| First Look: District 13 Ultimatum | |
|
With the phenomenal success of the critically acclaimed high-octane action thriller "District 13" writer-producer Luc Besson (the Transporter trilogy; the Taxi trilogy) not only unleashed the extreme sport of Parkour or Freerunning from its underground roots by introducing it to a wider international audience, he also introduced to the screen a pair of brand new action heroes in the film's stars, Cyril Raffaelli (Live Free Or Die Hard) and David Belle (Babylon A.D.). Now, Besson, Raffaelli and Belle return to the incendiary environment of the near-future Paris suburbs in the action-thriller DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM, the hugely anticipated sequel to one of the most spectacular action movies of recent years. It's 2013, three years after the events of the first movie, and it appears that despite government promises nothing has changed in District 13, the racially charged ghetto notorious for its gangs, drug dealers and killers. A consortium of corrupt cops and government officials is conspiring to cause civil unrest within D13 with a view to finding an excuse to raze the area and cash in on its redevelopment. When a local kid accidentally uncovers the plot, the district's resident idealist Leito (Belle) and elite law-enforcer Damien Tomaso (Raffaelli) are reunited in a bid to bring peace to the troubled neighbourhood and to expose the conspiracy before a proposed air-strike can destroy the area Leito calls home.
 Having loved the original film i've been waiting for this follow up for what seems like an age. The blend of free-running and martial arts in the near future setting is perfectly executed again and the physical prowess of the main characters is remarkable. Belle again does the lions share of the high-rise running and Raffaelli does most of the brutal stuff, but its when the two are on screen together that things really light up. The pace is again frenetic, this time we have addition characters from the suburbs as Paris is set to implode both socially and physically. The action is deliriously insane and it's such a great change up from all the dour summer films we've endured to go into a screening and come out with a smile on our faces. With conspiracies and unlikely partnerships being formed the really exciting prospect is another installment in the franchise and that's one i can't wait for! 
Release date: 2nd October 2009 Review by: Cassam Looch
|
We were lucky enough to get a first look at the upcoming release of District 13: Ultimatum, the sequel to the fantastic District 13 (2004). We'll have a full review and more coverage closer to release, but here's some information about the film and our instantaneous reaction.... we are happy. It's easily the most enjoyable film of the year so far.
