieve their individual goal by the only mean leave available to them . ( i would not divulge their choice a it would give away too much of the end . ) suffice it to say and this surprising movie succeed a an action or adventure or crime or drama or thriller on the shoulder of it leading character and and the talent of donner and wenk . work to the wise . a one might be tempt to do upon meeting det . mosley and do not underestimate what you see at face value relative to the movie seemingly skimpy plot . while 16 block might not seem enough distance for hold one interest and escort by willis and def and one adventure be anything but uneventful .