banlieue treize

A lot of things could be said about the French… that they are backstabbing, socialistic cowards who do not even have the slightest comprehension of honor or commitment, for example… However, one thing can be definitely said about them: They make good movies.
Brotherhood of the Wolf will go down in history as one of the few movies I have actually seen multiple times in the theater, and went out of my way to try and find an honest-to-God, original, French-language copy of and order. And the only way I watch it is with the audio track set to French, with English subtitles. Speaking a smattering of French helps, but any and all movies should be watched in their original languages. If subtitles are necessary, feel free to use them, but stick to the original language – the lips not matching up is sufficient to ruin the movie in and of themselves, but it just is so much better to have it in the language the director was writing for. Dunno why specifically.
Any way you look at it, though, Pacte des Loups is an outstanding action movie. Just enough of a story to keep you strung along, fight scenes you would not believe, artistic scenes, and a good sense of flair. Add to that Monica Bellucci getting a little… well… clotheless, and you have yourself a not-too-shabby movie. Oh, and did I mention badass fight scenes? Of course, in a galactic sense of irony, the guy who was responsible for those impressive fight scenes, Mark Dacascos, is now the host of Iron Chef America. Kinda wierd.
However, the goodness does not stop there, thankfully enough. I was browsing Blockbuster a few days ago, trying to find something to expend my free rental on, and came across a few likely candidates. However, one item stuck out as something I have been meaning to rent, but never really got around to – District B13. Ok, not the most promising title in the world, I will grant it that, but bear with me. First off, consider the lead actors: Cyril Raffaelli and David Belle. Now, I know these names do not mean a whole lot to us uncouth Americans, and in reality, the second guy has not done a whole lot, but the first one has been a stunt double in Transporter 2, Transporter, Brotherhood of the Wolf, Ronin, and other movies, in addition to actually acting in quite a few other action-style flicks – Kiss of the Dragon and Live Free or Die Hard. So, to put it simply, Mr. Raffaelli has credentials through history, and while Mr. Belle may lack that, he obviously makes up for it in terms of skill exhibited in the movie. If nothing else, they both make acceptable eye candy for the girls, and are simply bad ass action men.
If you are looking for even a halfway decent storyline, you might want to keep browsing. But if you are looking for positively amazing chase scenes (on foot, no less… the only car chase scene was only a scant few minutes long, if even that), skillfully crafted fights, impressively well-built guys, and a fair smattering of interesting firearms and equipment… Yeah, Banlieue 13 will do you just fine. No gratuitous nudity though, so do not be on the lookout for that.
Be aware, however, that the language used in the movie is often not reflected in the subtitles, just like in Pacte des Loupes… Some of the more … colorful … aspects did not quite make it through the translators, apparently. If you are looking for artsy, go for the Wolf. If you are looking for an outright, but still well-built, slugfest, go for the number. But both will keep you entertained, and rewinding to review more than a few scenes more than once, for at least an hour or two.