District 13 - Ultimatum details
| Formats: | 15 DVD, Blu-ray |
|---|---|
| Starring: | Philippe Torreton, David Belle, Elodie Yung, MC Jean Gab'1, Cyril Raffaelli, Daniel Duval |
| Director: | Patrick Alessandrin |
| Genres: | Action/Adventure - Sci-fi/Fantasy, Thriller, World Cinema - Chinese |
| Studio: | MOMENTUM PICTURES |
| Original title | Banlieue 13 - Ultimatum |
| Name | Discs | |
|---|---|---|
District 13 - Ultimatum |
15 Feature |
DVD Information
| Run time: | 1 hour 22 minutes |
|---|---|
| Rental release: | 26 Oct 2009 |
| Main languages: | French |
| Subtitles: | English |
| Hearing impaired subtitles: | English |
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Most helpful review
More action than Bond
By SpencerHawken (5 reviews) from Cheltenham , 21 Oct 2009[Highly rated reviewer]
D13: Ultimatum mixes the action movie with the wonder of Parkour, creating an enticing visual spectacle that continuously finds you asking, “How the hell did they do that?” The fight scenes and stunts are quite simply some of the best I have seen, working against an alien Parisian background, the film takes what could be viewed as a potentially normal looking action movie to a whole different level. The action is incredibly well choreographed whether jumping from roof to roof, to fighting with an almost priceless Van Gogh painting which turns from being unpleasant looking work of art to the ultimate weapon.
Story wise it’s simplistic story telling, which to someone who does not speak French is possibly not a bad thing. This is not a criticism of the movie but plain straightforward good sense. Thrillers, comedies, and horror movies all work very well in another language with onscreen subtitles, but an action movie does not always have the same effect; lines are often spouted out in quick succession in action movies not always allowing you to enjoy the visual spectacle unfolding on screen. D13 allows you to enjoy the action without bogging you down with unnecessary dialogue. Thankfully the DVD takes care of those that do not like their movies in a pure form, and has a dubbed English version, this allows the movie to be enjoyed by the biggest possible audience, an option not so commonly used now days.
There is a lot of humour in the movie, a little cheesy in places but in a cheeky fashion. Director Patrick Alessandrin (and of course screenwriter Luc Besson) seem keen to show their comic side, when you first meet Damien he is disguised (fairly badly) as a geisha girl, while his head is clearly masculine a lot of time is spent focussing on his waxed feminine flesh; it’s a prime example of one of those situations that is so wrong, but incredibly amusing.
The performances are good David Belle, and Cyril Raffaelli both prove you can be physically well trained and deliver a convincing acting performance. Supporting performers such as Elodie Yung who plays the movies action woman add real sparkle, while MC Jean Gab’1 who plays gang boss Molko offers a real feeling of menace and fairness
You could say the French movie industry is a little overlooked, and to be fair the French are not known for their action movies, however D13: Ultimatum is a rare exception to the rule. It’s easily as addictive as Luc Besson’s Nikita, not quite so deep but incredibly compelling to watch. The inclusion of Parkour means that with the original movie an obvious exception there is nothing that quite looks like this, it’s an instant, identifiable, unique looking movie that while not gaining Blockbuster status will ultimately enjoy a somewhat cult following. One thing is for sure, having seen this I immediately hopped online to order the original movie, and I’m sure countless others will to; for fans of the original this will be the must have purchase of the year. D13 is one of the most interesting action movies of the year, its just a shame that it never got a little more limelight while not being completely perfect it’s a most enjoyable way to spend 90 minutes.- Was this review helpful to you?
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All reviews
(82)A great movie for political morons
By a customer , 22 Mar 2013Good acting, amazing special effects and spectacular martial arts and acrobatics. That's what lifted this from a zero rating, because you have to have the political awareness of a child, to enjoy it.
France has totally lost control of its precious 'banlieues', where the real, unofficial figures average 200 rapes, 2000 attacks and 13000 thefts every 24 hours. It now records 750 no-go zones for police and fire services. Even Left Wing and Muslim mayors have asked for the army to help them regain control. Yet Luc Besson makes a movie showing the mayor as the bad guy, ceding power to the 'virtuous' street gangs?
Like so many French 'philosophes', he takes the cowardly way out. He chooses a message to get him flattering praise at the dinner party, not one that faces the ugly reality. We can only hope that his own car is torched while he's at his soiree, like the other 1200 burnt on New Year's eve alone.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Good fun
By RJNeb2 (924 reviews) from London , 23 Jan 2013If it wasn’t for a plotline that gets progressively sillier by the second, this energetic sequel would probably top its original. Instead, it’s on a par. But it does deliver plenty of entertainment with Belle providing some eye-popping parkour stunts and Raffaelli beating the crap out of whole armies of police and soldiers. Dumb as they come (you needn’t worry about the plot, writer Besson certainly doesn’t) but done with a lot of fizz and style, and it moves along at a brisk clip.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Jump to it!
By a customer , 10 Jan 2013I was intrigued throughout the film at the amazing agility and speed of the 2 leading French actors along with their martial arts skills. Their natural way of 'free running' by jumping from building to building was incredible. The film is set in the near future and the story revolves around several ghetto areas patrolled by the armed inhabitants. There is conspiracy and law-breaking and that's just within the Police! The main actors help to sort it all out.- Was this review helpful to you?
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13 - not an unlucky number
By CompactedEgg (16 reviews) from Darlington , 26 Dec 2012A very enjoyable sequel to the first great movie. Plenty of action, splashes of humour and a simple but intense storyline keep the entertainment factor high. The fight scenes are quick and well co-ordinated and the locations are exactly how they should be... gritty and unwelcome! The main characters do a decent acting job, on top of the crazy stunts, and work well together. Given a choice, I prefer the first movie but this comes a close second.- Was this review helpful to you?
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Fabulous action cinema
By a customer , 23 Sep 2012Loved this film. Speedy pace, great action, cool tracks, good story, would highly recommend as one of the best French action films I've seen. Both my son, daughter, and husband (all trained in martial arts), enjoyed this film so much so we bought it!- Was this review helpful to you?
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