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District B13

Play trailer Poster for District B13 R 2004 1h 25m Action Sci-Fi Mystery & Thriller Adventure Crime Drama Play Trailer Watchlist
Watchlist Tomatometer Popcornmeter
81% Tomatometer 113 Reviews 78% Popcornmeter 50,000+ Ratings
In 21st-century Paris, a member (Cyril Raffaelli) of an elite police squad must enter a crime-ridden ghetto to defuse a bomb that has fallen into the hands of Taha (Larbi Naceri), a powerful hoodlum. The cop joins forces with a civilian (David Belle) who must rescue his sister (Dany Verissimo) from the same criminal who holds the bomb.
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District B13

District B13

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Critics Consensus

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

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Critics Reviews

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Lisa Nesselson Variety Jun 6, 2007
A message-based actioner that's fast, dumb fun. Go to Full Review
Jonathan Rosenbaum Chicago Reader Jun 6, 2007
I was delighted by the balletic and acrobatic stunts, some of which evoke Tarzan. Go to Full Review
Peter Bradshaw Guardian Jul 8, 2006
2/5
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. Go to Full Review
Brian Eggert Deep Focus Review Aug 22, 2023
3/4
Comparable to Jackie Chan in his heyday, these actors have the charisma, humor, and ability to advance themselves from stuntmen to stars, and they advance this movie from another dull actioner to must-see entertainment. Go to Full Review
Richard Propes TheIndependentCritic.com Sep 6, 2020
2.5/4.0
By returning to true action instead of CGI gimmicks or fake stunts, Morel has crafted a film that is electrifying to watch. Go to Full Review
Dorothy Woodend The Tyee (British Columbia) Aug 23, 2017
Urban ills are pretty much the same worldwide. But it's the very Frenchness of the film that makes it amusant. Unlike a typical American actioner, the villain is not a megalomaniacal genius, nor a corporate overlord; it's the civil servants. . . Go to Full Review
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Audience Reviews

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Peter W @RT12077588 2 days ago District 13 is a seriously fun ride, packed with outstanding action set pieces, slick slow motion, and genuinely jaw dropping parkour moments. While it didn’t invent parkour, the film played a huge role in pushing it into the cinematic spotlight and inspiring fans of movement and fitness alike. The plot is simple, but like the action, it never stops being entertaining. What really stands out is the film’s dirty, grimy aesthetic. The lived-in world feels raw and authentic, making the environment just as engaging as the action itself. The finale does lean into some frustrating reveals, with characters arguing over things that feel pretty obvious, which can cause a bit of eye rolling. Still, if you’re an action fan, this is an easy recommendation. Strap in for a high energy experience filled with likeable performances, memorable characters, and relentless momentum. Jump on this today. See more Andrew M @RT33897781 6 days ago Very fun little action movie See more Henry D @Henry_Domke Sep 29, 2026 A grim, ugly action film with graffiti-covered postindustrial sets that seemed deliberately color-graded to look even bleaker. The endless shooting and violence became tiresome, although it was not especially graphic and some of the parkour and fight choreography had a balletic quality. The two leads were mildly appealing, and there were occasional flashes of humor, but not enough to overcome the drab setting, thin story, and numbing grimness. As a morning exercise film it had some energy, but it was still disappointing. See more Muhammed U @RT91286855 Jun 18, 2026 I really enjoyed **District 13 (B13)**. The movie is full of action, exciting fight scenes, and amazing parkour stunts that kept me entertained from beginning to end. I liked how fast-paced it was, and the action never felt boring. The story is simple, but it works well for the type of movie it is. Overall, I think it's a great action film and definitely worth watching.. See more Calvin O @Caltus Jul 25, 2025 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 fime as scenery. Dialouge seemed good too from what I got from the subtitles. But the subtitle was to fast for me to keep up with the movie. See more da butler2008 a @RT14359636 Dec 18, 2024 GOATED CINEMA for real man See more Read all reviews
District B13

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Movie Info

Synopsis In 21st-century Paris, a member (Cyril Raffaelli) of an elite police squad must enter a crime-ridden ghetto to defuse a bomb that has fallen into the hands of Taha (Larbi Naceri), a powerful hoodlum. The cop joins forces with a civilian (David Belle) who must rescue his sister (Dany Verissimo) from the same criminal who holds the bomb.
Director
Pierre Morel
Producer
Luc Besson
Screenwriter
Luc Besson, Bibi Naceri
Production Co
EuropaCorp
Rating
R (Some Drug Content|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre
Action, Sci-Fi, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure, Crime, Drama
Original Language
Canadian French
Rerelease Date (Theaters)
Jun 2, 2006
Release Date (Streaming)
Nov 18, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA)
$1.2M
Runtime
1h 25m
Sound Mix
Dolby SR
Aspect Ratio
Scope (2.35:1)
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