What happened to good B movies? They seem to have completely disappeared in this new streaming age. This subgenre was the staple of both the eighties and the nineties. Even the early 2000s saw quite a few quality releases. 1992 is a solid heist thriller set against the backdrop of the 1992 Los Angeles riots. We will be following Mercer, an ex-con trying to go straight only to get involved in another crime after his son is kidnapped. Boasting loads of familiar faces, good production values, and pacing, this is one of those forgettable but mildly entertaining thrillers. It does take a bit of time to get going, just so you know.
You could argue that this powerful premise deserved more refined treatment, but that’s just how things go in the city of Compton. Dependable Tyrese Gibson takes the lead, while the late Ray Liotta delivers a poignant and committed performance in his final movie role. Scott Eastwood surprises as the cold and calculating Riggin, a character type he fits seamlessly. Speaking of typecasting, Oleg Taktarov, Hollywood’s go-to Russian bad guy for the past 25 years, also makes an appearance. His inclusion offers a perfect excuse to spotlight another excellent B movie, 44 Minutes: The North Hollywood Shoot-Out, which fans of this subgenre should absolutely revisit.
Based on true events, it’s an action-packed adrenaline-pumping I-wanna-shoot-something experience. So, you better check it out. 1992 does an excellent job of taking you back to the Los Angeles of the nineties. We won’t be spending a lot of time in the hood but in the industrial district. Cold and desolate, it feels like it’s straight out of some post-apocalyptic movie. While the character development was acceptable, especially the relationship between Mercer and his son Antoine, the rest of the plot feels flimsy. There’s simply no way this factory would have that amount of loot just left in the open with minimal security.
Then again, I have no idea how these things work. I think that Sascha Penn and Ariel Vromen, writer and director of 1992 bit off a bit more than they could chew. 1992 is not just a heist crime thriller but also a coming-of-age drama exploring race, injustice, and dysfunctional families. That’s a lot even for a mini-series let alone a film with a running time of ninety minutes. The treatment of these quite serious themes is mostly superficial, pushing the movie toward the lower ranks of the B categorization. I know I’m nitpicking at this time but that safe looked too lame and janky. It looks like something they cobbled up in a matter of hours.
This is a minor complaint, but if you’re going to include a scene zooming in on the safe, at least make it look somewhat believable. I don’t want to dwell on this too much since it’s a small detail and there’s not much more to add here. Young Christopher Ammanuel delivered a solid performance as Antoine, OG Merc’s son, and that about sums it up. If you’re interested in learning more about the 1992 Los Angeles riots, I highly recommend checking out LA 92. This documentary does a phenomenal job of diving into the events, offering a gripping account of what really happened. It’s full with original footage and insightful interviews that truly take you back to that turbulent time.
Finally, I want to recommend another slick B movie starring Tyrese Gibson: Black and Blue. This tense thriller unfolds in real-time, following a rookie cop who finds herself on the run from a gang of ruthless criminals. The film skillfully maintains its intensity throughout, offering edge-of-your-seat moments as the protagonist fights to survive while exposing the truth. With strong lead performances by Gibson and Naomie Harris and a gripping narrative, Black and Blue is a thrilling ride you won’t want to miss.
Director: Ariel Vromen
Writers: Sascha Penn, Ariel Vromen
Cast: Tyrese Gibson, Ray Liotta, Scott Eastwood, Dylan Arnold, Christopher Ammanuel, Oleg Taktarov
Fun Facts: 1992 didn’t to break even on the box office despite the small budget of just $6.5 million. The movie made only $2.9 million although it’s quite surprising that it even got a limited theatrical release. It is currently available for streaming on Apple TV and Amazon Prime.
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IMDb Link: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt4959750/
