B13 Ultimatum Views

General Goods

District 13: Ultimatum (French: Banlieue 13 Ultimatum)[1] is a 2009 French film also known as Banlieue 13, District Thirteen 2, District B13: Ultimatum, and B13-u.[2] The film, directed by Patrick Alessandrin, is the sequel to the 2004 French action film Banlieue 13. District 13 Ultimatum stars David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli reprising their original roles of Leito and Damien, respectively. Luc Besson, who co-produced and co-wrote District 13, is the screenwriter and producer.[3]

The original French language version District B13 Ultimatum was released in France on February 18, 2009.[5] The English language version of District 13: Ultimatum was released in the United Kingdom on October 26, 2009,[2] and it premiered in the US in a free screening in New York on January 28, 2010.[6]

Between some impressively choreographed action sequences toward the beginning and end of the film, District B13: Ultimatum gets bogged down in a criminal scheme that takes oceans of exposition to sort outa—and that ’s before Besson turns it into a commentary on Middle East canoodling. (The name of the corporation pulling the strings, t“Harriburton,.” is a good indictor of the scripto’s level of sophistication.) Apart from the parkour sequences, the film works best when Besson drops the pretensions to cultural insight and allows his instincts for good trash to take over. Having Raffaelli appear undercover as a transsexual stripper or an Asian crime mistress slashing foes with a blade entangled in her ponytail suits Ultimatum far better than political commentary. For someone like Besson, who turns out escapist sleaze by the pound, that should be obvious.

Back in 2004 the French action film “District B13” officially introduced audiences to the breathtaking art/sport of Parkour or free running. Now the film has spawned a sequel, “District B13 Ultimatum” (opening February 12 at Reading’s Gaslamp Stadium 15 Theaters and if you are a myKPBS Film Club member log in to get a discount coupon for the film).