District B13 (2004)

Best movie of this year hands down!

It's not great by any means, but it's a pretty good movie that didn't leave me filled with regret for investing time in it.

If the ambition is to provide two hours of instantly forgettable, popcorn-munching escapism, it succeeds.

In other words,this film is a surreal ride.

There's not much to say about the story. It's because the movie stayed very true to its root of B13 and unfortunately didn't try to make any creative major addition or substitution. Being a remake, the story is quite literally the same as Banlieue 13. It can be said that Brick Mansions is B13 itself in America, It feels very much like that. Many of the memorable details are kept from the original B13, even to the 'K2 handwriting' on the beginning. Yet the blood, gore and brutality is somewhat reduced from what's in the French movie.Seeing the last completed act by Paul Walker doesn't disappoint. Paul did a good job here. He was able to balance the parkour of David Belle with his own raw-looking action. Too bad that the movie doesn't offer anything new compared to the original.It's good to see David Belle acted and did what he does best again. Though the difference in age of B13's Belle and Brick Mansions' Belle sure does show up greatly on the closeups and head-shot angles, in the form of face wrinkles.The action in the starting action sequence is quite of the same ordering as in B13, though there is small additions. The nice thing thing to see about this remake, in comparison to the original Luc Besson and Piere Morel's work, is that now Damien, played by Paul Walker, is not so much of a martial artist. So here the fights are more raw than the more artistically choreographed action in B13. It's kind of strange to see that the music is also of the same characteristics of the original B13, though it's of a different language. But like the original B13, the rap music lifts up the mood well and suitable to the scenes mood.One thing I noticed odd about this movie is that, from one point of view, this movie should have hinted about Paul Walker's death. Being more of a parkour and fighting action movie, yet here Paul drives and crashes while on high speed, twice.Finally my verdict is hat Brick Mansions (2014) quite deserves a 7 out of 10 score for a remake. It owes most of the score to Pau Walker's originality and his legacy as his last complete film work. A recommendation is a yes from me.

Thrilling and violent movie with a phenomenal starring pair and in which Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle cast all the Stuntmen themselves . Set in the rundown ghettos of Paris in 2010, an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb . When the government learns that local kingpin (Larbi or Bibi Narceri , Sami Narceri's brother ; even though Bibi Naceri co-wrote the script, he still had to audition for the part of Taha along with other actors) has acquired a nuclear weapon , Damien (Cyril Raffaelli) and Leito (David Belle , the originator of Le Parkour ) are called upon to avoid an atomic bomb on destroying the blocks at the heart of District 13 with tactical precision and as save the city . With acrobatic skillfulness and adrenaline pumping belief in their own abilities, they throw themselves out from incredible heights, and jump from roof to roof ; locked doors and 'No Trespassing' signs become irresistible challenges . They confront their enemies in order to find out location the bomb (the bomb code is: 9293709B13) and his sister (Dany Verissimo who spent two whole days on a roof in the freezing cold in ripped clothes, handcuffed to a bomb and Luc Besson wrote the part of Lola specifically for her) who was formerly kidnapped , but someone is still after them and are forced to once again take up violent means to survive .¨13th District¨ is an exciting film that contains suspense , thrills, noisy action , shootouts and violent fights . The main couple is unabashed in its dedication to fanboy stunt work . From the beginning to the final the noisy action and fast movement is unstopped , including breathtaking scenes in which bounds and leaps through apartments blocks and at moments give the impression that they are flying . Cyril Raffaelli as a hard-rock , two-fisted agent is top-notch . This is a frantic rehash of ¨Escape from NY¨ , rightly realized in French style . The highlights of the movie are The Parkour , also known in USA as Free Running whose origin was in ¨Yamasaki¨ film directed by Ariel Zeitoun , Julien Seri and also produced by Luc Besson with his production company called ¨EuropaCorps¨ . Duo protagonist more than make up for in an skill to soar across a rolling medley highrise flats blocks . The way in which the actors prove this abilities , is in fact an activity called Parkour and was invented by David Belle himself , influenced by his father Raymond Belle . Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle had three months to prepare all their Parkour stunts for the film . There weren't any special effects , wire-work, computer graphics... used in 90% of the Parkour scenes . Good cinematography by cameraman Manuel Teran using Steadicam and zooms with numerous locations from Paris slums . The musician Da Octopuss creates a stirring, moving soundtrack fitting to frantic action . Lavishly produced by the successful French producer and director Luc Besson . The flick was stunningly realized by the habitual cameraman, Pierre Morel in his first film, -the second was the successful ¨Taken¨- , though Alexandre Aja was originally hired to direct the movie the first . Filmmaker Pierre gives the action a dance-like quality and the whole movie took 10 months for production , idea, script, casting, filming, etc , as from January 2004 to October 2004 . Followed by "District 13: Ultimatum" by Patrick Alessandrin again with Cyril Raffaelli as Capt. Damien Tomaso , David Belle as Leïto , Philippe Torreton as Le Président De la République and as well as starring in the film, Cyril Raffaelli also choreographed all the fight sequences ; however David Belle didn't practice all his Parkour stunts , most of the ones that you see in the film were of him performing the stunt for the first time . Rating: Better than average, well worth seeing , this is a highly agreeable action movie . The picture will appeal to explosive action fans

Story/Plot - District 13 (Banliue 13) is a French film by director Pierre Morel. Set in the segregated slums of Paris in the not so distant future District 13B has been declared the most crime ridden and infested of all. Leito a bit of a thug himself is brought into a crisis when his sister Lola is kidnapped by a ruthless crime boss. Leito does everything he can to get his sister back but does not foresee himself being arrested in a deep story of betrayal.We flash forward six months and Leito is paired with undercover cop Damien as news of a stolen neutron bomb hits B13. Together these two must work together to ensure the bomb does not go off. They fight of the crime bosses and their gangs to reach the bomb in time. However, when Damien receives the deactivation code, Leito quickly sees that the code references the District and that date. This prompts Leito to stop Damien from entering the code, the clock reaches zero ........................................................ the bomb does not go off. Leito was right.The French government are now seen as responsible for the bomb being taken to B13 and installed ready to be triggered by the deactivation code. The bomb is taken to the government and a senior member is taped confessing to the plans to destroy B13. This tape is broadcast immediately and B13 becomes a slightly better place to live.My verdict - To me this films was simply outstanding. Action films full of the art of parkour will keep you gripping onto your seat as you cheer on Leito and Damien in their mission. Plenty of fights, chases and a decent soundtrack is enough to keep you entertained all the way through.This film is very highly recommended.

By Woo! I mean of course John Woo! But there's also John Carpenter (Escape from New York). And Don Siegel and Walter Hill And a whole host of Hollywood action directors. It's all here in an amazingly condensed 85 minutes of flat-out action.And I mean flat-out. Not a dull moment. In fact, there's not even a romantic element. The woman to be rescued is a sister, not a lover.Luc Besson, the main writer, is a name brand to be trusted. He seems to be on a quest to prove the French can make exciting violent thrillers. Which this is.The main actors are stunt men. And the stunts they perform are, and I hate to use this overused word, but I will, awesome. One shot where our hero flings himself through a transom in an escape actually looks impossible. No CGI was used.Some people should avoid this movie. That would be those who dislike subtitles. Otherwise, Those who are not hate-French-movies yokels should sit back, pop some popcorn, crack a beer and get ready for fun.