French film District 13 lacks style

District 13

Director: Pierre Morel

Cast: Cyril Raffaelli, David Belle, Bibi Naceri, Tony D'Amario

Cert: 15

Not the place you'd want to settle down in: a futuristic Paris ghetto, walled off by the authorities and left in the hands of local hoods.

Into this hell-hole goes undercover cop (Rafaelli) and former drug dealer (Belle) in search of a neutron bomb in the hands of crime lord Naceri.

We have become used to TV reportage of run-down Paris sink estates - a brief nod here in the direction of lax politicos - so we get in this action-packed film plenty of fights, chases and races against time.

Be warned, though: while there are plenty of stunts they get more and more unrealistic as the story unfolds.

It's a so-so film in many ways, lacking that certain style and substance we expect from a French film.

Star Rating: 3/5