David Belle, one of the creators of the spectacular, gravity-defying extreme sport of Le Parkour (aka Free Running), showcases his supreme physical prowess in the futuristic action romp District 13.
Created in suburbs of Paris, Le Parkour combines elements of gymnastics and martial arts, allowing practitioners to navigate urban jungles by leaping across roofs and scaling walls, treating cityscapes like a giant obstacle course. In cinematographer Pierre Morel's directorial debut, the array of jumps and somersaults is jaw-dropping.
In the not too distant future, society has fractured beyond repair. The wealthy and powerful are kept safely apart from more undesirable elements of society by various Districts: walled communities, patrolled by police, in which crime and corruption are allowed to run rampant.
When criminal Leito (Belle) crosses kingpin Taha (Bibi Naceri), Taha kidnaps Leito's sister (Dany Verissimo) and lands him in jail. Finally there comes a chance for revenge. Taha takes possession of a stolen nuclear weapon, and undercover cop Damien (Cyril Raffaelli) needs Leito's intimate knowledge to infiltrate District 13.
With a ludicrous plot borrowed from James Bond's escapades, this relies on the physicality of the leads to hold interest in the absence of rigorous character development. Belle and Raffaelli flex their muscles and obliterate the cast. When pausing for breath, to spout perfunctory dialogue, the film grinds to a halt but, thankfully, with just 84 minutes to fill, director Morel is more concerned with thrills than deep emotion.
Movie double-acts come in all shapes and sizes ...and with varying degrees of success.
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