Review of 13 (2010) by Luke B — 07 Dec 2010

After watching the original, it was the first time I believed a Hollywood remake could be an improvement. I'm amazed to find out I was right. All of my hangups concerning the original have been addressed here.

First of all, Babluani has an exceptional eye for color. It adds to the depth and tragic aesthetic, more so than black and white. I found this film to be very tense at times, whereas the original just sort of limped along.

Even though I knew what was going to happen, I was still enthralled and captivated. This was mainly due to the inclusion of some humanity to the piece. More characters are explored and defined. Even minor roles explode, such as Skarsgard's caring driver.

The only flat acting comes from 50 Cent. Luckily, he's quite a minor role. Michael Shannon takes a simple role as an emcee, and transforms it into a terrifying and interesting character. The man is cinematic dynamite and has an intensity that is now being recognized.

Winstone and Rourke add some empathy to their hard men roles. For s a film I had already seen, this was still exciting stuff, and I enjoyed it on more levels than the original. Well done to the director for improving on his potential.