SnoopyStyle It's Paris 2010. The high crime parts of the city have been walled off. It is run by competing violent gangs. Leïto (David Belle) flushes drugs down the drain who wants to clear drugs out of his building. Gangleader Taha's goons fail to retrieve the drugs and he takes Leito's sister Lola hostage. Leïto rescues Lola and takes Taha to the cops. Only the cops are leaving and they let Taha walk away with Lola as his prisoner. Six months later, master of disguise police detective Damien Tomaso (Cyril Raffaelli) takes down a large underground casino. Taha has stolen a 'clean' bomb setting off a 24 hour countdown clock. Damien pretends to be a prisoner as he escapes taking Leïto with him into District 13. Leïto sees through the ruse.David Belle's opening parkour action sequence is a thing of beauty. The story is better than most B-movies with a social commentary. One can't expect realism but there is passable logic. The acting is surprisingly effective with good charisma even from the novice Belle. This is a fine action movie.

First Name Last Name I would advise my fellow action fans to watch this. I gave this movie 8 out of 10. While the plot and characters honestly felt slightly lame, the action and fast paced editing carries the movie to a higher level. There is no possible world in which this movie isn't entertaining as hell. Any viewer who enjoy impressive stunt-work will be engaged from start to finish.Some of the scenes involving parkour and martial arts were quite impressive. The opening sequence involving Leito's thrilling free running adventure was probably one of the most well executed action scenes in history. Seriously! The music and stunts work so well together that I instantly wanted to re-watch that scene. The very way it was put together was so splendid. And several other action scenes were quite worth the watch, albeit not as impressive as the opening action sequence. In short: watch it for that scene, at least. The cinematography is quite spectacular and delicious throughout, the soundtrack fresh, the actors comfortable with their clichés.Sure, one could find reasons to hate it; the plot is lame; the characters are pretty flat; the villain is a little sleazy and evil-for-the-sake-of-evil; the plot with the bomb and girl on top of the building was dumb. Those are usually big problems in most movies – but in this one it can be forgiven. The action is too impressive, simply. The editing is so sharp and on-point that I can't put a finger on it. It is dynamic, sleek and intense.I was positively surprised! I am glad to see a good European action movie that seriously tops anything America can deliver. I would encourage you to watch this!

morrison-dylan-fan With a poll coming up on IMDbs Classic Film board for the best titles of 2004,I was happily caught by surprise,when a very kind fellow IMDber sent me a DVD of a great-looking French Action movie,which led to me getting ready to enter District 13.The plot:Seeing crime go out of control,the French government in 2010 decide to build a wall to separate the most crime-ridden ghettos from the rest of France.2013 (How futuristic!):Finding that all of his heroin supply has been destroyed by Leïto,leading gangster Taha Bemamud decides to get his revenge by kidnapping Leïto's sister Lola.Discovering that his sister has been taken, Leïto fights to get her back,but his stopped in his tracks by a group of corrupt police officers,who put Leïto in jail.6 Months later:Learning that Bemamud's gang has gotten hold of a nuclear bomb which is set to go off in 24 hours,the French government decide to send Capt. Damien Tomaso over the wall so that he can defuse the bomb.With Tomaso knowing nothing about what is behind the wall, Leïto is freed from prison,so that he can become Tomaso's guide.Getting behind the wall,Tomaso and Leïto soon discover that a hidden threat is being prepared.View on the film:Kicking things off with an explosive title sequence,director Pierre Morel and Manuel Teran give the film a blazing stylised appearance ,with Morel & Teran using rapid-fire tracking shots to show the destructive battleground of the ghettos,as the superb electronic score from Bastide Donny/ Da Octopuss and Damien Roques packs a real punch with the snappy action scenes.Whilst the stunts,(all performed with no CGI or wires) are impressive,Morel never allows them to be given the breathing space to display their full impact,due to the lightning fast editing not allowing for the viewer to fully soak up the breath- taking stunt work.Entering the district with a firm mind-set of what is right and wrong, Cyril Raffaelli gives a very good performance as Capt. Damien Tomaso,with Raffaelli showing Tomaso's straight-edge law & order ideas get chipped away,as Tomaso finds out what the government's plan for the district are.Joining Raffaelli, David Belle gives a gritty,extremely energetic performance as street-smart Leïto,whilst co-writer (along with Luc Besson) Bibi Naceri lights up the screen as cackling baddie Taha Bemamud,and Tony D'Amario gives an excellent,animated performance as Bemamud's henchmen K2,as everyone fights for survival in the crime ridden ghetto of District 13.

Christopher Wilson It's now 2010 (being released 6 years prior) and the ghetto in Paris called District 13 has now became one of the most dangerous places in France, possibly Europe. The government has completely given upon on the borough and left its inhabitants to get on with their own devices.When an incredibly dangerous government issued missile is stolen by a gang member in District 13, go to super-cop Damien (Raffaelli) has to convince imprisoned District 13 resident Leito (Belle) to team up him. Their task, save the District from a bomb that will cause catastrophic damage. Both men are BAD ASS to say the least, not only are they tougher than most they are also experts in Parkour (a training discipline created by David Belle himself).The opening 25 minutes are some of the most enjoyable cinema I have seen in a while, it's like a wonderful mix of Asian and European martial arts styles, you have the brilliantly choreographed fights scenes and perfectly executed Parkour thanks in no part to Belle and Raffaelli's expertise.The whole film is a pure adrenaline ride penned by one of this generations greats Luc Besson the brilliant man behind "Transporter" franchise and "Leon" so you know he writing will be a nice mix of Action & Comedy. Also when you're watching the film you know they stunts are doing without CGI and it really shows in the end product, there is some action sequences in which you will physically gasp, a couple near the beginning with Leito on the run.The film itself can be broken down into three chapters I guess, the first being pure action filled thrill ride, the second would be character development, while the third is very plot heavy. I for one really enjoyed the film as a whole, wasn't the best acting at times, however that is hardly a complaint when the film is an adrenaline thrill ride like this.