16 snores

Action movies, especially those starring Bruce Willis, are usually full of last minute escapes with bursting explosives. "16 Blocks" is the deranged third cousin in comparison to Willis' more fraternal films like "Die Hard" and "Hostage."

Director Richard Donner falls short of his past action films, if that's even possible considering that he did the "Lethal Weapon" series. Since "Lethal Weapon 4" came out in '98, Donner has only directed one other movie, "Timeline," in '03.

Has Donner lost his talent for directing explosive blockbusters? Not one thing was blown up during the entire movie, disappointingly.

Willis ("Sin City") plays an old, worn-down, NYPD detective named Jack Mosley. Mosley has no ambition left for his job and his life seems to fizzle out right on the screen.

Mosley is called in to "sit on" a crime scene so long as he doesn't touch anything. Under these instructions, he takes a bottle of alcohol from the victim's cupboard and sits quietly on the couch.

"16 Blocks" is simply boring. Jack Mosley is getting on in years, and nurses a limp from a bad leg. Eddie Bunker, played by Mos Def ("The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy"), is the annoying criminal that happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. There was not enough liveliness in either of these characters to revive the movie.

Mosley is an unlikable character. He is sick of his job and doesn't care about anything. He sucks the life out of the movie from the moment he appears. His appearance is gray and faded. Just by looking at him, it is obvious that he is running on empty.

There are several, "Why did he do that?" moments in the movie. Mosley's assignment is simple: get Eddie Bunker to the courthouse before 10 a.m. so he can testify. However, Mosley feels the need to stop at a liquor store on the way.

It is ridiculous to stop for a drink while transporting a prisoner. What kind of person opens the bottle and takes a swig right in the store, especially at eight in the morning?

Willis' character is a bit like Nyquil - he makes it hard to stay awake through the movie. His slow pace and the drone of his voice drag the viewer along for "16 Blocks."

Running from the bad guys is made even harder for detective Mosley due to his bum leg, but he still manages to pathetically limp to Bunker's rescue a few times.

With the supposed hero of the film offering so little, it is natural to look to Mos Def to liven things up. The design of Def's character resembles that of Steve Urkel from "Family Matters." Bunker is one of the most irritating characters onscreen, ever.

Eddie Bunker's voice is the antithesis of Mosley's drone, and is extremely aggravating. It is best described as a muffled mix between a squeak and a screech. And worst of all, he never shuts up.

"16 Blocks" attempts to convey the lesson that people can change. Bunker wants to change and Mosley is faced with a choice between doing what he always does and doing what is right.

The movie is not a complete flop. There are funny moments, suspenseful moments, and the bad guys put on a real good chase, as long as you don't pay attention to the fact that Mosley and Bunker get by on simple luck.

Giving credit to Mosley or Bunker for any of their narrow escapes would be an act of charity. Mosley is washed up, while Bunker has a plan to get his life on track, but that means nothing when bullets fly.