Banlieue 13 (2004)
Genre: Action / Crime
Duration: 84 minuten
Alternative title: B13
Country:
France
Directed by: Pierre Morel
Stars: David Belle, Cyril Raffaelli and Tony D'Amario
IMDb score:
7,1 (77.609)
Releasedate: 9 November 2004
Banlieue 13 plot
"Welcome to District B13. Welcome to the future"
Paris, 2010. Damien is an elite police officer specializing in martial arts and an expert in undercover work. One day, he is presented with the toughest job of his career: he must infiltrate an aggressive and life-threatening street gang to find out where the members are keeping a powerful bomb that could burn the entire city to ashes.
Actors and actresses
Leïto
Capt. Damien Tomaso
Taha Bemamud
Corsini
Krüger
Le colonel
Jamel
Tarik
Gorille entrée Marronniers
Reviews & comments
Noodless
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- 10087 messages
- 6205 votes
The opening scene promises a lot, but the film never becomes as strong afterwards as in that phase.
Smooth action scenes that are presented clearly and full of adrenaline. The story has little to say and you gradually notice that in the silly dialogues or in the slightly elaborated roles of the villains. All too pale. 5/10
Translated from Dutch · View original
Shadowed
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- 11558 messages
- 6803 votes
Nice.
I dare to call this the best Morel so far. I've yet to see one, but I think this movie really stands out from his other movies. I dare to call his career in America simply boring. Banlieue 13 is a much more energetic, smoother film from Morel. It is also a pity that he did not continue this style with his later films.
Because while his later films became a bit smoother, this remains above all a very enthusiastic film in which Morel himself seems to be looking forward to it. Wonderful camera work, sometimes strong editing and a nice tempo that lasts the entire playing time. The story is not strong, and Morel seems to realize that himself, given that the film only lasts 84 minutes. The film certainly shouldn't have lasted longer.
The acting is unfortunately not very strong, and both Belle and Raffaelli have limited characters. They can fight, jump and run a lot, but in terms of acting and interpretation I thought it was mediocre appearances. Also fairly boring between the villains, who are all much crazier and more unusually designed. That also immediately makes the sister a very boring character.
The pace is good and the film always feels hip. The soundtrack also supports the film nicely. Morel uses all sorts of hip songs, at least I assume for that time, to give his film some extras, and that succeeds quite well. This is about the first real Morel film in which I found the directing really added value.
Smooth movie that is fun to watch. It has some boring main characters and the film could have been a little harder and more brutal, now it was perhaps just a bit too smooth. That does not alter the fact that the pace continues nicely, and the film is not without its surprises. By far the best Morel film so far as far as I'm concerned and a film he hasn't gotten over as a director.
Translated from Dutch · View original
Lovelyboy
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- 4059 messages
- 3041 votes
I gave it a try, because this film/series was totally unknown to me. The synopsis can be compared with the neighborhoods from Cidade Deus or the police brutality from Tropa de Elite, yet every other comparison is flawed with the Brazilian films. In fact, the opening with K2 dealing with the two sentries is of the level that shocked me. Fortunately, that gradually improves.
As said, the way in which K2 takes out the two sentries makes me stand up straight. It seems effortless how he kicks one against the wall and wreaks havoc on the other, it's too easy, too contrived, but worse still is the padded sound montage that has failed. Although the track run that follows is already slightly better, it is still the least convincing. That moment I fear the worst.
But then in the next phase with the introduction to Damien there is improvement. Not only is there a Leon-like style and music noticeable, Damien is also quite convincing in his first fight and the film shows what it has to offer. Story? No. Acting well? Meh. Content? haha! Spectacle and brawl? Sure!!! It is therefore the only thing on which this whirlwind of a film should be judged. An ultra-thin storyline with aftermath is created to get a highly implausible duo back into District 13.
Well, what else needs to be said except the flying speed, smooth style, nice decoration of the ghetto, the many fights and stunts. The Leon style mentioned earlier is noticeable, which is not surprising with a producer like Luc Besson. The soundtrack is also quite nice and fitting. Finally, to mention Verissimo-Petit, an extremely cute female who, on closer examination, turns out to be a porn actress/erotic model.
Banlieu 13, not quite the top I had hoped for and expected, should not be taken too seriously, but once up and running it is quite entertaining.
Translated from Dutch · View original
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