Review of District B13 (2004) by Tony B — 13 Dec 2011

You know what you're getting with Besson/Morel these days: pulp, B-movie action, pure and simple. If you go into this expecting that, you won't be disappointed - however sadly this is no Taken, lacking the gravitas of a strong actor to balance the sheer mayhem they throw at the screen.

Granted, this has no pretence of being in any way drama - a thin story about a revenge-seeking parkour expert and a kick-arse cop trying to stop a bomb being detonated inside a criminal Parisian district, is given no sense of depth beyond the gunplay and action sequences - which themselves only really impress once, the cop's introduction allowing a pretty breathtaking take down of a club full of crims.

Besson fails really to comment more on the socio-political aspect behind the concept, which is quite interesting and could - coupled with more of a Liam Neeson-type in the lead roles - have made this more than the shallow, at times lukewarm action affair we get.

Worth a watch but you'll have seen better.