disctrict b13

THE FLICK: It’s finally become fashionable to bash the French. And why not? Their opinion of Americans seems to be colored almost exclusively by celebrity coverage on E! and the glut of Hollywood movies invading their county. So if turnabout is fair play, then I should be able to use District B13 as some sort of social barometer for French culture, right? Consider the challenge met, my froggy friends. Luc Besson is the Gallic equivalent of Jerry Bruckheimer, pumping out middle-to-high-class action films with a regularity matched only by a senior citizen on Metamucil. The glory days of his directing career (La Femme Nikita and The Professional) seem to be behind him, but his stylistic influence is an overwhelming presence in every film he produces. District B13 mixes the hyperkinetic look of Besson’s previously successful Transporter franchise with the latest fad in fighting styles: free running or parkour. Defined by Wikipedia as “the ability to quickly access areas that would otherwise be inaccessible,” the sport got worldwide exposure during the opening action sequences of the latest James Bond film, Casino Royale, with Sebastien Foucan running rings around Britain’s top spy. However, founder David Belle gets his own highlight reel in District B13, cast as a noble street punk who joins up with a kung-fu cop (stuntman Cyril Raffaeilli) to disarm a nuclear bomb and save his sister. The idea is pure Escape from New York, set in the near future with select suburbs of Paris walled off from the main city to isolate the troublesome residents. Echoes of the recent riots and immigration problems are referenced just enough to make the film seem topical rather than plagiaristic, but truth be told, director Pierre Morel doesn’t do much with the overall concept anyway. His job is to showcase the tremendous physical skills of his two leading men, which he does spectacularly well for the first half hour. Both Belle and Raffaeilli get great character introductions, particularly the latter during a casino shootout that blends Die Hard brutality with Matrix-style stuntwork. Once the boys begin the plot proper however, the entire film seems to lose steam, never managing to top the energy and inventiveness of the opening sequences. In short, District B13 is a premature ejaculation of an action movie; which, if we transpose this onto the French themselves, doesn’t give them much to brag about. THE FEATURES: I managed to see the film during SXSW two years ago, so I can say with absolute authority that Magnolia’s presentation of District B13 on Blu-ray blows the theatrical experience out of the water...if you have a big enough screen, that is. It’s great to see a niche product get the deluxe visual treatment, and the film really takes advantage of the extra resolution. As far as audio options, you can use the English subtitles but they also translate sound effects (MAN SCREAMING, TIRES SQUEALING) which is a tad annoying. Although I hate to recommend it, the dubbed tracks might be a better choice as you get to keep your eyes on the screen. Extras include a 60-minute “Making Of” (in French) that goes over the usual stuff, highlighted by a tremendous stunt montage of the team preparing for their scenes. You’ll feel bruised just watching the damn thing! Also attached is an Extended Casino Fight Scene and Outtakes.