6.5 | / 10 |
Users | 4.0 | |
Reviewer | 3.0 | |
Overall | 3.4 |
Leito and Damien are back to the same Parisian ghetto, this time a few years later, and are once more battling the bad guys and the clock to save the city from catastrophe.
Starring: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Philippe Torreton, Daniel Duval, Elodie YungAction | 100% |
Thriller | 69% |
Crime | 43% |
Martial arts | 34% |
Foreign | 24% |
Sci-Fi | 24% |
Video codec: MPEG-4 AVC
Video resolution: 1080p
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Original aspect ratio: 2.39:1
French: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English: DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1
English, English SDH, Spanish
50GB Blu-ray Disc
Single disc (1 BD)
Region free
Movie | 3.0 | |
Video | 4.0 | |
Audio | 4.0 | |
Extras | 2.5 | |
Overall | 3.0 |
Not to be confused with District 9, tongue-pierced teen drama Thirteen, or The Bourne Ultimatum—although that would make for an insane mash-up movie— District 13: Ultimatum is the sequel to the Luc Besson-produced District 13, the 2004 acrobatic hybrid of Ong Bak and Escape From New York that introduced the world to the gymnastic talents of parkour creator David Belle. Parkour, for those of you who don’t keep abreast of moderately obscure French subcultures, is the art and discipline of running through an urban setting and jumping, vaulting, flipping, and sliding over, around, or through any obstacle in your path. MTV viewers circa 1995 may remember the short-lived freestyle walking craze—parkour’s less physically fit cousin—which, I’m definitely ashamed to admit, once inspired me to jump onto a trashcan slick with rainwater, then slip and faceplant into the concrete sidewalk below. (Note to would-be show-offs: there’s nothing less cool than biting through your bottom lip with your upper teeth and having to take a taxi to the ER to get stitches.) David Belle and his high- flying acolytes make it all look easy-peasy-lemon-squeezy, so try to restrain yourself from leaping off any nearby rooftops after watching District 13: Ultimatum.
The fist-bump: the universal symbol of brotherhood.
District 13: Ultimatum soars onto Blu-ray with a nearly ceaselessly stunning 1080p/AVC- encoded transfer—framed in a slim 2.35:1 aspect ratio—that perfectly suits the film's stylized cinematography. There's a lot to be impressed by here. Some softness creeps into the more kinetic shots—mostly the result of slightly off focusing—but otherwise, clarity is fantastic. Check out the hatch-marked scarring on an African warrior's face, the texture of the crumbling concrete rubble, the detail in the criss-cross weft of Damien's knit cap, and the individually defined hairs in the defense minister's goatee. Close-ups are as crisp as you'd expect, and even long shots display tight resolution. I can see how some people would complain about the film's ultra-deep, frequently detail- crushing black levels, but this seems like an intentional stylistic choice, meant to give the image a hopped up, overheated sense of contrast. I think it works well for the movie's music-video-on-crack aesthetic. Similarly, color is selectively intensified and desaturated, allowing for vivid primaries, bleak neutrals, and lightly bronzed skin tones. Reds and oranges are especially vibrant. The film's grain structure looks warm and natural, and I didn't spot any compression-related issues aside from some slight noise during a few darker scenes. A really tight presentation, all around.
First off, this disc defaults to an English DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 dub, so the first thing you're going to want to do is go into the menu and select the native French DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 surround track. The dub, like most dubs, is cringe and/or laugh-inducing throughout—it makes the dialogue even more cheesetastic—so unless you're the sort that simply can't stand reading subtitles, the French track is where it's at. And it's a pretty solid audio offering, though it definitely values sheer sonic bedlam over crafting a subtle and believable aural environment. Expect buzz-saw synthesizers and big beats in nearly every scene, with thick bass and crisp snare hits, flooded throughout all channels in an often overwhelming techno cacophony. Intermixed with the music you'll hear all the expected action flick whiz bang pow sound effects—gunshots popping off and ripping holes in the audio space around your head, grenade blasts with potent LFE rumble, glass shattering as our heroes drive a car through an office building, and jets roaring through the rears. It's loud and hectic, but it's brawn over brains sound design. There are a few scenes when voices get somewhat lost in the surrounding mayhem, but most of the dialogue comes through cleanly. Optional English, English SDH, English Narrative, and Spanish subtitles appear in easy-to-read white lettering at the bottom of the frame.
Making of District 13: Ultimatum (SD, 26:34)
This comprehensive documentary takes us through nearly every element of the film's production,
but focuses, as it should, on the ridiculous parkour stunts, over-the-top car crashes, and quick-
fisted hand-to-hand combat. Includes loads of on-set footage and plenty of interviews with
director Patrick Alessandrin and stars David Belle and Cyril Raffaelli.
Production Diary (SD, 34:32)
Just as exhaustive (and exhausting) is Cyril Raffaelli's production diary, which is broken into
several episodes, featuring even more B-roll footage and interviews.
Music Video (SD, 3:35)
I don't know why French rap cracks me up so much. Oh yeah, it's because it sounds
ridiculous.
Deleted and Extended Scenes (SD, 9:22)
Didn't get enough running, jumping, flipping, and headbashing during the film itself? Tune in
here for more.
HDNet: A Look at District 13: Ultimatum (1080i, 4:43)
A standard HDNet promo/synopsis, narrated by critic Robert Wilonsky, who conspicuously praises
every Magnolia title to the roof.
Also From Magnolia Home Entertainment Blu-ray (1080p, 5:57)
Includes trailers for Red Cliff, The Warlords, Ong Bak 2, and a promo for
HDNet.
Bookmarks
BD-Live
District 13: Ultimatum is more of the same, but it's also more of what made the first film a surprise cult hit—crazy parkour set pieces, slick fight choreography, and generally insane stunts. It's goofy, yes, and the dialogue is frequently laughable—especially if you listen to the terrible English dub—but if you're in the mood for a high-octane action film, you could do much worse. This Blu-ray release has solid, often stunning technical merits as well, which may sway some would-be buyers to a purchase.
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