Customer Reviews

13 [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(20)
2 star:		(11)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

A few years ago, I came across an odd little foreign film that I absolutely fell in love with named "13 Tzameti." At the time, I had no clue what the movie was about and, without preconceived notions, I was fascinated by the dark and twisted tale that unraveled. As a young man is drawn into a complicated and deadly underground battle for survival, the movie is rather stunning in its simplicity. As a very low budget endeavor, it used its sparseness to great advantage. Claustrophobic, tense, and unrelenting, the camera pushes up close and personal as the tension escalates throughout and it is truly a riveting and, at times, unsettling experience. Its writer/director Gela Babluani has been given the opportunity to adapt his thrilling and award winning sensation (Grand Jury Prize at Sundance, Best Director at Venice Film Festival) into an English language version with a pretty impressive cast. The resultant "13" lacks a bit of the intensity of its predecessor, and opening up the story doesn't necessarily serve the material well. Also, its intriguing premise is a little harder to buy in an American Midwest setting, but the movie still has a visceral punch that a certain audience might enjoy.

The movie stars Sam Riley (so great in Control) as an electrician whose family is in dire financial straits. At a work site, he hears talk of a clandestine "job" that has the potential to pay huge. When the person planning on attending the job dies of an overdose, Riley nabs the instructions and heads off to take his place. He has no idea what is in store for him! What he finds is a chilling sports contest in which people bet on life and death itself in increasingly challenging rounds. He can't back out and there can be only one winner, and Riley has no choice but to try to make it to the end. The testosterone fueled plot is headlined by some talented individuals--Mickey Rourke and Ray Winstone are fellow contestants, Curtis "50 Cent" Jackson and Alexander Skarsgard are two of the contestant minders, Ben Gazzara and Jason Statham are financially invested, and Michael Shannon is the evening's intense emcee. While it is a fantastic cast, though, no one (aside from Riley and maybe Statham) really has a lot to do.

Herein lies the problem, Babluani tries to adapt his screenplay to accommodate this roster of actors. So we get flashbacks and character development for peripheral and non-important characters. Yes, now we get more of Mickey Rourke and 50 Cent, but this actually detracts from the central contest. And that is the movie! The contest is inescapable and the original movie put viewers on the front lines until the very end. It was exquisitely uncomfortable in confining us in the small and deadly space. But while I wasn't necessarily blown away by "13," I still appreciated its unsavory premise. The cast is quite good, even if underutilized, and it's not a movie you feel like you've seen a hundred times before. Those expecting big action may have to look elsewhere, this plays more as a psychological thriller. I suspect this movie might be a bit divisive--you could think it is outlandish and hate it or you could like it for its uniqueness. I liked, but didn't love, "13." But I do recommend it and, if you ever get the chance, check out the original as well for something a bit more harrowing. About 3 1/2 stars. KGHarris, 10/11.

Even a great premise and a strong supporting cast can't save a poorly made movie. "13" sat on the shelf for over a year (it was produced for release in 2010) for very good reason--it's not very good. In "13" Vince (Sam Riley who played Ian Curtis so well in "Control") who needs money for his father's operation takes on the identity of a dead drug addict unaware that he's stepping into a high stakes illegal contest where he competes against others (Ray Winstone, Mickey Rourke)playing Russian Roulette. The chance to make millions and save his father keeps Vince from trying to escape.

Co-writer Greg Pruss and director Géla Babluani take a fascinating premise that has great potential and wastes it in a film that generates no suspense and, essentially, goes no where. It's tragic because the film has a strong cast (including Jason Statham, Ben Gazzara and Alexander Skarsgård) given very little to do but look moody and trade threatening glances. This is evidently a remake of a foreign film which I haven't seen so I don't know how it compares to that original film.

For those who care the image quality is quite good as is the 5.1 audio mix. The only extra is a featurette on the making of the film.

"13" wastes a strong cast, a great premise with the result a disappointing genre film that fails to deliver on all fronts.

Unless your idea of fun is watching men scream at each other, shoot each other in the head in tension and action free sequences, you should avoid "13".

I guess since this was about Russian roulette and listed Jason Statham as one of the stars I expected it to be more exciting. I was definitely not on the edge of my seat, even when guys had guns to each other's heads.

Another complaint I have is I didn't really feel I knew much about most of the characters. In many cases I didn't even know their names. It took a little straining to remember the "hero" is named Vince, in large part because for 2/3 of the movie he's referred to as "Number 13."

The reason for this is that Vince finds an invitation to a Russian roulette tournament. The mechanics of this are a little hazy to me. I think Vince is working at renovating this guy's house. The guy overdoses on morphine after he gets the invitation. Vince finds it and since he needs money for an operation for his dad (I think), he goes to New York to take the other guy's place.

The tournament is held in a mansion (or something) out in the middle of nowhere. I don't know how far you have to get from New York City for that. There are at least 17 players. Each one has essentially a sponsor. I'm not really sure who Vince's was. At the house we meet some of the other participants. There's #17 (Mickey Rourke) who was in a Mexican prison before being smuggled into the US for the tournament. He keeps telling his handler (50 Cent) that he knows where there's a large stash of money. 17 and his money really have no bearing on the overall plot.

Vince's main rival is #6 Robert Lynn (Ray Winstone) who was in a mental institution until his brother Jasper (Jason Statham) signs him out to be in the tourney. #6 has won the tourney a few times before. For some reason, Jasper borrows 2 million from someone to gamble in the tourney on his brother.

I think part of the reason I was never too excited is besides being located in a mansion--and not somewhere seedy like a back alley--is there are so many rules. For the first two rounds everyone stands in a circle. They're given a gun and one bullet. They put the guns in the air and spin the chamber around at the behest of the referee who sits in a chair like a tennis umpire. Then each player puts his gun at the head of the guy in front of him. (They are all guys.) When a light with spiders on it (why spiders? I don't know) goes on, they fire. Some people die and others live. For the next round, there are two bullets in the guns. The final round features two players chosen at random to "duel." They get three bullets in their guns. If you can't guess who is chosen to duel they show you A) on the DVD back cover and B)A few minutes into the film. So I guess that's another strike as it spoils a little of the drama.

Anyway, with so many rules and everything so well-mannered (they even let the "survivors" go free!) it felt more like watching tennis than Russian roulette. That and I didn't really know much about the important characters and a lot of characters weren't that important anyway, like #17.

So this definitely could have been a better movie. Maybe the original version was better; I might have to go look for it on Netflix or something.

BTW, there were no extras on the copy I was given from the Vine newsletter. I don't know if the copy for purchase has any extras or what they might be.

That is all.

If you were to ask me if I'd be interested in watching a bloody B-movie starring Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Alexander Skarsgard, and 50-Cent (aka Curtis Jackson), the honest part of me would have been alternatively delighted and ashamed of myself. This quick description promises what could be a Great Guy Movie.

Unfortunately, the movie we're talking about is "13," and it's pretty bad.

For one thing, the movie has no idea whose story it's telling. For a movie with the aforementioned cast, you'd expect any one of them to make a compelling protagonist. But the movie instead revolves around a young down-on-his-luck electrician named Vince (Sam Riley). Odd jobs aren't enough for him to help his struggling family, and through a mix of coincidences and bad choices Vince finds himself a "player" in a demented game of Russian Roulette where various wealthy men wager millions on who will survive.

The tournament is simplicity itself. Each player gets a revolver and, in the first round, a single bullet is spun into a random chamber. They stand in circle, each aiming at the fellow in front of them. A light bulb goes off, and everyone shoots. Survivors make the next round. In the second round, two bullets are loaded, and so forth. These scenes are surprisingly devoid of suspense or charm - due in no small part that we really don't care a whit about Vince, who's a pretty unsympathetic guy.

"13" has no idea what to do with its macho cast. Alexander Skarsgard does little more than look concerned. Mickey Rourke has a poorly-explained back story and does little more than grumble and flex. Jason Statham has some good moments as the guy who's making millions entering his mentally-challenged brother (Ray Winstone) in these tournaments, but these two gifted actors are wasted as well.

The story simply meanders. One major character makes it through and is told, "you can go." Apparently he does, because we never see him again. In another scene, a man attempts to garrote a player when another man walks in. "Stop that!" he barks, and the assassination attempt ceases, but apparently with no hard feelings because nothing comes of it. Most characters have no back story, no motivation, no compelling reason to be in this life-or-death tourney . . . they are simply there because the half-baked screenplay requires them to be.

Hollywood has a long if not proud history of milking the "tournament of death" sub-genre of action movies. Some of these can be quite good - such as "The Quick and the Dead," "Gladiator," etc. These movies give their characters just enough back story to justify their role in such an insane contest and they have more than a ibt of sly fun with the whole thing. They can be great guilty pleasures. "13" is neither great nor a pleasure, but it makes you feel a bit guilty for having watched it.

This movie is was okay. From what I thought, the movie was gonna strictly be action, people blowing each other's heads off...and good stuff like that. First of all, it took like 40 minutes before the first trigger was even pulled. Talk about playing the waiting game. I mean, it's one thing if I have to wait for the story to get set up and this and that, but this was ridiculous. Here I am, waiting...and waiting, for nothing. The plot is completely unlikely, and they took forever getting to the good stuff.

Another thing that I was pretty excited about was both Jason Statham and 50 Cent both playing in the same movie. But, seriously, 50 Cent plays a really small part...a part barely even worthy of being on the cover. And Jason Statham...well, I guess I can just leave it at the fact that even his lamest movie was better than this. Such a let down for such great name drops.

In the end, I say this movie took forever to get into, and once you were into it...it only had your attention for 15 minutes! Then it went back into the same old lame back story.Take my advice, don't buy this movie. You'll be greatly disappointed if you do.

It's hard to imagine a movie with an interesting cast, photography that evokes a neo-noir mood and very good acting to be such a dud. The film centers around a group of high stake (but jaded) gamblers and a group of miserable losers who enter a game of Russian roulette for the possibility of ending debt, paying the freight for an operation to save a loved one or some other (unspecified) reasons. Each of those who play the game, enter a circle and point a revolver to the man's head in front of them. The players all have a number, and the film's title is based on the number of the film's hero, such as he is--number 13.

The film drags the viewer through a series of "games" managed by what amounts to a game show host as the paying customers place their bets on who will survive and stand way too close to the circle of men who point and shoot at the person in front of them. Anyway, if you're interested in good actors doing nothing quite well, and the paint has dried so that you cannot watch it, this film will still bore you to sleep--only to be awaken by the occasional pop of a gun into the back of the head of an unlucky player. After viewing this film, you may wish you were one of the players who got shot.

Less drama than "Let's Make a Deal"...that's the first thing my husband said when this movie was over, and I'm strongly inclined to agree. I was never on the edge of my seat wondering what would happen next. This was a thriller with no suspense. None whatsoever. The plot is extremely predictable, even the ending was easy to see coming. For a professionally-made movie, everything about it came off as amateurish.

No real character development to speak of, which is the real tragedy of this movie. It has a stellar cast, all of whom deserved better than the weak storytelling. I never saw the original, but '13' never had me invested in any of the characters. And not even really in the protagonist, whose actions at times really defy logic.

I'm all for shoot-em-ups with no plot, but this movie didn't even achieve that level. A big disappointment.

"13" is based on a 2005 French thriller "13 Tzameti" by a Georgian director Géla Babluani, and it is not just a remake. Like Ole Bornedal's "Nightwatch" (based on "Nattevagten") and George Sluizer's "The Vanishing" (based on "Spoorloos"), it is a remake by the same director of the original. And like these two unnecessary remakes, "13" only makes me ask myself: "Do we need it?" (Yes, I know, Hitchcock did "The Man Who Knew Too Much" twice, but we all know that an exception makes the rule.)

The story is largely the same as the original. Sam Riley ("Control") is Vince, a young electrician living in Ohio, whose father has been in hospital. Vince really needs money when he overhears a strange conversation about what he thinks could be a great chance to make a lot of money quickly.

If you have seen the trailer, you know what awaits Vince in a remote mansion in the woods. The idea of "the most dangerous game" is intriguing and the game sequences are intense, but as there is almost nothing the contestants can do to make the chance of "winning" bigger, the tension slowly drains out of it. Though Jason Statham's character refers to "experiences," we know it's all about chance. No thinking, no outwitting others. And chance alone is not enough to keep us interested in the proceedings.

The cast also includes Ben Gazzara, Curtis Jackson, Mickey Rourke, Michael Shannon (over-the-top as a game's referee) and Ray Winstone. The characters of Jackson and Rourke are created for the remake. The acting is certainly solid, but with familiar faces and the photography that has become crispy (the original was shot in grainy black-and-white), something is missing from the new version.

Most of the traits that rendered the original film unique and fascinating are gone, and "13" looks more like an average thriller with one intriguing aspect: the game. Not a bad thriller at all, but I couldn't see the point of remaking.

"All players, eyes on the bulb, when it lights up you shoot." After a impulse decision to steal a man's identity, Vince (Riley) becomes a contestant in a game of Russian roulette. The winner gets a little more then a million, the loser...dies. Never having seen the original I wasn't sure what to expect, and honestly I watched this because of Statham. The beginning was a little slow, but when the game started it really picked up and was interesting and very disturbing at the same time. Comparing this to "Death Race" I think is acceptable as it involves people doing their best to survive in a grotesque game. While "Death Race" was about cars and you had more of a separation from the killing, this one is in your face. Spin the chamber, cock the hammer, point at someone's head, while someone does the same to you, then shoot. Either you live for next round or you don't. This is a pretty good movie with a good cast (not counting 50 Cent) and is a neat idea. I just think it was missing something. I think it was making you feel for the characters. You just don't seem to care who lives or dies, and that hurts the movie. Overall, an entertaining movie that is worth watching, if for no other reason then morbid curiosity. I give it a B-.

Would I watch again? - I don't think so.

*Also try - Death Race 1 & 2

THE EXPENDABLES is a touted as a "man's man" film, drenched in sweat, gunpowder and blood. But lets be honest; it really is the equivalent of a live action Saturday morning cartoon. It had pumped-up action stars, cgi blood and explosions, and expended more rounds than an Irish pub on St. Paddy's Day, but somehow the whole thing felt empty. 13, and the foreign language original, is truly a man's film. The cast is comprised by believable tough guys (two of them were in THE EXPENDABLES) who can bring a sense of realism to the screen. What it lacks in cgi firepower it certainly makes up for with tight scripting, superb acting and directing. Please check this "under the radar" film out if you are in the mood for testosterone and intelligence combined.