Movie Loner

Unfortunately, action movies have become a dime a dozen. Originality and creativity have disappeared in this tried and true genre. With one exception, what I call the “deadline plot”. Guy Ritchie discovery Jason Statham has popularized this type of adrenaline-laced cinema with The Transporter and Crank movies. Basically, the hero is given a set amount of time to complete a perilous mission. Deliver a package, find a poison’s antidote, or defuse an explosive device. What hopefully follows is a non-stop thrill-ride culminating in an intense climax. I’ve seen a lot of these films in recent years but the best one so far is the French produced District B13, an impressive ballet of martial-arts fueled action that leaves you wanting more.

In 2010 Paris, the city’s most crime infested ghetto, District B13, has been walled off by government decree. Behind these walls normal citizens coexist with ruthless criminals. Waging war against the drug lords is a nimble Robin Hood named Leito (David Belle). Leito leads a one man crusade to stop the local kingpin, Taha, from destroying the neighborhood he calls home. After Leito steals a case of heroin from Taha the crime boss retaliates by kidnapping Leito’s sister, Lola. Leito breaks into Taha’s compound, rescues Lola, and snatches Taha for collateral. Once he delivers Taha to the police he is double-crossed. The cops free Taha and hand Lola over to him. An enraged Leito is sent to jail.

Six months later a government truck carrying a high-tech bomb is raided by Taha’s thugs. Upon opening the bomb’s case, the bomb is armed. Taha orders his men to discard it immediately. At police headquarters, top-cop Capt. Damien Tomaso (Cyril Raffaelli) is recruited to enter District B13 to disarm the bomb. To ensure passage through the deadly district he joins forces with Leito. Reluctant partners, Leito agrees so he can save Lola, while Damien is determined to complete his mission. Together, the two utilize their martial arts training and traceur skills to navigate the dangerous pitfalls of District B13. Will they reach the bomb in time to prevent it from annihilating an entire section of Paris? Or are they victims of a cruel betrayal?

Borrowing liberally from John Carpenter’s classic Escape from New York, District B13 debates the solutions for a city infested with crime. The government’s answer is simple yet cold: box in the animals and let them kill each other. This archaic line of thinking eschews all compassion for innocent citizens trapped within the district who have no way out. In fact, the government views everyone behind the wall, including Leito and Damien, as expendable. The duo merely represents a means to an end. They serve as pawns on a chessboard controlled by sinister agents who believe the best strategy to achieve check mate is mass destruction. This prevailing attitude is sadly shared by governments across the globe. However, more often than not the easiest solution to a problem is the one most damaging.

The dynamic opening foot chase had me absolutely hooked. The action sequences are incredible. If you’re not familiar with “traceur”, it’s an extreme sport that combines running, jumping and gymnastics and was developed by David Belle. He and Cyril Raffaelli are two of the world’s best practitioners. It’s difficult to describe, you kinda have to see it for yourself. Safe to say it requires balance and concentration. Anyway, watching Belle and Raffaelli strut their stuff is eye-opening. District B13 could have been another run-of-the-mill borefest posing as action, but instead it’s an amazing display of edgy stuntwork and gunplay. Credit Director Pierre Morel for keeping the story simple and allowing his two stars to take over. A sequel is filming now and is expected to be released sometime next year. If you’ve been hankering for a new breed of action flick check out District B13.

The trailer for District B13:

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