Parkour solves all of life's problems

If ever a movie were to be classified solely as an action film, this is it. This nonstop shot of adrenaline is a sequel to the 2004 French film "District 13," not last year's South African sci-fi hit "District 9." Instead of slimy aliens, there are a whole host of diverse gangs and communities inhabiting the slums of District 13, a violent, impoverished borough sectioned off from the rest of Paris. At the beginning of the film, it's clear that all of the characters are just filled with rage and waiting to explode. And it doesn't take long for the fury and action to shift into high gear.

The exciting and unique thing about the world of "District 13: Ultimatum" is its incorporation of parkour (literally, the art of moving). Parkour involves quick running, fast thinking and creative use of the surrounding environment. In this instance, parkour is used to elude and fend off pursuers. The stunts are visually stimulating and the action sequences, which dominate the film, go on for 10 to 20 minutes at a time without losing any of their initial excitement. The sheer amount of awesome action contained in 101 minutes is mind-blowing.

Most of the fun comes from watching the film's protagonists. Leito (David Belle), a parkour master who knows his way around the slums, can evade 100 guys at a time and do it in style. Damien (Cyril Raffaelli), an undercover cop, is particularly skilled at hand-to-hand combat and mastering any situation. He even battles while holding on to a priceless painting, using it as a weapon while taking special care not to damage it. When the two of them team up, it's astonishing. These guys aren't ever going to lose — they're going to kick ass and dominate.

From the very first scene, in which the camera zooms through the dreary, seedy District 13, a thumping score serves as the razor-edged anthem of the ghetto. The music amps up the pace of the film so it remains fully charged even when characters aren't being chased or trying to kill each other. Furious French rap music often accompanies the score, further enhancing the effect.

What's especially surprising about this all-out action flick is that its gruff, hard-nosed exterior actually conceals a clever story. The script is impressively sharp, and it actually makes sense, which hardly seems necessary in this context but makes the film that much better. More importantly, experienced French writer-director Luc Besson — here responsible for the screenplay — knows when to put logic aside and indulge his audience with full-fledged ridiculousness. At one point in the film, gang leader Tao (Elodie Yung) prepares to fight off a legion of attackers and pauses to insert headphones in her ears. In District 13, it's all about getting into the action.

Abe Fried-Tanzer is a staff writer.