Well Deserved Praise

Save your money for something good and enjoyable

Plot so thin, it passes unnoticed.

Just so...so bad

This is a film that clarifies the line between what you like or enjoy and what is good filmmaking.I liked it. I enjoyed it. Was it a great examination of the human condition? Oh no. Was it coherent? Sometimes not. Was it silly at times? Yes.But if you subdivide it, some of it was quite good.This is yet another example of how I think that American filmmakers just can't shoot a good action movie anymore. I'm in the US, so I can talk. The fights and action were vivid, clear and concise. Not a jumble of hand-held shots that I can't make out.Story-wise it was straight forward. The poor manipulated and attacked by the rich. Then the poor fight back. The only caveat is that the "poor" were depicted as drug dealers. Then, in the end, I don't think they were. Thus, poor as drug dealers made me much less invested during the film.No character development but I wasn't expecting such. I was sold a bromance and that was okay.You see a movie like this for the entertainment value. The fights and a tone that says "this is cool". And it was. Consistently very good fights. And like the first movie, the parquar (parquat?-parquin?-who knows?) was really great.Even when I am compartmentalizing my criteria like this, I am still put-off but my cartoon heroes being reckless. There is a scene where the heroes drive a little car into a building and then out the window. It looks great but am bothered how reckless our supposed heroes are when they don't think that an innocent person might be hurt by what they are doing. But I don't think the audience for this is thinking the same thing.

The French Secret Service and government get together to plan away of getting rid of the multi-racial crime ridden ghetto of District 13 in order to build homes for the middle class and make sure that no one gets in way of their plan Luc Besson is very much a hero or villain to the French . He can be seen as betraying French cinema or as someone who has brought French films to an international audience . His input to DISTRICT 13 ULTIMATUIM is very small , just writing the basic scenario but all the hallmarks of the visual look of Besson , one of intensified continuity are there For those who are unaware of the term " intensified continuity " it's a type of sharp in your face editing/ directorial style . This makes ULTIMATUIM similar to many other films associated with Besson especially during the action sequences . It also makes it more accessible to a mainstream audience brought up on Hollywood movies . To the French there can be more greater act of treason than emulating Hollywood but this can be forgiven when you've got a film more enjoyable than anything Michael Bay can direct If there's a downside to the movie its set pieces are the selling point and the whole narrative is written around the action scenes . This is a pity because the conspiracy plot did seem realistic to a degree and could have been developed a bit more . You do get a feeling that the conspiracy should linger in the audiences memory where as in reality you'll have forgotten most of the film's more intriguing points as soon as the end titles come up up That said it's a far more entertaining film than the French ones I remember watching on BBC 2 on a Saturday night all those years ago . You know the ones I mean - a bunch of French people standing around in a garden discussing the human condition

I enjoyed this sequel a decent amount, I'll get that out of the way, but like the 1st it relies on its crazy action sequences and cool characters to get it over the hill. I enjoy a good action movie, but I feel a story is essential to any type of movie, and the action genre is certainly no exception. These movies rely on crazy stunts and thrilling action sequences, and while they certainly deliver on that part, I really found the story to be superficial and rather mediocre. Cyril Raffaelli|Tomaso| and David Belle|Leito| are charismatic and fantastic as ever together, but they can't make the movie anything more than above average. Raffaelli has one incredible fight scene at the start of the movie, that really blew me away with how crazy it was, and some of his stunts were spectacular. These movies are rather brainless and are great on a popcorn level, but the stories definitely leave a lot to be desired.Bottom line. It's entertaining for the action, I certainly don't regret watching it, but these things need a better story to fully succeed. Still worth a viewing for action junkies.6 1/2 /10

This French film is the sequel to the equally French film, District 13 (2004), which, unfortunately, I have not seen. The setting is Paris in the not too distant future, 2013 according to the subtitles, where District 13 has been walled off from the rest of the French capital. It seems that the government has forgotten the people that live there who have split into factions and live outside the law.A cop, Capt. Damien Tomaso, has been framed by a government run unit called DISS, headed by the rather nasty Walter Gassman. There is a plot to evacuate District 13 so a new development can be built for the rich. The plot is uncovered by Damien's friend, Leïto, who helps him escape from police custody. Now on the run, the pair has to unite the factions in District 13 in order to thwart the governments plan. But time is running out.As I said at the beginning, I have not seen the original film, District 13, so I can't judge whether this is better or not. It's certainly well made with some really exciting fight sequences and some really great free running. Good performances from all of the major cast, Cyril Raffaelli as Capt. Damien Tomaso, David Belle as Leïto, Philippe Torreton as Le président de la République and Daniel Duval as Walter Gassman.Quite an enjoyable film to watch, but it did seem to lack a little depth. A lot of the characters seemed a bit one-dimensional. If nothing else, it's worth watching for the fight sequences and the free running, some of this stuff is really outstanding. I hear the first film is better but I'll be able to judge when I've seen it. Over all, pretty entertaining although the story line is a little simplistic, but still, recommended.My score: 6.8/10