DISTRICT 13, 2004
Movie Review

Rife with drugs and violence, the Parisian suburb of District 13 is walled off from polite society. When an experimental neutron bomb is stolen by ganglord Taha Bemamud a police officer must team up with a convict and former resident of D13 to retrieve it.

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REVIEW:

Imagine if John Carpenter's cult classic Escape From New York had instead been set in a dystopian Paris and starred a founder of parkour, or free running. What you see would probably be a very close approximation of District 13 (Banlieue 13 in its native French.) Directed by action cinematographer Pierre Morel, and with a script co-written by Luc Besson, it is a fast-paced romp set among the high rise tower blocks of the Paris suburbs. The film stars David Belle, one of the original innovators of parkour, an athletic discipline that consists of moving quickly and fluidly through an urban landscape. This can involve jumping between rooftops, scrambling up brick walls or vaulting over railings and fences, and thanks to the Internet it has grown an international following.

It is easy to see why it would appeal to writers and directors of action films, as masters of parkour are capable of remarkable athletic feats. No doubt it had quite an effect on Luc Besson, director of classics such as The Big Blue, La Femme Nikita and Leon. He wrote the script for District 13 with Bibi Naceri (who also plays villainous criminal kingpin Taha Bemamud) with an emphasis on athletic action sequences over strong dramatic scenes. As such, the film could be accused of being without weight, but it's not hard to see that the goal of District 13 is to entertain and, as a straightforward, fun action flick, it does just that.

The cast work well with the small amount they are given, with Naceri and Tony D'Amario (as the giant thug K-2) especially memorable for their mix of menace and humour. Raffaelli is excellent as the tough cop willing to do whatever it takes to stop the crook, and even Belle, who has only acted in a handful of roles, acquits himself as the central character. The only person who doesn't get as much chance to shine is Verissimo, who in the short time she receives shows Lola to be just as tough and stubborn as any of the men around her, even when tied next to a primed rocket launcher.

Director Morel has worked as cinematographer on the likes of The Transporter and Unleashed, so it goes without saying that the action sequences are impeccably shot. It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone to know that Belle and Raffaelli performed many of their own stunts; the parkour sequences are especially impressive, performed as they are without wires or camera tricks. When Leïto climbs out of a window and begins scaling a tower block to escape Taha's men at the start of the movie, that's really David Belle jumping across ledges and risking injury as he makes 15ft drops onto concrete. The result is one heart stopping sequence after another, taking in everything from rooftop escapades to gunfights to defending oneself with a steering wheel.

Pierre Morel and Luc Besson worked together again on 2008's Taken, starring Liam Neeson, which was infused with the same high energy and sense of excitement, even if it lacked the humour of District 13. And though Morel did not return for District 13 - Ultimatum, the sequel released this year, with Belle and Raffaelli back playing the odd couple heroes and Besson again writing a script that is equal parts ridiculous and exciting, one can only assume that the adrenalin rush of District 13 hasn't abated just yet.

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DISTRICT 13