District 13 – Blu-ray movie review

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.

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 movie is thinly plotted—who cares—but the characters, except for woman-in-distress Lola (Dany Verissimo), are vibrant, quirky, and fascinating. There are so many surprises in this movie, so many jaw-droppingly beautiful action moments, that you will quickly fall for this movie. It's enough to make many Americans forget they hate the French. At least for an hour and a half.

IF you like Chun Yow Fat kind of stuff and the over the top martial arts gun-fu style.. this has a lot of that style of scene -but with a mildly futuristic low budget sci fi plot as a backdrop- in a neighborhood full of armed gangstas.

I would have liked a whole lot more bloody gory finishing moves and a whole lot more rampant sexuality. There's just a few too many muscled men and only one girl in this movie.. it was almost like a prison flick in some parts.

What do you think about this movie? Please leave your thoughts below.

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