Review of 13 Tzameti (2006) by Sam C — 31 Mar 2009

A gritty French semi-noir flick about a man who stumbles upon a deadly underground game of Russian roulette. A roofer, after witnessing the death and a rather valuable conversation, learns that the answer to all his money problems lay in an envelope containing a train ticket and a reservation at a hotel. From there he is dropped off at an unknown location, picked up, and then dropped off once again at a house full of people in suits and sweaty men in tee shirts with giant black numbers on the back.

What follows is a deadly, edge of your seat, round after round, of the most brutal game of Russian roulette you will ever see on film. The stark black and white photography helps to create a dark atmosphere and some of the most intense sequences I have ever witnessed. Personally, I thought the film started off a little slow, but as soon as the circle of men receive their handguns and the death rattle of the spinning chambers echoes throughout your head, you realize that the film has immediately changed its pace. The image of that light bulb with the black stripes bleeding down is an image that will be stuck in my head or years to come.

What really stuck out to me was how there was so much dialogue being spoken without a single mouth moving: volumes are being spoken just by the look and movement of the unlucky contestants eyes. It's amazing how first time director Gela Babluani pulled this off. In the words of Sir Kevin McCormick, "A smashing debut for Babluani.".