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Movies / On DVD / District B13
District B13

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District B13 (2006)

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Reviews Counted: 106

Fresh: 85

Rotten:21

Average Rating: 7/10

Consensus: A nonstop thrill ride, District B13's dizzying action sequences more than make up for any expository flaws.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for strong violence, some drug content and language

Runtime: 85 mins

Genre: Action/Adventure

Theatrical Release:Jun 2, 2006 Limited

Box Office: $1,150,592

Synopsis: Both of the leads in the French action flick DISTRICT B13 practice parkour, a kind of urban gymnastics that looks a little like skateboarding without the skateboard, and the pleasure of this short... Both of the leads in the French action flick DISTRICT B13 practice parkour, a kind of urban gymnastics that looks a little like skateboarding without the skateboard, and the pleasure of this short frenetic film is watching the two lithe heroes leap through windows, run up walls, and jump off buildings. Like Jackie Chan, Cyril Raffaelli, and David Belle, both stuntmen-turned-leading-men perform their own acrobatic martial arts sans special effects or invisible wires, and the lo-fi fight sequences pack a gritty punch that is often missing in slick Hollywood fare. The plot involves a futuristic France where the worst ghettos have been walled off from the rest of society, their schools shut down, and the police force evacuated. The people in power simply want to ignore the plight of the disenfranchised, but this becomes difficult to do when the most notorious gang, led by the wild-eyed Taha (Bibi Naceri), gets its hands on a nuclear warhead and proceeds to demand a 20-million-Euro ransom, with the city of Paris as its hostage. Enter Damien (Raffaelli), a one-man police strike force, who has 24 hours to disarm the missile. To help him navigate the war zone of District B13, he springs a vigilante antihero, Leito (Belle), from jail. Leito has personal reasons for taking down the crime lord: Taha has turned Leito's adolescent sister into his junkie pet. As the ultra-athletic duo go up against Taha's gangster army, they repeatedly (and conveniently) lose their guns, and are forced to improvise, thrashing goons with steering wheels, cinder blocks, and their foreheads. The screenplay (written by Luc Besson, director of LA FEMME NIKITA) and the blunt political critique are a bit heavy-handed, but obviously that's beside the point. Lovers of action flicks could ignore the English subtitles completely and still relish the hyperkinetic beauty of the whip-quick combat. [More]

Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, Tony D'Amario, Dany Verissimo, Bibi Naceri

Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, Tony D'Amario, Dany Verissimo, Bibi Naceri, David Belle, Samir Guesmi

Director: Pierre Morel

Director: Pierre Morel
Producer: Bernard Grenet
Studio: Magnolia Pictures

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Release:

Sep 5, 2006

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Reviews for District B13

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
Text View | 1 2 3 4 5 6 >> >|
Arrange By: Fresh | Rotten | Comments | Name | Source | Date
 
 
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Cinema Crazed | comment Comment
04/29/09
Felix Vasquez Jr.
Cinema Crazed
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Seattle Times | comment Comment
08/17/07
Jeff Shannon
Seattle Times

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Big Picture Big Sound | comment Comment
07/14/07
Joe Lozito
Big Picture Big Sound

the most memorable parts of District 13 actually precede the unfolding of its main plot, which, much like the thermonuclear device on which it is premised, is never allowed to fulfill its explosive promise.

Full Review Source: Eye for Film | comment Comment
07/04/07
Anton Bitel
Eye for Film

Both smart and direct, District B13 is the kind of lean, mean action film most of America's working directors only wish they could pull off.

Full Review Source: Projection Booth | comment Comment
07/03/07
Rob Humanick
Projection Booth

A message-based actioner that's fast, dumb fun.

Full Review Source: Variety | comment Comment
06/06/07
Lisa Nesselson
Variety
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

I was delighted by the balletic and acrobatic stunts, some of which evoke Tarzan.

Full Review Source: Chicago Reader | comment Comment
06/06/07
Jonathan Rosenbaum
Chicago Reader
Top Critic Icon Top Critic

Nifty action flick influenced by Hong Kong cinema that includes a critique of French racism against immigrant community.

Full Review Source: rec.arts.movies.reviews | comment Comment
01/02/07
Louis Proyect
rec.arts.movies.reviews

O roteiro quase inexistente é uma mera desculpa para que o filme apresente ao espectador diversas seqüências de ação absolutamente sensacionais criadas a partir do parkour.

Full Review Source: Cinema em Cena | comment Comment
12/20/06
Pablo Villaca
Cinema em Cena

There's something refreshing about an action film that actually gives a damn about more than explosions.

Full Review Source: Movie Views | comment Comment
11/20/06
Ryan Cracknell
Movie Views

Genre fans will get a kick from the martial-arts action, and that's all District B13 needs to do.

Full Review Source: Sun Newspapers of Cleveland | comment Comment
10/27/06
Gerry Shamray
Sun Newspapers of Cleveland

In his feature directing debut, cinematographer Pierre Morel has delivered an adrenaline-packed picture that sold its brains to the devil in exchange for spectacular fight and chase scenes.

Full Review Source: Reno Gazette-Journal | comment Comment
10/09/06
Forrest Hartman
Reno Gazette-Journal

District B13 is an apocalyptic action message movie with a distinct French flare.

Full Review Source: Hollywood.com | comment 1 Comment
08/23/06
Michael Szymanski
Hollywood.com

The highly stylized result feels barren of both texture and imagination.

Full Review Source: Milwaukee Journal Sentinel | comment Comment
07/14/06
Duane Dudek
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel

For a film that's so light on its feet, "B13" seems rooted in what's really happening on the ground.

Full Review Source: Capital Times (Madison, WI) | comment Comment
07/14/06
Rob Thomas
Capital Times (Madison, WI)

If there’s a sequel…I’m there!

Full Review Source: JoBlo's Movie Emporium | comment Comment
07/14/06
JoBlo
JoBlo's Movie Emporium

A 90-minute feature simply showing [David] Belle's stunts with no frills would be great; unfortunately, they only account for about 10 minutes - the rest of the time, Belle is called upon to act.

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
07/08/06
Peter Bradshaw
Observer [UK]

The cast hurls itself into the comic-book violence, while the stunt choreography and razor-sharp editing are exhilarating.

Full Review Source: Empire Magazine | comment Comment
07/07/06
Empire Magazine

There are plenty of impressive gunfights and some wicked martial arts sequences here, but the film is most likely to be remembered for its emphasis on free running, a dizzying physical technique in which the cast sprint, leap and roll through the city.

Full Review Source: Daily Mirror [UK] | comment Comment
07/07/06
David Edwards
Daily Mirror [UK]

As 85-minute testosterone binges go, you could do a whole lot worse.

Full Review Source: Time Out | comment Comment
07/06/06
David Jenkins
Time Out
 
 
1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Latest News for District B13

March 13, 2007: "District B13" Sequel Yes, American Remake No
The Luc Besson produced "District B13" made such waves in Hollywood, introducing Parkour as a new martial arts style, that studios immediately wanted to make it their... More...

July 26, 2006: Magnolia Digs Into the Crayon Box
You probably know Magnolia Pictures as the distributor of foreign/arthouse fare like "District B13," "Bubble," and "Capturing the Friedmans" -- but... More...

June 01, 2006: Critical Consensus: "The Break-Up" Gets Dumped
This week at the movies brings us "The Break-Up," a hotly-anticipated dark comedy featuring two actors whose faces are criminally under-documented by the paparazzi.... More...

May 25, 2006: Trailer Bulletin: District B13
One of the most entertaining action flicks I've seen in a year or two is the frenzied French import known as "District B13," which will hit limited release (thanks to... More...

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