User reviews

People people people...anyone expecting Citizen Kane out of this movie needs to have their head examined. BUT...if you were looking for a thrilling, fast paced roller-coaster, that's what you will find.

For the past year, I have been seeking out alternatives to American cinema because it has become so formulaic and awful. I troll IMDb and eBay to see what else is happening in the world. Sure, B13 is derivative, but it is certainly more exciting than another "re-imagining" of a 70s cop show.

The opening sequence took my breath away. I was half-way through the film before I felt it was sage to dart to the kitchen for a drink. I said to my wife "THIS is the movie I've been searching for." Even the subtitles were good. The verbiage and spelling were very authentic and slang-conversational. It did not feel forced as many foreign films do. It was definitely subbed with the British market in mind, as some of the banter evoked thoughts of Lock, Stock or Layer Cake or Football Factory.

If I want a truly compelling story, I'll look elsewhere, but check out B13 for the some great fight scenes, excellent scenery and mind-blowing athleticism.

In 2010, the dangerous districts in the periphery of Paris are surrounded by walls, and the dwellers do not have school, hospital and even police in the area, which are ruled by drug lords. In the 13th District, Leito (David Belle) is a honest man that lives in a clean building and does not permit drug dealers nearby his neighborhood. When he destroys one million Euros in heroin of Taha Bemamud (Larbi Naceri), the criminal abducts Leito's sister Lola (Dany Veríssimo) and the corrupt police arrests Leito. Six months later, the tough and honest Capt. Damien Tomaso (Cyril Raffaelli) is assigned to find and deactivate a stolen bomb that might destroy the 13th District and the two million dwellers. Together with Leito, they have to face the gang of Taha and disclose a despicable secret behind the robbery of the bomb.

The unknown "Banlieue 13" was one of the best surprises I have had this year. It is pure adrenaline and certainly one of the best action movies I have recently seen. The greatest attractions are the performances of David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli. I have just read in IMDb that David Belle is co-inventor of the sport known as Parkour, "which consists of moving freely in a natural area, including climbing on buildings and taking on whatever is in the way". Cyril Raffaelli is also stunt coordinator and stunt. Together, they are awesome, with amazing choreography that recalls Jackie Chan when he was young, and certainly are among the best I have ever seen in the cinema. The direction and the story are also good, hooking the attention until the very last scene. Just as a curiosity, in the beginning of the movie, the guys are watching a Brazilian soap-opera with Regina Duarte and Antônio Fagundes. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "B13 - 13o Distrito" ("B13 - 13th District")

The French answer to Ong Bak coulda been the final word, with superior production values and a serviceable if not exactly profound story-line (how much story can you get in an 80 minute film that's 50% action though?). Unfortunately it's let down by "Hollywood style" over-editing of the action scenes. David Belle & Cyril Raffaelli have *real* skills, and showing them off is the raison de etre of the film - so why chop most of the best moves into 3 separate shots, so we can't really appreciate them? It's a tribute to the performers and Raffaelli's choreography that they're still amazing to watch! I'd love to see a re-edit that simply removes the unnecessary insert shots and shows the moves in their full glory. Despite this objection, I still rate the film 8/10 :)

Thrilling and violent movie with a phenomenal starring pair and in which Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle cast all the Stuntmen themselves . Set in the rundown ghettos of Paris in 2010, an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb . When the government learns that local kingpin (Larbi or Bibi Narceri , Sami Narceri's brother ; even though Bibi Naceri co-wrote the script, he still had to audition for the part of Taha along with other actors) has acquired a nuclear weapon , Damien (Cyril Raffaelli) and Leito (David Belle , the originator of Le Parkour ) are called upon to avoid an atomic bomb on destroying the blocks at the heart of District 13 with tactical precision and as save the city . With acrobatic skillfulness and adrenaline pumping belief in their own abilities, they throw themselves out from incredible heights, and jump from roof to roof ; locked doors and 'No Trespassing' signs become irresistible challenges . They confront their enemies in order to find out location the bomb (the bomb code is: 9293709B13) and his sister (Dany Verissimo who spent two whole days on a roof in the freezing cold in ripped clothes, handcuffed to a bomb and Luc Besson wrote the part of Lola specifically for her) who was formerly kidnapped , but someone is still after them and are forced to once again take up violent means to survive .

¨13th District¨ is an exciting film that contains suspense , thrills, noisy action , shootouts and violent fights . The main couple is unabashed in its dedication to fanboy stunt work . From the beginning to the final the noisy action and fast movement is unstopped , including breathtaking scenes in which bounds and leaps through apartments blocks and at moments give the impression that they are flying . Cyril Raffaelli as a hard-rock , two-fisted agent is top-notch . This is a frantic rehash of ¨Escape from NY¨ , rightly realized in French style . The highlights of the movie are The Parkour , also known in USA as Free Running whose origin was in ¨Yamasaki¨ film directed by Ariel Zeitoun , Julien Seri and also produced by Luc Besson with his production company called ¨EuropaCorps¨ . Duo protagonist more than make up for in an skill to soar across a rolling medley highrise flats blocks . The way in which the actors prove this abilities , is in fact an activity called Parkour and was invented by David Belle himself , influenced by his father Raymond Belle . Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle had three months to prepare all their Parkour stunts for the film . There weren't any special effects , wire-work, computer graphics... used in 90% of the Parkour scenes . Good cinematography by cameraman Manuel Teran using Steadicam and zooms with numerous locations from Paris slums . The musician Da Octopuss creates a stirring, moving soundtrack fitting to frantic action . Lavishly produced by the successful French producer and director Luc Besson . The flick was stunningly realized by the habitual cameraman, Pierre Morel in his first film, -the second was the successful ¨Taken¨- , though Alexandre Aja was originally hired to direct the movie the first . Filmmaker Pierre gives the action a dance-like quality and the whole movie took 10 months for production , idea, script, casting, filming, etc , as from January 2004 to October 2004 . Followed by "District 13: Ultimatum" by Patrick Alessandrin again with Cyril Raffaelli as Capt. Damien Tomaso , David Belle as Leïto , Philippe Torreton as Le Président De la République and as well as starring in the film, Cyril Raffaelli also choreographed all the fight sequences ; however David Belle didn't practice all his Parkour stunts , most of the ones that you see in the film were of him performing the stunt for the first time . Rating: Better than average, well worth seeing , this is a highly agreeable action movie . The picture will appeal to explosive action fans

This film takes everything that has been learned in the last 100 years about how to make an action movie and distills it into a perfect 85 minutes.

The stars are true athletes, including David Belle, the co-founder of the sport of Parkour. He has spent 18 years perfecting his skills, which means that most of the spectacular stunts are real, not done with special effects.

The plot is action-movie perfect as well: A criminal kingpin, a damsel in distress, an honest cop, a noble criminal, corrupt officials, double crosses, nearly superhuman enemies. And at stake: honor, truth and the lives of millions.

There are hardly any extraneous elements, few scenes that don't make sense, no characters that do something really stupid when they should have known better. Every loose end is wrapped up in a very satisfying way. And there's even meaningful social commentary. All (though I said it before) in 85 minutes.

Why do other action movies drag on for two or even three hours and have long slow spots? Why do other action movies have plot holes big enough to walk through? Why do some of them lack drama, get silly and end up feeling like a waste of time? Why can't they all be as taut and tightly written as this one?

Because it's hard. It's hard to reach this level of perfection. It's hard to make a movie in which every scene counts. It's hard to get the plot, the acting, the action and the emotions right.

It's so hard it took 100 years. But here it is. Don't miss it.

Rarely do I say this, but "District B13" is well worth seeing even if its plot isn't especially memorable or even very good. This is because the stunt-work is so amazing and insane that I STILL recommend you see it.

When the film begins, you learn that in the future, cities are often walled up and the scum inside are allowed to flourish--sort of like in "Escape From New York". Then you'll see the best part of the film-- one where a drug lord's men chase a guy who's stolen their stash. It's just hard to describe but the stunts seem almost super- human! There's more of this scattered throughout the film and later this guy is teamed up with a cop who's infiltrated District B13 to try to locate a bomb. But don't worry...it's all just an excuse for some crazy action scenes!

The most amazing thing about this film is that I SHOULD have hated it. I am NOT an action film fan and much prefer films with great characters and interesting plots (not to be found here)...but it's done so well I just didn't mind. It's a turn off your brain and enjoy sort of movie.

i just saw an advanced screening of this in l.a. for this organization genart. This movie from the very beginning is very captivating with the smooth shots that flow and literally "jump" with the characters is amazing. it keeps you in the movie the whole time and the action scenes are the most unique i've seen since matrix, but a whole lot cooler. the movie is in french and has subtitles but actually adds to the movies authenticity and cool factor. its great hearing the actors speak in their native languages and it ends up making you want to learn french. the two leads are quite the french hotties and martial arts masters. its a simple enough plot with some twists to it. and less than 90 minutes its well worth your money. i plan on owning this once its out on DVD and definitely am waiting to see it again in theatres when it does come out. i'm not an action movie buff at all but this movie definitely kept my attention with the quick wit and humor from the characters and the quick but focused action. it was really mindboggling stunts that i kept saying ohmigod to. so definitely well worth a watch and recommendation to your friends.

What is there to like about this movie? Well, the plot is pretty good, even though I'd have much more trouble suspending my disbelief if it would not have been French. In the wake of all the ruckus in France, this movie feels pretty realistic as a social commentary.

The stunts(Parkour) are amazing. Smooth, fluid motion and crisp, no-bullshit camera-work makes it a real treat to the eye. The fighting scenes are cool too, and they at least partially real(for unreal, watch Hard Target or any other Van Damme movie. For real, watch Heat) and not as repetitive and drawn-out as the usual ones.

The whole ghetto atmosphere works really well. Concrete and poverty works fine as scenery. Dialouge seemed good too from what I got from the subtitles.

What's there to dislike? Well, character development is the same-old. Two different guys team up and saves the day, overcome their differences and live happily ever after. It has been done before, but at least it's done well here.

The music is consistent and fitting, so that's more of a matter of taste.

Otherwise, the movie is pretty much solid. Minor flaws, but on the whole a treat from the moment it starts to the end. Not something you add to the DVD collection, maybe, but certainly worthwhile. -7/10

In the usual big-budget American action movie of those days, there would be, besides the action, a love story and a bad boy redemption. No such crap here, this movie is much close to "Escape from New York" (I'd say it is even a little kind of a remake) than to an usual action blockbuster. There is not a lot of moral but some kind of a political message about the french suburbs. Anyhow the action is great, the acting is surprisingly good (even if I'm sure that the young Dany Verissimo - the girl - is not very well used). So ? Worth watching. Violent, like kids schoolyard games, not horrific (no torture, no blood), not "adult" (even if Dany Verissimo happens to be a famous adult movie actress), but not too unbelievable either : while you watch, you're in, you believe in all, the action and the plot.

I don't know quite what I just saw. I'll have to watch it at least a few more times before I make a proper review, but for NOW, let me just attest that the action was so intensely awesome that I forgot to breath; I actually found myself short of breath more than once just from watching.

I have followed eastern action cinema for years and have been continuously intrigued and impressed with their inventiveness and physical expression, but without doubt this film has not just raised the bar for western martial arts/action movies but for the entire Action Movie genre.

The stunt work is flawlessly executed, and utterly amazing.

These guys are insanely talented, and whilst they do what they do best, you just cannot but sit in awe.

I was so excited after watching this film I felt sick!

Hands down, the BEST action movie I have ever seen. B-13 raises the bar for the action flick. Even those not typically into the action movie scene will appreciate this film. Non-stop creative and novel action sequences that are sure to wow even the toughest critic. Although slightly lacking in the plot department, this movie is sure to entertain and compensate for anything it lacks there with mind blowing action.

Perhaps the most intriguing part of this movie is that it runs its full length with no stupid love story!! It is pure, unadulterated, beautiful action scenes the likes of which have never been seen.

Go see this movie, you'll leave pumped!!

The place : France.

The time : after 2010.

The plot : The French government has erected giant walls around the poorest and most dangerous neighborhoods. Inside these walls its a veritable jungle, with the strongest (and ofter most corrupt) ruling.

This is the directorial debut of Pierre Morel. He has worked as the cinematographer on Danny the Dog (a.k.a. Unleashed) and the Transporter. If this movie gives you a sense of deja vu, don't worry just flow with it.

The movie follows the recent Ong Bak trend of action movies in that there is very little plot or a somewhat lacking storyline but is compensated for by bone crunching and realistic action/athletic sequences, albeit in this case with a French flavor.

After the opening "fly through" of the barrio we get a glimpse at one of the protagonists, Leito (David Belle). Leito is a neighborhood kid who does a good impersonation of Daredevil (minus the blindness, white stick or red outfit). While surround by crime, Leito manages to keep honest and actually fights back against the neighborhood drug lord, Taha.

This is the first 20 minutes of the movie, and it was simply awesome. David Belle is co-founder of a sport called Parkour. It is some Euro-Asian fusion of martial arts and running. There was a Nike commercial (?? - it was definitely a sneaker ad) where this man kept jumping off of random things. The whole point was he didn't stop, no matter what was in his way. It seems to be some improvisational running, where you figure out ways to get around things. This opening sequence involves a lot of running at full speed and some fighting inside, outside and on top of an apartment building. The pace for the sequence is fast and awe-inspiring.

We are then transported 6 months into the future, where we are introduced to our second protagonist, Damien (Cyril Raffaelli). Damien is the decorated, "straight as an arrow" cop. He follows order and does whatever is necessary (within the law) to get the job done. Damien's 20 minute introduction takes place in an illegal casino. This is the actual sequence that reminds me the most of Ong Bak (the mêlée combat). It has a similar style (of course without Tony Jaa's proficiency), complete with the bone-wrenching "oomphs". Cyril may seem familiar to fans of the action genre. He has been in numerous actions flicks as well, staring in Kiss of the Dragon and as a stunt man in the Transporter and Brotherhood of the Wolf.

The first two sections of the movie contain the character development, while the last section handles the plot. A new type of bomb has been stolen. It has a 24 hour detonation timer on it that is activated once the case is opened. Damien is sent in to defuse it (namely to enter a code that defuses the already active bomb). The bomb is somewhere in B13 and Leito is "volunteered" to be his guide.

The movie was definitely enjoyable, yet lacking much of a story or a finale. I was reminded of Ong Bak and especially of the Transporter. These movies (along with B13) seem to have a rather simplistic finale. The world is a generally good place where a few bad apples take advantage of the good. Most of the time, the good simply do not know the "bad people" exist. They just need someone to tell them and then collectively the good "do the right thing" (which is always done through lawful and sometimes legislative means). There are other movies (like most of Jackie Chan's movies) that have similar endings. This is not so much a criticism as an observation.

There were some scenes that made me go "huh".

Why does everyone have their names on the doors ? I'm sure each of the characters probably also have their names sewn into their boxers. I did enjoy Taha's Tony Montana impression. It was quite a funny scene. Lastly, I would have liked a more extended fight scene with Yeti, but otherwise, was a good sequence. Outside of the action sequences, there were some instances of gun-play. This was definitely not John Woo, but I was reminded of the Professional (Besson does have writing credits).

I thoroughly enjoyed this fast paced action, buddy movie (reminded me of 48 Hours or Rush Hour - except without the comical cop/con routine). I highly recommend this movie for action fans.

-Celluloid Rehab

Luc Besson is behind this excuse for a story. And one shouldn't be surprised, that the action potential is top notch, but the script is dire. Dialogues are cringe-worthy and character building stops at filling the movie with 'cool' looking people.

Parkour also features heavily, as is the case with many recent French movies. I guess some sort of national pride for being key to creating this new phenomenon. David Belle (widely held as the creator of parkour) as Leïto and Cyril Raffaelli (a stuntman and martial artist) as Capt. Damien Tomaso work greatly in this action flick making it a feast for adrenaline craved eyes. Much better than most American recent action movies, especially due to lack of fast editing and more focus being put on actually being able to see what our two heroes are up to.

Leïto is a local resident of the infamous Banlieue 13, a district cut off from the rest of France in 2010 due to uncontrollable crime. He is one of the few that is actually trying to make a difference, but a conflict with the drug-lord Taha Bemamud (Bibi Naceri) ends up with him in prison and his little sister as a drug-addicted slave. Meanwhile Capt. Damien is a top-notch excellently trained cop with a profound belief in law and justice.

Once a nuclear bomb is stolen in Banlieue 13 Damien is sent to retrieve the device that threatens the lives of millions. Smack centre in the middle of the district it reappears. If there is to be any hope of saving Banlieue he must join forces with the unpredictable Leïto...

Plot holes galore, but this movie isn't about the script. Its about the action. For those not hoping for anything intellectually challenging this is a great Friday night popcorn watch.

This movie will be a hit with action fans and no one else. I happen to enjoy movies with action and cool stunts, even if the plot is terrible or completely over-the-top, so I thoroughly enjoyed this movie, although the end left me wanting more (or something different). Basically, if you liked the Transporter movies, you'll like this one too.

The acting is actually better than I anticipated. The characters are one-dimensional as you might expect, but the script is decent and the dialogue isn't too corny. In fact, if you look really hard, there is also a trace of a socio-political message in the film.

The action met my expectations, but didn't surpass them by much. There are a lot of moves that remind me of Onk Bak: The Thai Warrior. If you can handle one person fighting an armed gang of a dozen or more and winning (or escaping, as the case may be) then you will be entertained by this movie.

This is a genre movie that will be surprisingly similar to the vision you have of it in your head before you see it. But it's worth a watch. You won't be bored by any means.

7 out of 10

I am not normally one to watch a film where I have to read subtitles the whole way through but I still decided to give this one a go after hearing about the free-running type action in the film. It didn't disappoint.

The subtitles were easy to follow and the action just kept me glued to the screen from start to finish. The story is good and develops at a good pace.

Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle deserve huge credit for the way they performed in this film, the stunts were all real and just looked incredible. The fight scenes were just brilliant, it was a complete thrill ride. If you want good over the top action this is for you!

It was only an hour and 15 minutes or so and it was over in what felt like 20 minutes, that's how fast and good the action was. Would recommend this film to anyone wanting to see some great action and fighting scenes. Looking forward to watching the sequel now.

8/10.

Parkour lovers n action fans will be in for a treat. The action/ fighting sequences are phenomenal and combine mixed martial arts with elements of parkour. The first chase scene is mind blowing. The story isn't that amazing and its pretty simple but who cares when the mind is totally in shock due to the amazeballs stunts. The cinematography, music, action scenes and the actors make this movie worth watching. The two main characters are David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli. David Belle is actually credited as the founder of parkour. Cyril Raffaelli is a martial artist and stuntman in karate and wushu. Being who they are, their acting skills are just ok, but their action scenes are amazing since they do all their own stunts. Its directed by Pierre Morel, (Taken, Gunman, From Paris with love). Its written n produced by Luc Besson. Some great names associated with this film.

This is an action film that will have you saying 'wow' on a few occasions and then have you questioning if its actually any good.As a showcase for free running and action film its immense and the best example of free running I've seen in a film so far, even better than Casino Royale. The film around it is a little weak and uninspired though. Its just basic stuff but i have to give the film a thumbs up for sheer over achievement on the technical side.Its like watching a really good advert that goes on for just a bit too long but still leaves you with the feeling that you've experienced something quite fresh and unique.I cant really say a great deal more about the film, the stunt work pretty much does all the talking and gives the film a 7/10 all by itself. The rest is forgettable.

The secret to success, it has been argued, is to display an ambidextrous plot that can be understood as both a simple narrative structure and a complex narrative structure. In this way District 13 fulfils its purpose. There is a story for those who are unable to grasp or understand complex narratives yet it also allows the 'thinking man' a topic of debate.

I read IMDb.com before watching this film and was under the impression it was a political film – something resembling Orwell's 1984 or H.G. Well's Things to Come. On one level it was but to generalise it as merely a 'political film' would be an understatement.

District 13 (or Banlieue 13 to give it its French title) is a political thriller. It's about a futuristic suburb in Paris which is simply a ghetto for violence, street crime and anarchism. This story explores the life of Leito, a home-grown youth who stands against the corruption going on around him but, much like Dirty Harry, Leito punishes all those who are unruly (including the police). Eventually, Leito is released from prison (after being wrongly convicted for the possession of drugs,) as he is needed by the police to penetrate the dominant ghetto B13 base and thus defuse a triggered stolen nuclear bomb that will destroy the whole area within 24 hours. The story unfolds as the two main protagonists, Leito and Damien, (a law-abiding policeman,) try to prevent a bomb from exploding and, at the same time, save Leito's sister from the mob.

This thriller is everything many American movies want to be. Both Damien and Leito are two highly trained athletes and both men pull off great stunts. Unlike many American thrillers though, the narratives make sense and we can understand them. Throughout the film there are many socialist undertones and the finale is also reformist socialism – and, retrospectively, possibly also an inherent criticism of the Soviet Union. One point for discussion concerns the notion of a 'worthwhile life'? It also encompasses other moral philosophies.

There are no stones left unturned but everything is concluded in the most unexpected ways. The plot is very good and asks questions which many films, particularly American ones, do not. There is a downside to this film though. The whole movie is spoken in French with English subtitles which means it is not exactly audience friendly! Also, it means you have to concentrate on the subtitles as well as the picture which means it is likely you will miss some of the action! Furthermore, in my (cynical) opinion, gangstas' tend to be very well practically trained, thus there is no way you can attack four or five of them whilst being attached to a steering wheel – a little too unrealistic. This shouldn't take too much away from the film. It is a very good film with great ideas and, if this was made by an American producer, it certainly would have gained a better reputation than the one it has. It's certainly a box office hit for me!

The film opens with a really good action piece, but does slow down a bit before finally getting back to the action bringing this film full circle. This is a decent action film with just enough twists and turns to deliver a good action film but could used a little more cohesion to the overall story. The chase scenes are nothing short of spectacular, they are superbly choreographed, infact all the action set pieces felt authentic and real due to the great choreography. The camera work is very good as it follows the action steadily. Performance-wise, David and Cyril are both energetic and charismatic in their performances. The supporting casts are also good. The music is popping and adds energy to the action scenes making it worthy to watch.

Overall, B 13 has delivered what every action film is expected to deliver: great action, solid story and full-on entertainment.