[Movie 281 / Day 301]
Luc Besson might be better known as a director after turning out hits like LÉON and THE FIFTH ELEMENT, but recently, he’s concentrated on writing and producing, churning out action film after action film. Some of these have been brilliant (TAKEN), some fun (TAXI) and some bordering on awful (TRANSPORTER 3). D13-U sits firmly in the fun camp.
The story is set three years after the original, and none of the government’s promises have been fulfilled, leaving district 13 as a slum, full of warlords and assorted scum. Captain Damien Tomaso (Cyril Raffaelli) is still working undercover, as established in a lengthy sequence where he is deep undercover in a drug kingpin’s nightclub. He arrests several drug dealers and then fights his way out, carrying a priceless painting with him.
While Tomaso goes home to his girlfriend and a warm bed, in another district trouble is brewing. A police patrol is called out to investigate a suspicious car that has been seen loitering. When they get there, they find a pair of young girls listening to music and flirting via radio with some lads sitting in a car on the other side of a park. As the police give them some hassle, the boys start filming the scene just as a big black 4×4 appears and some secret service type men get out and send the girls on their way. And then shoot the policemen in their car, load said car onto the back of a lorry and drive away.
A short while later, the police car is dropped in the middle of a street and, thanks to a shot fired by one of the secret service types, gets shot up. This is reported in the news as a brutal killing of defenceless policemen for no reason, which in turn sparks rioting and violence on the streets.
The kid that filmed it all takes the memory card to Leïto (David Belle) in district 13, who watches the video as he listens to a voicemail message from Tomaso saying he’s been framed and arrested and could he come and spring him from jail if he’s got a minute. Just as he finishes, lots of men in black storm the building, leading to a cat and mouse chase across the rooftops of various buildings in district 13.
Of course, Leïto goes and rescues Tomaso before they team up once again to expose the corrupt official who has his eye on destroying district 13. This time however, they also team up with the various warlords.
The plot is a straightforward tale of double-cross and is a pretty standard race-against-time. The action sequences are something else though. As in the original DISTRICT 13, they are heavily influenced by parkour and the amazing ability of both of our heroes to jump through tiny gaps at speed before kicking someone solidly in the face. There are a few scenes that are way over the top, but so far removed from reality that they kind of work (Tomaso stops a bomb destroying a building by covering it with a heavy bell shaped piece of steel, for instance).
As you’d expect from a new movie, the picture is pin-sharp; it’s the sound that stands out though. It’s the bassiest soundtrack I’ve heard in a long time, so much so that I had to turn it down!
Still, if you’re a fan of Besson’s recent movies and/or the original, DISTRICT 13: ULTIMATUM is a blast and worth watching.
My Rating: 
[ IMDB rating: 6.6 / 10 | IMDB link | Running time: 101 mins ]
