|
Like “Ong Bak,” France’s “District B13” is
relatively just there to showcase the amazing stunts and the actor’s
abilities to do the impossible without special effects. But that doesn’t
mean it isn’t fun to watch. “District B13” is basically a techno-pop
action film for the ADD crowd, and I didn’t mind it much.
I don’t know. Perhaps I’m burned out on
action films, particularly from action films with flashy stunts that
don’t serve much of a purpose. In the end, “District B13” is a string of
action sequences featuring shoot outs, fight scenes, and acrobatics, and
not much of a story or characterization to keep us watching. I mean
sure, the action scenes are great, but I couldn’t pretend to care when I
wasn’t sure who was who and what the grand plot of the entire film is
supposed to be. “District B13” and its action scenes are surprisingly
boring, and bland, and I found myself wanting more within the hand to
hand combat that I didn’t get. I expected a lot from this, and I
received very little in return.
|
There are your basic MacGuffin’s:
a bomb, drugs, and kidnappings that really are only there to
be a backdrop for the stuns, and not actually help to
provide a plot. And with a film that’s really only a little
over eighty minutes, there’s not much room for one. I can
see this being shown at exhibits exemplifying great stunt
work on screen, but beyond that, the choreography is
routine, and the purposes of said action scenes blatant.
|
|
 |
It doesn’t flow from story to stunt, but
gives us stints of dialogue and arbitrary character conflict then
introduces the perfect scenarios in which our characters can basically
escape any situation unscathed while the opponents pace around unable to
hit the side of a barn, let alone one man with a blunt instrument.
“District B13” comes off more like a theme
park show than an actual film, it’s there to deliver stunts and never an
actual story. The futuristic setting is meaningless, the war zone
elements serve only to add an capricious “Mad Max” atmosphere, and the
dichotomy between the officer and the rebel all too rehashed for and
featured for no apparent reason. The plot here is basically a stock
backdrop for our characters.
Enemy has a bomb, villain has someone kidnapped that our hero has to
rescue, while the two male opposites argue and bicker and huff and puff
ad nauseum. When the film is over people won’t be quoting it, nor will
they be picking their favorite characters, they’ll just recount the
stunts for a little while, and move on to something else. That’s how all
these flashy action films end up.
As filler for a boring afternoon, then
“District B13” will serve a purpose, yet really be nothing more than
empty entertainment without much value. There’s really nothing
astonishing behind it, nothing original, and when you feel lost in an
action film, its poor writing and directing at work.
|
