Disapointment

I didn’t really have many expectations going into the movie (good or bad), but I actually really enjoyed it. I really liked the characters and the banter between them.

It’s sentimental, ridiculously long and only occasionally funny

what a terribly boring film. I'm sorry but this is absolutely not deserving of best picture and will be forgotten quickly. Entertaining and engaging cinema? No. Nothing performances with flat faces and mistaking silence for subtlety.

Set in the ghettos of Paris in 2010, an undercover cop and ex-thug try to infiltrate a gang in order to defuse a neutron bomb. Banlieue 13 will offer you an 1 hour and 24 minutes of action and a lot of parkour and David Belle did an amazing job with all those stunts the film was directed by Pierre Morel (Taken) and it was written by Luc Besson (Leon) so i just gave you 2 reasons why this is a must watch Foreign film it has some pretty cool action sequences and a lot of cool stunts it also has one sequel and an American remake starring Paul Walker and David Belle alongside RZA it's not as good as this film was but it's still pretty watchable for a remake to be honest.

I paid attention at this movie checking all the directed films of Philip Morel. He directed the first part of Taken - 96 Hours that got a great success at the box offices worldwide.The reviews here are right saying that the action scenes are well executed and worth seeing.In fact I saw last time these combat and chase scenes in a James Bond movie. The story is easy to follow and the running time of 82 minutes is perfect.If you like thriller of gangster / crime / action this is for you. I highly recommend you to see also the trilogy Taken with Liam Neeson.7/10 for solid popcorn entertainment.

I'll always remember how I discovered this incredible movie ; I was bored late one evening and tried to look for something watchable on TV because I couldn't sleep...And then, BOOOM! the introductory chase sequence! like a punch in the stomach! And then all the rest of the film, aaaaww..wonderful, just wonderful.This film will leave you exhausted and relieved : AT LAST a REAL ACTION FLICK! bow your head in shame, Hollywood!Definitely in my 10 best films ever list, no matter how good the rest.Three remarks now :The only drawback of this film is, yes, that it slows a bit after twenty terrific first minutes, but such an explosion of action can just not last for the duration of one film, alasPeople regularly ask if CGI was used in this film ; as a fan of David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli, I've read the interview about the stunts : the only trick they used was a harness securing David Belle in the scene when leïto jumps from the window to catch the rope. NOTHING ELSEThey are people who say all over IMDb that the plot twist in the end is unbelievable and stupid...Oh, really? Well I can tell you as a real Paris banlieusard -my first 39 years of life in Sarcelles and Les Ulis, this will legitimate me with the French readers-, that many many people in my country would feel VERY COMFORTABLE with that plot twist! And concerning the violence in the banlieues, just let me tell you that, if the violence isn't yet up to this film's, it is slowly but surely going up and up! so no, this isn't totally a fantasy, just a exaggerated image of a terrible reality.

I reviewed the sequel to this, Banlieue 13 - Ultimatum (2009) (a.k.a. District 13 – Ultimatum), back in June 2010 (you can find that review here: film-review-district-13-ultimatum-2009). Funnily enough, this film is very similar, with just as much action as in the sequel. But more of that later, here's a very brief summary first (summary haters please wait outside the walls of District 13 while I write the next paragraph).The French government have walled off a section of Paris to contain lawless elements within. A vigilante who lives there, Leïto, is in a dispute with a drug lord, Taha, when Taha kidnaps his sister. Taking revenge, Leïto captures Taha and takes him to the police, only for the corrupt cops to release Taha and lock up Leïto. Some time later, a straight-up cop, Tomaso, is tasked with retrieving a bomb that has been stolen in District 13. He takes Leïto to help him, on the promise that they will also rescue his sister. The bomb will explode in just a few hours and Leïto has a plan. I won't say any more, don't want to give too much away.This is a very well made film that has some great fight sequences and some brilliant free-running segments also. Performances were also pretty good, although it's quite hard to judge with an action film in a foreign language. But honourable mentions must go to; Cyril Raffaelli as Capt. Damien Tomaso, David Belle as Leïto, Tony D'Amario as K2, Bibi Naceri as Taha Bemamud and Dany Verissimo as Lola.Like the sequel, I found the plot a little simplistic, although there were some nice little twists in this one that were missing from the second. As I said, the fight sequences and free-running were excellent; I just felt there could have been a little more of them. The film did get a little too bogged down in dialogue from time to time which, I felt, didn't help the flow of the action. Having said that, it's still worth seeing for the action sequences, and so, recommended.My score: 6.8/10