District B13

A message-based actioner that's fast, dumb fun.

I was delighted by the balletic and acrobatic stunts, some of which evoke Tarzan.

A 90-minute feature simply showing [David] Belle's stunts with no frills would be great; unfortunately, they only account for about 10 minutes - the rest of the time, Belle is called upon to act.

The cast hurls itself into the comic-book violence, while the stunt choreography and razor-sharp editing are exhilarating.

As 85-minute testosterone binges go, you could do a whole lot worse.

Instantly forgettable, but hugely entertaining for 85 minutes.

Comparable to Jackie Chan in his heyday, these actors have the charisma, humor, and ability to advance themselves from stuntmen to stars, and they advance this movie from another dull actioner to must-see entertainment.

By returning to true action instead of CGI gimmicks or fake stunts, Morel has crafted a film that is electrifying to watch.

Urban ills are pretty much the same worldwide. But it's the very Frenchness of the film that makes it amusant. Unlike a typical American actioner, the villain is not a megalomaniacal genius, nor a corporate overlord; it's the civil servants. . .

The straight-faced outrageousness is part of the film's charm, while the stripped down aesthetic, driving pace, and impressive action sequences are the film's charge.