Siege (1983) User Reviews

Catch this one!

[Hey_Sweden · 8/10 · 6 September 2021]

Inspired by the real-life police strike in early-1980s Halifax, the obscure Canadian thriller "Self Defense", a.k.a. "Siege" is a hell of a good time for exploitation devotees. During this period of police inaction, criminal scum are able to do as they please. And so a gang of trouble-making bigots with a "cause" storm into a gay bar and terrorize the customers. Ultimately, almost all the victims end up dead, except for Daniel (Terry-David Despres), who flees for his life. He makes it inside an old apartment building. Initially, the residents are unsure of how to proceed, but soon they decide to shelter Daniel and fight back against the psycho antagonists, who are led by a stone-faced creep named Cabe (Doug Lennox, "Lars and the Real Girl"). And they prove to be decent fighters.

If this hadn't been a "lost" film for such a long time, this would surely have been considered a classic B flick over the decades. Directors Paul Donovan and Maura O'Connell, who went on to do another cult flick, "DEFCON-4", give the story great pace. In fact, the movie is so exciting, quickly paced, and manipulative (these filmmakers know how to push your buttons), that viewers can gloss over any flaws in the narrative and just enjoy the ride. Needless to say, it can get pretty violent, and there's some of the standard "stupid characters doing stupid things" tropes that people expect to find in many movies. But this viewer will say that it hooked him early on, and often delivered the goods.

The cast includes a few actors whom you may recognize from other things: Tom Nardini ("Cat Ballou") as Horatio, Jack Blum ("Happy Birthday to Me") as Patrick (a blind kid with acute hearing), and Keith Knight ("Class of 1984"). Jeff Pustil, who was also in "DEFCON-4", is an amusing highlight as the most aggressive of the bad guys. Daryl Haney is also a standout as the calm and cool Chester; you may better know him as a writer of such things as "Crime Zone", "Friday the 13th Part VII: The New Blood", and "Xtro III: Watch the Skies".

Excellent atmosphere and a haunting electronic score are assets. Worth noting is the tidbit of info that this apparently contains the only known existing news footage of that aforementioned police strike. There is also a priceless, final second twist before the end credits start appearing.

Eight out of 10.

Hidden jewel

[parkerbcn · 8/10 · 22 August 2021]

One of the best Canuxploitations out there, from the very interesting Paul Donovan. After a beginning that looks more like a street gang movie, it quickly transforms into a claustrophobic siege film, clearly inspired by "Assault on Precinct 13". Made with very little money, but with a lot of talent; it's a hidden jewel that deserves to be better known.

FUN!

[Analog_Devotee · 8/10 · 5 April 2022]

One helluva good time. Gritty and chock full of spine-tingling suspense. Borrows a lot from Assault on Precinct 13 but manages to conjure plenty of creativity. A stellar choice to throw into a late-night movie bingeing session.

Great underrated thriller.

[kampenhans · 12 June 2001]

This is a Canadian movie originally called "Siege", very much in the tradition of John Carpenter's "Assault on Precinct 13." The story is about a police strike in Halifax, Nova Scotia, which paves the way for violence to break loose in the city . When a gay bar is attacked by a group of thugs, one gets away and escapes to an intstitute for disabled young people. This house then comes under the siege of the gang and they must use all their imagination to survive this night. The movie is obviously low budget, but as so often happens, that's just good for the creativity and tone of the film. In Europe, the movie was retitled "Night Warriors", and made it look like this was another Mad Max/Escape From New York clone. But it's just a clever little thriller.

Surprising

[jamiemiller-07611 · 7/10 · 24 April 2022]

This was a film I'd never even heard of until Shudder put it on their lineup and what a treat it is. It's clearly low budget, but has a lot of energy and spark as it details a siege in a gay bar where the survivor runs away into the night and takes shelter with a kind couple and their friends. The gang returns and wages an all-out battle.

It has its flaws and the pacing could be tighter, but I'm surprised this one isn't very well remembered. It seems more relevant now than ever.

Gay-bashing goons vs guerilla good-guys.

[BA_Harrison · 6/10 · 28 January 2007]

A gritty little early-80s exploitation film from Canada, Siege captures the look and feel of similar movies of the day (Assault on Precinct 13, The Warriors, Death Wish 3), but ultimately fails to capitalise on its interesting premise.

The movie opens with news reports of a police strike in Halifax, Nova Scotia. A gang of right-wing extremists take advantage of the lack of law enforcement by launching an attack on the members of a down-town gay bar, which results in the massacre of all but one of the bar's clientèle. The sole survivor, Daniel, escapes but is pursued by the gang, until he manages to find refuge with some friendly people in a tenement block. What follows is a night of terror, as the killers attempt to break into the building and finish their job.

This low budget action thriller starts off promisingly with the brutal slayings in the bar, but, due to a handful of ridiculous plot turns and some pretty poor acting, it quickly loses any credibility it might have had. And when it is revealed that one of the good guys is a survivalist who not only has his apartment linked to his neighbours' by a handy secret passage, but also has access to a range of weaponry, the film takes a step too far into the realms of unbelievability and is unable to claw its way back.

Despite a couple of nifty scenes in which the ingenious heroes set traps for the bad guys, and one or two gruesome deaths (an arrow through the neck is the gory highlight; the silly home-made rocket launcher the most ludicrous), Siege only manages to be an average entry in the urban survivalist sub-genre.

Assault on Precinct 13 with talking villains

[Aylmer · 7/10 · 22 June 2022]

It's hard not to see the parallels between this film and the likes of RIO BRAVO or the the above mentioned John Carpenter film. This film isn't perfect by any means but functions well as a down and dirty urban crime / action thriller with a few cute surprises sprinkled in that any fan of 60's-80's "grindhouse" would appreciate. It's pretty clear that the makers of VFW pulled a little bit of inspiration from this, especially in terms of musical score.

One thing ASSAULT didn't even attempt to do was make its villains sympathetic in any way, but this film gives them about 30-35% of the dialog and attention, making each one of their deaths a little more meaningful. I loved the varying degrees to which the villains stayed committed to the crime and greater adherence to realism in general. People in this film act about like how you or I would react to a situation here and there isn't a lot of James Bond style heroics at play.

That said, it isn't quite a classic by any stretch. My main beef with the film is that it's just too convenient in many places. For one, of all the places the person fleeing from an angry mob in all of Canada, it just happens to be the place next door to a doomsday prepper with the means of building rockets and grenades at his disposal. Also, the fun idea of the shared medicine cabinet feels a bit ludicrous when compared to the fairly grounded reality of the rest of the movie. The main protagonists do not get introduced until late in the film, giving them very little room to build character development or strong audience sympathy. The viewer may never fully connect to the characters, but the short length and constant sense of immediacy keep things from ever getting dull.

Overall I considered myself surprised by how well this extremely low budget film comes together despite its relative obscurity. It's a shame that Donovan's next film DEF-CON IV would be such a letdown (after an excellent first half) and that afterward he'd generally stick to making more profitable (but even more forgettable) kids' films.

Really liked it

[jonasstroud · 7/10 · 17 August 2022]

A pretty taut Canadian thriller that shares some similarities with Assault on Precinct 13. It's well shot and the acting isn't too bad either. A nice discovery on Shudder.

Pink Room

[thesar-2 · 8/10 · 10 April 2022]

And this is why the world needs RoboCop.

I'm pretty shocked I gave this one a chance by the poster, but then I was wildly curious after reading the first half of the synopsis. And when I watched it, it was much more than I even though possible.

In this film modeled after 1976's Assault on Precinct 13 and a precursor to 2015's Green Room, the police are on strike so crime spikes in this downtown area. Our story revolves around a bunch of indisputably vile characters who call themselves the "New Order," or NO for short, and they do not wish for their forthcoming "perfect" world to include homosexuals. So, they raid a gay bar, do surprisingly cruel actions and one patron manages to escape and into the arms of a group of unselfish, open minded people. And now, everyone is in danger from the NO.

Sounds like I'm spoiling the whole movie. Nope. This is just the barely first act as the grand majority of the film is the outside force trying to get inside for their witness.

This movie was intense and while a ton of scenes were well over-the-top, including the reactions and acting, it's a film of the times. Or at least parts of the scenes were. I'm actually shocked and very pleased on how progressive this movie was in 1983 when gay bashing, or worse, was definitely more widespread than today. And this movie stood out 100% against that. This movie was graphic and incredibly shocking/sad at times and it really stood its ground on doing the right thing and that everyone's equal.

I'm glad I gave this movie a chance. It was completely suspenseful and you really never know who's safe from the NO.

***

Final Thoughts: Now, of the three: Assault on Precinct 13, Siege and Green Room, my favorite is...well, that's hard. The first two were deliciously a product of their times. I would, however, select Green Room. While it wasn't 100% original, it sure felt that way when I saw it, before I saw the other two. Still, the most polished and best acted movie is definitely Green Room.

This would make a radical trilogy marathon some Saturday evening.

Surprisingly not bad

[aratron-00391 · 6/10 · 9 September 2022]

This film is definitely worth a watch if you like violent stand off films like Straw dogs, Assault on Precient 13 , v.f.w. And other similar films. The good guys use clever methods to fend off their attackers. Acting was fair to good . Tension builds nicely. This film is a good candidate for a remake and update. The leader of the villain is portrayed well as an ice cold killer. Runtime is sufficient. The films appeal is the tension and violent deaths,, and it is real life horror that could happen. The score is well done and creepy. The film held my interest from start to finish.. I liked it and suggest you consider watching.

A so called hidden gem that should've stayed buried

[gemandeye1 · 1/10 · 22 March 2022]

After seeing some reviews and the description I was sort of psyched to see this one, i was expecting a good ole gory grindhouse crime film from how it was described by many. What i watched was a poorly acted, terribly written, with sub par SFX even for then, and overall boring.

Neat little thriller

[Woodyanders · 8/10 · 3 August 2021]

After the police go on strike, a nasty gang of despicable hoodlums decide to terrorize the patrons of a gay bar. The bar owner accidentally gets killed, so the gang kill all the witnesses except for Daniel (a solid performance by Terry-David Despres) who manages to escape and seeks refuge in an isolated apartment building. Fortunately, several residents of the apartment building agree to protect Daniel from the gang which proceeds to lay siege to the place.

Directors Paul Donovan and Maura O'Connell relate the gripping story at a constant pace, maintain an appropriately tough'n'gritty take-no-prisoners tone throughout, and generate a good deal of nerve-rattling tension. Moreover, the stark stripped-down simplicity of style used by the filmmakers gives this picture an extra chilling and realistic edge as well as a certain raw immediacy.

The sound acting by the game no-name cast helps a lot: Tom Nardini as noble nice guy Horatio, Brenda Bazinet as the feisty Barbara, Daryl Haney as the resourceful Chester, Jack Blum as the nerdy Patrick, and Keith Knight as the ill-fated Steve. In addition, the villains are truly mean and detestable, with Jeff Pustil as the hateful Goose and Doug Lennox as ruthless ringleader Cabe rating as particular stand-outs. The moments of brutal violence pack a jolting punch. Nicely unsettling final freeze frame, too. An on the money 80's exploitation winner.

FASCISTS IN CANADA

[kirbylee70-599-526179 · 7/10 · 31 August 2021]

Who would have thought that a movie about gay bashing fascists killing a group of gays in a bar and then facing off against a group defending them would take place in Canada? This is a country known for tolerance and acceptance, not violence. And yet it was made in 1983. Maybe there was more of this going on back then.

SIEGE takes place in Halifax, Nova Scotia, during a police strike. With no law protected the streets the city is a free for all. A group who call themselves the New Order (a fascist group not the band) enter a small gay club and threaten the patrons, telling them there is no place for them in their world. Armed to the teeth, which seems a bit overkill, they accidentally kill the manager. Deciding it's best not to leave any witnesses they begin shooting everyone in the bar. And yet one person escapes.

The lone escapee heads to the streets followed by the vicious gang. He holds up in an apartment house where those inside decide to help him. The gang follows him there demanding the apartment dwellers send him out. Instead this group comes together to defend this single man from the marauders outside and the siege of the building begins.

The gang calls their boss Cabe who brings them more weaponry. Apparently groups like this have easy access to weapons in Canada or at least in Halifax. One member takes to the rooftop across the street with a high powered scoped rifle. The others are armed with machine guns and try to enter the building. But the residents are resourceful and have laid out traps worthy of a HOME ALONE film for adults.

Among the defenders of this poor victim there is dissension in the ranks. Some want to help him and others to toss him out and save themselves. As a few of them are taken out the decision to carry on is taken and with what little they have in the way of defenses are laid out and they do their best to maintain their safety.

Around this time a number of films were coming out like this that had everyday citizens taking up arms to defend themselves from different attackers. Perhaps the most famous was DEATH WISH in 1974 with Charles Bronson taking on criminals in New York. FIGHTING BACK in 1982 had Tom Skerritt forming a Guardian Angels type group to protect his neighborhood. And 1976s ASSAULT ON PRECINCT 13 presented a similar situation to what we see here. All are solid films and this one is no exception.

You can tell that the budget on this film was small for most movies and yet it takes what funds they had a puts them on the screen. The acting ranges from mediocre to good and the cinematography is better than most. Far too many low budget films that take place at night make you wish you had night vision to see what was transpiring. Not so here.

The cast for me at least was made up of unknowns but in looking at their credit listings on IMDB most had long careers, perhaps not in lead roles but plenty of supporting items. The only name I recognized was Tom Nardini as the main hero in the apartment. Nardini had a major role in CAT BALLOU and a few TV series but then seemed to disappear.

The end result here is a movie that's entertaining and a great example of the genre from that time period. Severin has done a great job with this one too beginning with a 2k scan from the original negative recently discovered in a Nova Scotia archive. Extras include an audio commentary track with co-direct Paul Donovan and filmmaker Jason Eisner, two cuts of the movie: a theatrical 84 minute cut ad a 93 minute extended cut, the trailer for the film, a limited edition slipcover and reversible artwork.

Fans of the film who might remember it as NIGHT WARRIORS or SELF DEFENSE, to other titles it was released under, or who know the film as SIEGE will be delighted to see this one now available in the best way possible. Kudos to Severin for resurrecting this one from the vault.

Assault on Precinct Zero

[osloj · 3/10 · 23 January 2023]

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

*Plot and ending analyzed*

Based on the "great" reviews alone you would think that this movie is better than a pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. Well, after watching it, the reviews are completely incorrect and overblown. This movie is absolutely ridiculous.

The plot: A group of highly incompetent thugs try to scare some people in a club, which eventually leads to outright slaughter. A lone survivor escapes and holes up with the most annoying people in a shabby apartment building. The highly incompetent thugs contact their boss, who hands out military weapons, and calls for an immediate all-out assault on the people. And they fail miserably. You can fill in the blanks for the rest of the tedious movie. And if you have any sense of intelligence, you will have to sign a waiver form to see this lamebrain movie.

If a group of grown men with the latest in assault weapons can not take out a group of incompetent people holed up in some decrepit and rundown apartment, then I don't know what to say. All they had to do was shoot the doorknobs out, or use a sledgehammer and storm the place. Instead we are treated to a lengthy and drawn out guerrilla action. The people in the apartments come up with a bunch of impossible weaponry to defend themselves. It was beyond preposterous. They even had a blind man who has a bionic ear and can detect the slightest sounds through walls. Hilarious.

Most ludicrous scene award goes to the homemade bazooka/Panzerfaust that was made from a plastic toilet pipe and a toy rocket, and filled with steel nails and some explosive. The defenders took out a rooftop sniper who was one block away and hidden in the dark. He survived with shrapnel wounds. Miraculously.

And then it ends suddenly. And we are supposed to be "startled" when they show the lone survivor of the vicious attackers in a police uniform. If you couldn't figure out that the violent attackers were cops at the beginning, then you have a lot to learn about movies.

This movie is an utter disappointment. Avoid at all costs.

A complete stinker from beginning to end.

i recommend this one!

[samslambam · 11 January 2002]

As i was in the videostore i saw this box of a movie called NightWarriors. It looked familiar, turned out to be i saw it as a kid.

I must say even now it still is a very interesting thriller.

Police are on strike in Halifax which means a lot of scum are loose on the streets. A gang kills some people in a bar but one visitor manages to escape...and these guys don't want any witnesses. A couple of friendly people let him into theire house...and thats where it goes all wrong. The gang wants the witness...and the friendly people aint gonna turn him over. What follows is the gang trying to siege the building...and the people inside have to defend themselfs all night...

Looks indeed alot like Assault on Precinct 13, Escape from New York and a bit of the Warriors. Acting in the beginning of the movie is not that good, but further on in the movie it actually improves. Some solid action and it had me on the edge of my seat a couple of times. For all you people who want go out and rent this: i guess it is hard to get. In Europe it's called Night Warriors (why?), in US and Canada Siege or Self Defense.

Very solid movie.

[projectpat72988 · 7/10 · 31 August 2023]

I really liked this movie. I have no idea what tier movie this was back in 83 when it was released but I can say it was very entertaining of a watch here 40 years later.

Usually combing through Shudder I watch a bunch of these 70s 80s movies and you can really see the age of them. It can be ridiculous plot elements, terrible effects, bad acting. This movie has none of that it is solid in every department.

This movie takes place during a real police strike of 1981. A group of lunatics start murdering people in a gay bar and then chase the lone survivor back to an apartment building.

I wouldn't read further until you've seen it. But the only silly part in my opinion was them assuming they had gotten all the bad guys. The movie had been surprisingly sensible up until that point. Nothing that happened seemed TOO out there.

Canucksploitation Obscurity

[cwbellor · 6/10 · 30 June 2022]

Siege (or Self-Defense) takes place during a historic period that you'd be forgiven for not remembering or even knowing about. Apparently, in 1981 the Nova Scotia police went on strike. As you can imagine, this kind of event serves as the basis for disorder and violence in this thriller. Sure enough, the urge to purge is real during one horrible Canadian night and its right-wing homophobes who have come out to play.

A gang of delinquent dumb dumbs enter a basement bar with the intent to bash and bully. No, these aren't the charming Proud Boys or even their more hardcore Hammerskin predecessors. These guys refer to themselves as New Order. They don't much resemble the synth-pop pioneers that emerged from the ashes of Joy Division, but oh well. During their bigoted boys night out, they call in their comrade specialist Cabe. This guy looks like he stepped out of a more sinister sci-fi mystery where he would never keep the company of such a hapless bunch. After arriving, he proceeds to execute all of the patrons and staff alike. The sole survivor escapes and takes shelter with a couple and their blind housemates, one of whom looks a lot like Finn Wolfhard. The New Orderlies proceed to lay siege to the apartment complex with military precision and the pieces are in place for a compelling game.

The Canuck creeps embody the all too familiar tropes of exploitation movie baddies in all their cackling glory. When one isn't digging into your soul with a thousand mile stare, another is letting out a high-pitched laugh that would make the Joker blush. Whether it's the tubby dead-eyed brute of the bunch or the reluctant pipsqueak tagalong, this is the kind of movie where we anxiously await how each of them will be dealt with. Unfortunately, the improvised nail-bomb launcher attached to a car battery is only good for one Canucklehead casualty. But don't worry, there's plenty more Home Alone meets Die Hard science experiments to go around.

If you're looking for entertaining exploitation with enough small surprises to keep you intrigued, this movie doesn't disappoint. Whether it's the appearance of a hunter's bow or awkward sound effects or ADR dialogue you certainly get what you tuned in for. If that's not enough to satisfy, this film is chockfull of one-liners.

"The h***-lovin' bastards got gas masks!" "Anyone who touches the doorknob downstairs is gonna die." There's even a "don't say we didn't warn ya!" No doubt that it could've been better, but it's more than acceptable for what it is. And if you don't like it, well, blame Canada.

Something different

[TipToeThroughHell · 6/10 · 28 March 2022]

An entirely different spin on the siege genre using characters that you still rarely see in these kinds of films (queer, sight-impaired, etc). It manages to reside in the early 80s grindhouse/exploitation wheelhouse without ever fully stepping into the gratuitous. (Siege, 1983).

Overlooked classic grindhouse thriller

[tenebrae70 · 10/10 · 3 February 2016]

I first rented this out under the title Siege back in the 80s. This film needs an official release desperately. Cannot believe that it hasn't been done already. Siege motors along at a fast pace, no lulls, just scene upon scene of intense cat n mouse between a gang of murderous thugs n a group of people (in what looks like the most rundown n scuzziest building ever) who take in a survivor from the gangs previous assault. Shade of Carpenter's Assault on Precinct 13 n a cheeky wink towards Escape From New York, the gang take on more than they bargain for when the ever resourceful victims strike back. Solid acting all round n a sucker punch of a twist at the end. This is a must see..! Classic grindhouse..!

Siege has its moments but is very average

[kevin_robbins · 5/10 · 28 March 2024]

I recently viewed the Canadian film 🇨🇦 Siege (1983) on Shudder. The plot revolves around a group of hoodlums who instigate trouble at a gay bar, resulting in the accidental death of the owner. They enlist help to cover up their crime by eliminating all witnesses.

Co-directed by Paul Donovan (Buried on Sunday) and Maura O'Connell, the cast includes Tom Nardini (Cowboy in Africa), Brenda Bazinet (4 episodes of Goosebumps), and Jack Blum (Renegades).

While not particularly outstanding, The Siege offers a nostalgic, 80s grindhouse experience that can be entertaining. It embodies the low-budget charm of its era, delivering a predictable storyline typical of the genre with villains easy to root against. The acting and dialogue are passable and the shootouts are solid. However, the quality of the kills could have been better.

In summary, Siege has its moments but is very average. I would rate it 5/10 and recommend it only with appropriate expectations.

Sometimes less is more: Nasty but special little Thriller

[t_atzmueller · 9/10 · 8 September 2011]

Like most people, I ran across this film with the wrong expectations. In Germany, "Self Defense" was marketed under the name "New York 1991", possibly due to the fact that most Germans had no idea where Nova Scotia was in the first place, but certainly with the intention of buying into the near-future-thriller-fad of the time ("Escape from New York", "Class of 1984"). This is what I expected but this isn't what I got: So, it's the near future: the police-force in some big city is on strike and posses of self-appointed vigilantes roam the streets. Presumably as it would happen in our modern times, their first target is a gay club, where they off the patrons executioner style. One person is able to escape and finds refuge in a household consisting of handicapped residents and lovable weirdos, who become the next target of the vigilantes. The supposed "victims" must now kill or be killed.

Despite having been filmed on a shoestring budget, the film has more atmosphere than your average Hollywood thriller. That's partly due to the claustrophobic settings, decaying buildings and dark alleyways but mainly it's the chemistry between the actors that makes this film so enjoyable.

Special credit should go to Doug Lennox, who plays Cabe, the ice-cold leader of the vigilantes. His stern, chiselled features can give you the creeps, spelling out mayhem and doom for all crossing his path. Once seen, never forgotten – at least, when I saw him as bartender in "X-Men" ("are you gonna order something or will you stick with water?"), I found myself muttering, "hey, that's Cabe! Long time no see, you vicious b***rd").

The killing of various characters – be they good guys or bad guys – is generally rather harsh and imaginative. By imaginative, I don't mean "Saw"-imaginative or overly gory but rather often painfully realistic. Indeed, not only does the realistic approach makes us feel for the good guys even more but by showing destruction of human life in such cold, realistic fashion, doesn't glorify death, unlike your typical Sly n' Arnie actioners.

Highly recommendable for fans of hard action who have no need for big names or big explosions and a small classic in it's own right.

Siege.. I sure want to see this movie again...

[twalloee · 8/10 · 29 August 2007]

Well, I saw Siege on VHS in the early 80's, and I still remember this movie, so I would like to see it once more. Can anybody help me here?

I used to have this on VHS from England, and I think it was uncut, There was quite some blood in this movie. The story about an strike in Halifax police district, makes some bad cops(spoilers)we get the answer in the end. Take care of some people that are hiding an possible eye witness. So a gang of Police officers take the chance to wipe out this witness and her friends. lots of suspense and blood here. I highly recommend it- Please help me if you have any info on this movie is available on DVD.

Terje W.

I gave it an 8, (memory have seen it at least 20 times)

Respect your local law-enforcement!

[Coventry · 8/10 · 8 September 2022]

Where's Robocop when you need him, right? Paul Verhoeven's classic Sci-Fi masterpiece revolves around a half-man/half-machine law enforcer that was tested for the first time during a police strike in the grim streets of a futuristic Detroit. But in 1981 in Halifax, Nova Scotia, there apparently also was a massive police strike, and this underrated exploitation/cult gem illustrates what happens if the cyborg-alternative doesn't exist!

Okay, admittedly, my intro paragraph sounds a bit degrading, but "Self Defense" truly is a great film and a must-see for fanatics of US/Canadian exploitation flicks of the 70s and early 80s. The plot is fresh & original, albeit slightly inspired by "Assault on Precinct 13", the tone and atmosphere are (unexpectedly) very dark and disturbing, and the violence on display is extreme, uncompromising, and relentless. This film even shocked me a couple of times, and that's the best thing an experienced and skeptical horror/cult freak like me could hope for.

The Halifax police inactivity seems like the ideal time for a local posse of middle-aged, frustrated, beer-gulping, and fascist suburban rednecks to go out and "cleanse" the streets. They invade a gay bar and intimidate the customers, but obviously it goes wrong, and they accidentally kill the owner. Their leader, a genuinely menacing creep named Cabe, decides to execute all the witnesses. One person escapes and eventually finds shelter in a ramshackle apartment block where the residents help to protect him.

Straight from the opening credits, you notice that "Self Defense" means serious business. The music and credits are uncanny, and the first couple of sequences showing the abandoned streets of the city are quite ominous. I also very much admire how writer/director Paul Donovan took the effort to give some well-illustrated background to the leading "good" guy and the leading "bad" guy. It's extremely significant how the fascist protects his property with barbed wire, and even more so how he treats his wife. The poor woman clearly knows what'll happen if he goes out with his drinking buddies, and it even costs her a precious pottery collection. The intro of the helpful Horatio neatly indicates how he's always the right guy in the wrong place. There are many fantastic supportive characters, including the sadistic creep-leader, but also a sort of amateur-MacGyver and two blind blokes with super-hearing powers in the good camp. It sadly doesn't happen too often that I get pleasantly surprised and overwhelmed by a newly discovered gem, but "Self Defense" is a real winner!

very watchable

[profkringsconsulting · 8/10 · 22 May 2023]

Okay, granted the film is pretty much a rip off of Carpenter 's Assault. However, it is very well made. The idea of a lawless city due to a strike of the police force is pretty disconcerting because you realise how vulnerable society can be. Then there is the angle of a vigilante operation and homophobia. Back in 83 that was actually quite a sensitive issue. The film is well paced, well told. I particularly liked the idea that people are locked in an apartment and just have to use whatever they find to protect themselves. There are plenty of plot twists. It's one of those few films where you never really know what's going to happen next. I also liked that they acknowledge Carpenter with a running gag about cigarettes that you also have in Assault.

Excellent Small Film Loads of Tention

[rogercg1 · 8/10 · 4 February 2023]

This is a terrific small budget film with very good performances and taut direction by Paul Donovan. Yes, rightfully compared to Assault on Precinct 13 and the classic western Rio Bravo. However, it certainly holds its own. Tom Nardini stars. I worked with him in the movie The Young Animals(aka Born Wild). Super guy off screen. He co-starred in Cat Ballou. I always felt he should have been a big star. The movie is in his capable hands as Horacio, the lead. Subject matter depicting terrible violence in a gay bar was before it's time. It has great value as how one film production looked at hate crime and strongly depicted it on screen in 1983. It's well worth the watch. The 8 I gave it as opposed to a 9 or 10 is only because it could have had higher production money spent on it, BUT, it deserves great credit for its great relevance and merits high praise. Today, it has some worthy cult movie status. It's sometimes hard to find, but, currently can be watch without cost on Freevee with commercials or at Amazon Prime. Highly recommend!