District B-13 (2004)

I had forgotten I already reviewed this one back in July of 2011.  I was trying to buy B-13:  Ultimatum when I saw they had a double-feature Blu-ray of both.  Did I really need it in Blu-ray?  Probably not.  The quality isn't that much better than the DVD, frankly, but I couldn't pass up a two-fer.  So I thought "Fuck it, I'll just repost the original."  So here you go.    I had the honor and privilege of forcing this one on New Boyfriend.  God, I love this movie.  The plot is a little too heavy-handed with the "Can't we all just get along?" kind of message but Holy Hot-rodding Christ does this movie kick ass.

The year is 2010.  I know, I know, just go with it.  Paris has gotten fed up with its ghettos and turned them  into little self-contained prisons.  Leito (David Belle) lives in one of the few apartment buildings that isn't torn apart by gang violence.  He intercepts a load of heroin and destroys it, thus earning the enmity of Taha, the main drug lord and prompting one of the best parkour chase sequences EVER.  Taha tries to kidnap Leito's little sister, Lola, in retaliation only to be captured and handed over to the cops by Leito...and immediately gets released.  The cops are bailing and they don't need any complications.  As an added Fuck You, they let Taha take Lola with him.

Meanwhile, Damien (Cyril Raffaelli) is wrapping up an undercover investigation while utilizing some seriously badass martial arts skills.  His superiors come to him and tell him that  a new type of "clean" bomb has been stolen in B-13 by a drug dealer named Taha and they need him to infiltrate and put in a code to stop the explosion.  To expedite matters, they have a native guide with his own axe to grind against the villain.

Cue buddy cop music!

I've said it before, and I'll say it again:  Luc Besson knows how to make French movies for American audiences.  I was super-excited to hear that there was a sequel released.  I haven't seen it yet.  It's in my queue, though.