REVIEW - District 13 - The Ultimatum

I remember trying to convince Amo and Gareth to come see this with me a few weeks ago when it was briefly showing at one tiny theater in San Francisco, mainly because I had enjoyed the first film (the one where there was no "ultimatum").

I loved that first film - although curiously hadn't posted a review here - because it was the first movie to focus on parkour, l'art du déplacement (English: the art of moving).

Parkour basically involves using objects: buildings, vehicles, or other obstacles in ingenious ways to get around.

I'm glad they didn't listen to me, because this sequel has a lame (i.e. no) plot, made lamer by a ridiculous threat by the French president to launch an air assault on District 13 to raze it to the ground, thereby disposing of all the criminals using that part of Paris as its base of operations.

The parkour itself was interesting, albeit somewhat ridiculous - requiring far too many conveniently placed railings, buttresses, poles and assorted detritus to a) enable the vagabonds to dodge les flics and b) help them do it in an exciting and apparently impossible manner.

This second film will probably appeal to those who like martial arts movies. Perhaps un-surprisingly, I'm not one of them.