District B13 & Brick Mansions
Friday, 8 January 2016
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These reviews are Spoiler-free.
District B13 (Banlieue 13) is a 2004 French activity cinema starring Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle, which was remade inwards America inwards 2014 every bit Brick Mansions, starring Paul Walker inwards house of Raffaelli, but keeping David Belle. I watched the original, together with therefore the remake, together with shall right away review them side past times side.
The plots are essentially the same -- inwards the nigh hereafter (2010 together with 2018, respectively) at that spot is a urban nub therefore overrun amongst criminals together with corruption that the agency it is dealt amongst is there's a wall built roughly it, to buy the farm on people from coming together with going freely therefore every bit non to spread the offense further. The urban nub is run past times a offense lord who gets his hands on a large bomb amongst a ticking timer. To larn the bomb dorsum earlier it detonates, Damien, a cop cast the exterior (Raffaelli/Walker) goes clandestine together with teams upward amongst an ex-con from the within (Belle) Lieto/Lino, who's sis (girlfriend inwards BM) is beingness held hostage past times the offense lord.
But at that spot is i of import affair that sets this cinema together with remake apart from other straightforward activity flicks similar it -- parkour. David Belle is literally the inventor of parkour, together with his showcased incredible abilities is the best of both films. If he wasn't inwards the remake it would receive got been a gigantic flop. Well -- it was pretty large flop. Though the 2 movies are therefore similar it's genuinely kinda trippy, B13 is a brisk, thrilling together with fun ride, spell Brick Mansions goes through the motions inwards fits together with starts, half-heartedly trying to to give it some novel tweaks together with lifts, together with failing to capture the same exciting essence.
So where did Brick Mansions become wrong? It had almost twice the budget together with a bankable star, but mayhap it wasn't genuinely aware of what it was that made B13 therefore great, because most of that greatness was cutting out. Obviously Paul Walker is the primary grapheme inwards his film, but inwards the original, David Belle's grapheme was to a greater extent than prominent together with had to a greater extent than invested inwards the plot. The remake gives us a few scenes to flora together with prepare Walker's grapheme therefore he'd operate every bit the hero, but the additions didn't necktie inwards amongst the plot at all, cutting into the excitement together with activity amongst drama, together with weren't all that adept to start with. Then David Belle's grapheme had to accept the cuts necessary to add together that useless drama, together with is alone there, it seems, to practice parkour stuff.
In District B13, the wary buddy-cop vibe betwixt to 2 leads was quite fun; slow together with engaging together with definitely cool. Raffaelli may receive got been the 2nd Pb past times a hair, but his purpose didn't experience forced that agency -- it's simply what came naturally out of the script. His introduction is action-based -- every bit opposed to Walker's drama-based -- together with came off inwards a cool together with unexpected together with completely not-fussy form of way. B13 never fusses. Belle's introduction is almost the same both times, but from some argue the parkour stunts inwards B13 experience agency cooler together with agency freakier.
Raffaelli did his ain stunts too, focusing to a greater extent than on fighting stunts over parkour though. He fights similar Captain America. He also choreographed the fights. These guys knew the value of doing what you lot know. For BM, the activity proved to move a bigger job than you'd expect. There was i guy jumping from crazy heights together with climbing things you'd mean value would move impossible to climb, spell the other guy... punches people's faces... inwards fast moving quick-cuts -- you lot know, the classic lazy solution for fighting together with activity scenes. Except it wasn't necessary. He was Paul Walker; he was adept at action. Still, the other guys were better, together with when compared amongst one, together with contrasted following amongst the other, the lesser character that came from Walker's side was noticeable. Once they used it every bit an chance for a funny gag though, which was smart.
Another primary departure is that B13 got a R rating, spell BM stuck amongst the PG-13. Usually, I'll appreciate the PG-13 selection to a greater extent than every time, but interestingly, non this time. B13 did earn it's R through blood splatter together with language, but was sure on the depression side of the R scale. Brick Mansions' violence was practically the same, simply less realistic, together with was alone brusque B13's linguistic communication past times a mere handful. It, however, was weirdly together with creepily -- together with completely unnecessarily -- sexualized inwards an extended plot line, which I gladly would receive got traded inwards for increased blood together with F-bombs. Gladly.
And fifty-fifty though B13 was inwards French therefore I had to read along amongst the subtitles the whole time, it didn't detract from the experience at all, together with the script quite sharp. Even earlier I had anything to compare it to, I was impressed past times how refined it was, beingness an activity cinema that could receive got got away amongst less endeavor inwards that area. I laughed several times unexpectedly from the abrupt wit. BM had its occasional funny 2nd every bit well, but felt much to a greater extent than contrite generally. They took a really fresh feeling film, together with basically adapted it to but simply some other stale American activity film. I don't know if its beingness foreign-made had a mitt at all inwards its stand-out presentation, but B13 is a character film, together with i of the to a greater extent than memorable straight-up activity flicks I've seen inwards a long time. It plays past times its ain rules; mirroring the unique, quick together with efficient agency of the super cool bailiwick is centers around.
I should receive got waited to write all that, because right away I've also seen the sequel to B13, District 13: Ultimatum. I won't seek to become dorsum together with rewrite to tally it in, because there's non much to add:
After a kinda irksome together with questionable start, the sequel is a mixture of activity sequences that alive upward to the master standards, stacked inwards betwixt a political together with likewise lengthy plot development. The pacing suffers. And there's a chip to a greater extent than iffy content. But, the 2 leads buy the farm on their buddy-cop chemical scientific discipline going strong, together with the script adds a few novel laughs together with cool stunts. Since it came out inwards 09, it should move no surprise that Brick Mansions borrowed a few elements for their ain work (and right away that I know they weren't beingness master amongst those parts, I'm fifty-fifty to a greater extent than disappointed). The scale was much bigger inwards this one, together with I mean value that got it their way. But when it was fun together with action-y it was absolutely fun; a worthy sequel, together with I'm giving it 3 stars.
So unless you lot simply receive got to run across Paul Walker inwards that hand-me-down role, or unless you lot mean value it's worth it to run across David Belle practice variations of the same stunt-filled scenes (actually, it kinda is), I'd recommend you lot simply stick to the French versions.
Just for kicks: here's David Belle inwards a commercial for BBC One. Fun materials (but there's cooler materials inwards all 3 of these movies. Just sayin'.)
District B13 (Banlieue 13) is a 2004 French activity cinema starring Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle, which was remade inwards America inwards 2014 every bit Brick Mansions, starring Paul Walker inwards house of Raffaelli, but keeping David Belle. I watched the original, together with therefore the remake, together with shall right away review them side past times side.
The plots are essentially the same -- inwards the nigh hereafter (2010 together with 2018, respectively) at that spot is a urban nub therefore overrun amongst criminals together with corruption that the agency it is dealt amongst is there's a wall built roughly it, to buy the farm on people from coming together with going freely therefore every bit non to spread the offense further. The urban nub is run past times a offense lord who gets his hands on a large bomb amongst a ticking timer. To larn the bomb dorsum earlier it detonates, Damien, a cop cast the exterior (Raffaelli/Walker) goes clandestine together with teams upward amongst an ex-con from the within (Belle) Lieto/Lino, who's sis (girlfriend inwards BM) is beingness held hostage past times the offense lord.
 |
| Both films were written past times Luc Besson. (Photo from B13.) |
But at that spot is i of import affair that sets this cinema together with remake apart from other straightforward activity flicks similar it -- parkour. David Belle is literally the inventor of parkour, together with his showcased incredible abilities is the best of both films. If he wasn't inwards the remake it would receive got been a gigantic flop. Well -- it was pretty large flop. Though the 2 movies are therefore similar it's genuinely kinda trippy, B13 is a brisk, thrilling together with fun ride, spell Brick Mansions goes through the motions inwards fits together with starts, half-heartedly trying to to give it some novel tweaks together with lifts, together with failing to capture the same exciting essence.
So where did Brick Mansions become wrong? It had almost twice the budget together with a bankable star, but mayhap it wasn't genuinely aware of what it was that made B13 therefore great, because most of that greatness was cutting out. Obviously Paul Walker is the primary grapheme inwards his film, but inwards the original, David Belle's grapheme was to a greater extent than prominent together with had to a greater extent than invested inwards the plot. The remake gives us a few scenes to flora together with prepare Walker's grapheme therefore he'd operate every bit the hero, but the additions didn't necktie inwards amongst the plot at all, cutting into the excitement together with activity amongst drama, together with weren't all that adept to start with. Then David Belle's grapheme had to accept the cuts necessary to add together that useless drama, together with is alone there, it seems, to practice parkour stuff.
 |
| I genuinely similar the music inwards B13 for some reason. It fits the cinema perfectly. (Photo from B13.) |
In District B13, the wary buddy-cop vibe betwixt to 2 leads was quite fun; slow together with engaging together with definitely cool. Raffaelli may receive got been the 2nd Pb past times a hair, but his purpose didn't experience forced that agency -- it's simply what came naturally out of the script. His introduction is action-based -- every bit opposed to Walker's drama-based -- together with came off inwards a cool together with unexpected together with completely not-fussy form of way. B13 never fusses. Belle's introduction is almost the same both times, but from some argue the parkour stunts inwards B13 experience agency cooler together with agency freakier.
Raffaelli did his ain stunts too, focusing to a greater extent than on fighting stunts over parkour though. He fights similar Captain America. He also choreographed the fights. These guys knew the value of doing what you lot know. For BM, the activity proved to move a bigger job than you'd expect. There was i guy jumping from crazy heights together with climbing things you'd mean value would move impossible to climb, spell the other guy... punches people's faces... inwards fast moving quick-cuts -- you lot know, the classic lazy solution for fighting together with activity scenes. Except it wasn't necessary. He was Paul Walker; he was adept at action. Still, the other guys were better, together with when compared amongst one, together with contrasted following amongst the other, the lesser character that came from Walker's side was noticeable. Once they used it every bit an chance for a funny gag though, which was smart.
 |
| Strange -- usually, he'd move the i who's best at all that activity stuff. (Photo from Brick Mansions.) |
Another primary departure is that B13 got a R rating, spell BM stuck amongst the PG-13. Usually, I'll appreciate the PG-13 selection to a greater extent than every time, but interestingly, non this time. B13 did earn it's R through blood splatter together with language, but was sure on the depression side of the R scale. Brick Mansions' violence was practically the same, simply less realistic, together with was alone brusque B13's linguistic communication past times a mere handful. It, however, was weirdly together with creepily -- together with completely unnecessarily -- sexualized inwards an extended plot line, which I gladly would receive got traded inwards for increased blood together with F-bombs. Gladly.
And fifty-fifty though B13 was inwards French therefore I had to read along amongst the subtitles the whole time, it didn't detract from the experience at all, together with the script quite sharp. Even earlier I had anything to compare it to, I was impressed past times how refined it was, beingness an activity cinema that could receive got got away amongst less endeavor inwards that area. I laughed several times unexpectedly from the abrupt wit. BM had its occasional funny 2nd every bit well, but felt much to a greater extent than contrite generally. They took a really fresh feeling film, together with basically adapted it to but simply some other stale American activity film. I don't know if its beingness foreign-made had a mitt at all inwards its stand-out presentation, but B13 is a character film, together with i of the to a greater extent than memorable straight-up activity flicks I've seen inwards a long time. It plays past times its ain rules; mirroring the unique, quick together with efficient agency of the super cool bailiwick is centers around.
 |
| Just to move clear, the 2 star rating goes to Brick Mansions, together with the four to District B13. (Photo from Ultimatum.) |
I should receive got waited to write all that, because right away I've also seen the sequel to B13, District 13: Ultimatum. I won't seek to become dorsum together with rewrite to tally it in, because there's non much to add:
After a kinda irksome together with questionable start, the sequel is a mixture of activity sequences that alive upward to the master standards, stacked inwards betwixt a political together with likewise lengthy plot development. The pacing suffers. And there's a chip to a greater extent than iffy content. But, the 2 leads buy the farm on their buddy-cop chemical scientific discipline going strong, together with the script adds a few novel laughs together with cool stunts. Since it came out inwards 09, it should move no surprise that Brick Mansions borrowed a few elements for their ain work (and right away that I know they weren't beingness master amongst those parts, I'm fifty-fifty to a greater extent than disappointed). The scale was much bigger inwards this one, together with I mean value that got it their way. But when it was fun together with action-y it was absolutely fun; a worthy sequel, together with I'm giving it 3 stars.
So unless you lot simply receive got to run across Paul Walker inwards that hand-me-down role, or unless you lot mean value it's worth it to run across David Belle practice variations of the same stunt-filled scenes (actually, it kinda is), I'd recommend you lot simply stick to the French versions.
Just for kicks: here's David Belle inwards a commercial for BBC One. Fun materials (but there's cooler materials inwards all 3 of these movies. Just sayin'.)