District 13

 (2004)

District 13 Blu-ray offers solid video and audio in this fan-pleasing Blu-ray release
Paris, 2010. An isolation wall surrounds the ghetto cities of District B13. Within these walls, without effective law enforcement, gang rule is absolute. Damien is a member of an elite police squadron, highly trained in martial arts. He goes undercover to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb and save District B13 from annihilation. Damien recruits the help of a criminal named Leito - whose only goal is to save his sister from the clutches of the same gang.

For more about District 13 and the District 13 Blu-ray release, see the District 13 Blu-ray Review

Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Tony D'Amario, Bibi Naceri, Dany Verissimo
Director: Pierre Morel

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District 13 Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Dr. Svet Atanasov, August 20, 2008

For better or worse, currently Luc Besson is one of the most widely recognized in the United States French directors. His flashy, action-packed, fast-paced blockbusters have found plenty of admirers in a market where Hollywood is still a king. And this should count for something. Not surprisingly, the written and produced by the Frenchman Banlieue 13 (2004) is more of what he currently does best – mainstream action films.

Paris, 2010, the Banlieue a.k.a the ghetto. Leito (David Belle) has stolen a large batch of heroin from Taha (Larbi Naceri), the local drug-guru, who has sent his best men to claim it back. When they arrive in the abandoned apartment complex where Leito resides the youngster quickly dumps the precious cargo in a bath full of water. The goons are upset. Leito evades them and a deadly chase ensues. Unfortunately for Taha's men Leito disappears. Enraged the drug lord kidnaps Leito's sister (Dany Verissimo).

In the meantime, undercover cop Damien (Cyril Raffaelli) leads a successful operation against a formidable Latin kingpin who controls the local betting business. Impressed by Damien's success the local police chief asks him to lead a special operation whose goal is to neutralize a highly lethal rocket Taha's men have acquired. Damien agrees but there is a slight problem – he does not know the ins and outs of the Banlieue. This is where Leito reappears.

Top dog

Sickening stunts and enough jumping to force anyone to seriously ponder why the cast of Banlieue 13 isn't at the Beijing Olympics Pierre Morel's directorial debut is as straightforward of a film as you could imagine. It rehashes a theme Luc Besson only touched upon in his now cult Yamakasi - Les samouraïs des temps moderns (2001) with more of the same in a shinier wrapper. Of course, once again, most of the head-scratcher stunts are courtesy of Williams Belle.

Aside from the breathtaking acrobatic performances, however, Banlieue 13 feeds off of there is hardly anything else here that one could talk about. The dialog and story are so painfully basic and transparent that if the producers of Banlieue 13 would have made this a silent film I still think it still would have "worked" quite well. With other words, this is an action extravaganza through and through and if you were looking for anything else but an action fix check your tom-tom, it isn't performing as it should.

Having made quite a name for himself after the introduction of Yamakasi - Les samouraïs des temps moderns (David Belle is credited for the rise of Parkour - a form of improvisational acrobatic "sport" mixing climbing, jumping, and running) and inspired plenty of copycats David Belle does indeed reveal skills that very few "actors" could replicate. The amazing precision of his stunts as well as the unnerving camera following every single one of his moves transforms Banlieue 13 into an experience I am unsure I could quite justify. There is too much in this film that made me very uncomfortable.

Yet, I suppose that there are more than enough people who adored every single shot of Banlieue 13. It targets a very specific contingent of viewers that will surely respond to the stylish action no matter how bad the storyline is. And let's be frank, the isolated by massive concrete walls and guarded by armed policemen ghetto, could strike a few sentimental notes with those who attended the 1981 premiere of John Carpenter's Escape From New York. It sure did with me.

District 13 Blu-ray, Video Quality

 

One of the early Magnolia Pictures releases, encoded with the now largely abandoned MPEG-2 codec, Banlieue 13 arrives on Blu-ray with a 1080p, 2.35:1 transfer. And the results here are not bad at all. The color scheme is well handled as richness and depth are certainly present. Contrast on the other hand varies given the film's composure and stylized look. Some of the darker scenes within the industrial premise where Taha resides tend to look a bit too sharpened for my taste but overall the gritty look of the film more or less blends and masks them well (unfortunately this is also the area where you are likely to notice some color banding). Still, the transfer does come quite close to having that solid popping look that appears to be enjoyed by a large number of BD enthusiasts.

District 13 Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 

The following tracks are offered on this disc - English DTS-HD 5.1 Surround, French DTS-HD 5.1 Surround, English Dolby Digital-EX 5.1 Surround, and French Dolby Digital-EX 5.1 Surround. Right off the bat I must note that if you are planning on using the dub I must warn you that you are in for a disappointment. There are some notable sync issues to report here. As far as the French DTS-HD track is concerned I have nothing but great words to spare. It is very potent, active, and quite well balanced. During the action scenes inside the industrial building there are some excellent echo effects that should force you to turn your head a few times. The bass is also solid – it is heavy, with a prominent presence, yet not overpowering. The major issue I have here relates to the largely simplified translation of the French dialog (often dumbed down and Americanized) as well as the improper subtitles. The producers of this disc have basically created a hybrid of HOH and traditional subs that more or less will irritate those of you that are not accustomed to such sort of translations (example: throughout the film you will read "door opens", "gun shots", etc). Optional English SDH and Spanish subtitles are offered.

District 13 Blu-ray, Special Features and Extras

 

On this BD you will find a small section of outtakes that did not make it to the final version of the film, a rather long documentary divided into five subsections - "Preparation," "The Casino," "The Shoot," "Parkour," and "The Actors" – as well as a few extended scenes which hardly add anything more to the film. The aces from Banlieue 13, David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli, working on their stunts are probably the only reason you would want to spend time on these supplemental materials.

District 13 Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

 

David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli showcasing unbelievable athleticism and performing stunts that would force many to sit on the edge of their seats is what gives Banlieue 13 much needed credibility. The rest of this film is undoubtedly below average, neither the story nor the manner in which it is told would challenge your intelligence. If this is the type of entertainment you are looking for then by all means Banlieue 13 is your ticket. The BD courtesy of Magnolia Pictures does not provide a top-notch quality presentation but the basics are nevertheless solid. I am certain you will not be disappointed by the sound and look of this disc.

Magnolia Home Entertainment has announced that it will release District 13: Ultimatum on Blu-ray on April 27. This sequel to the 2004 parkour actioner District B13, again produced by Luc Besson, sees its protagonists join forces against a gang of corrupt cops and ...

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