Review: ‘1992’ is a Thrilling Heist Film That’s All About Family

Ray Liotta’s final feature film is a heist set against the backdrop of the 1992 LA Uprisings. 1992 (2024) follows a young ex-con and father as he crosses and clashes paths with another father son duo. They couldn’t be more different, and more alike. 

Directed by Ariel Vromen, 1992 is a taut thriller, but in the vein of Vromen’s past projects, there is an element of family drama, legacy and environment interwoven into the plot. It’s handled really well for something that’s considered an action film and it’s something we’ve seen Vromen excel in with films like The Iceman (2012) and Criminal (2016). Both were about criminals at the heart of the films, but ultimately the focus was on the families that were impacted not only by the crimes, but by the treatment of the criminals themselves. The true judgment was in the eye of the beholder. Sure, the character did bad things, but they could be motivated by good causes. Did it make them bad people? That’s for the viewer to decide. 

In 1992 we meet Mercer (Tyrese Gibson) who lives in South Central with his son Antroine (Christopher A’mmanuel). Mercer is an ex-con who’d been locked up for 10 years. Antoine recently moved in after his last remaining guardian passed away. The relationship between the two is strained with Mercer trying, but ultimately understanding he hasn’t been there for the young man. It’s been about 6 months and Mercer not only has to build his relationship with his son, but also has to reconcile with his relationship in the community. His 10 year stint has humbled him, but the outside is split between extreme reverence and not knowing who he is. 

There’s a scene in a convenience store where a young buck puts a gun to his head and asks how it feels. Mercer answers tepidly, “Familiar.” It’s sobering and even takes the gunman off guard until a fellow crew member runs in to break up the fight and give the young ones and the audience a sense of the gravity of who Mercer aka “Merc” (a mercenary or murderer) is. Or “was” if Mercer had any say in it. It’s what he wants, but does he have the ability to shed the persona? Would it be safer to put it behind him or is it more dangerous to try and keep it up? 

At the same time, we meet Riggin Rigby (Scott Eastwood) and his little brother Dennis (Dylan Arnold). They’re conspiring to make one big hit that involves stealing platinum from a refinery plant. The sale will net them millions of dollars and will leave them set for life. Riggin runs the idea by Pops (Ray Liotta) who is skeptical at first, saying it’s too dangerous, but Riggin is tired of the piecemeal life and ready to do one score and get out. 

We go back to Mercer who we see works at the refinery where the platinum is being held. He works alongside security guard Joseph (Michael Beasley) as they watch the proceedings of the Rodney King police brutality trial. The verdict was announced and the uprising started. Mercer, worried for Antoine, asks if he can bring the boy back to the Refinery to wait out the violence. Joseph agrees. At the same time Riggin decides with chaos installed, now is the best time to pull off the heist. He gathers a crew including Dennis and Pops and they make their way to the refinery. 

From that moment exists a tragedy of errors that intermingles the lives of these two very different families and exposes both their faults and their strengths. Fathers and sons must rely on each other with a trust that appears to be built mostly on the moniker of father and son. It provides a really interesting dichotomy in the film wherein the foundations of each relationship are tested. There are well established relationships that unravel and new relationships that flourish, all in the name of greed. 

The film moves quickly and while it’s not shot in real time, once the heist begins, things become hectic and the taut emotional thriller becomes an all out action film. This can be enjoyable, but it does cause a bit of a let down for those invested in the emotional connections of the film. There was a lot to be said about the race relations in the film; there was more I wish we knew about Mercer and much more I wanted to know about Pops. There’s also a scene that I’m sure was cut involving an injured worker that was completely senseless to me. Not enough to fully take me out, but it signaled how little his life meant overall and I would have liked that to have been said more explicitly in the film.

1992 is a good film, but it teases the edge of greatness and it’s a shame that there wasn’t enough time to push it over the edge. Performance wise, everyone did a wonderful job and Ray Liotta did what Liotta always does which is deliver. Eastwood started a bit underdeveloped but as the film went on his performance was strong. A’mmanuel was well cast and though he wasn’t given much to do, he made what he could from what he was given. Gibson didn’t do too much and it worked for him in this role. 

Executive production by Snoop Dogg does add an additional air of authenticity to the film and to its credit; it’s real without holding punches and without canonizing the city or the times. Yes, people took advantage of the uprisings for their own gain, but a lot of it was an expression of anger and pain and it was nice to be shown more than just mindless vandalism. Awards wise, I could see Ray Liotta being recognized for his contribution. He’s truly magnetic in the film and you can’t take your eyes off of him or his performance. The direction is well done and creative and the film does serve as a sort of elevated action film so I wouldn’t be surprised to see audience awards for Eastwood and Gibson’s performances. Young actor awards for A’mmanuel and Arnold would also be unsurprising.

I recommend going to see 1992 if only to get a history lesson for some of the things that may have gone forgotten around that time. It gives a fantastic account of what it could have been like to be in the fray and shows how the precedent for police brutality in this country was set and continued. A history lesson and a fun action film, all in one and Ray Liotta? What’s not to love? 

Movie Rating: 7/10