13 Tzameti

The film begins with a roofer working at a home of a man who seems to be a hard-core drug addict living out his final days. Several times during the first 1/3 of the film the guy looks like death warmed over and eventually he does die from an overdose. Just before he dies, a letter arrives that somehow means the potential for BIG money--but exactly what it is and how he was to have earned it is unclear. The roofer, on a lark, steals the letter. Later, it turns out there are instructions for where to go as well as a train ticket--but what this big money-making opportunity is is never clear--though you can safely assume it will be dangerous and illegal. After all, why else would anyone offer a dying addict this opportunity?! I really don't want to say more, but this film is amazingly intelligent in its writing but will most likely turn the stomachs or cause very negative reactions in many viewers. Be advised that you may want to bow out midway through the film--that's okay. Too bad the roofer couldn't.

As Ricky Ricardo was fond of saying to Lucy "You got some 'splaining to do" when it comes to my summary. How could the movie earn an 8 and yet be a film I hated watching?! On the surface, this doesn't make any sense. Well here's why--I don't particularly like violent movies and this is one of the most violent and upsetting films I have seen in a long, long time. Now the violence isn't like a John Woo or Sylvester Stallone film--where you have tons of explosions and gunfire. Instead, it's very up close and very personal--and frankly this made it very disturbing. By comparison, it was much more disturbing and difficult to watch than SWEENEY TODD. Exactly how and why it was so disturbing I really don't want to say, as it really would hinder the suspense--just take my word for it that this is NOT a film for kids or even teens to watch and most adults would also flinch at the extreme violence. Now this isn't to say it was gratuitous--the film makers used black and white film and really underplayed the blood but it still made be turn my head from time to time--but the violence was still THAT intense.

How can one define a troublesome film like 13 Tzameti ? Can it be called an existential revelation of our modern times or is it simply a quick paced high intensity thriller ? Whatever one says,it is sure that 13 Tzameti is a rare film which makes sure that fiction comes close to reality.There is a reason for that as its director Gela Babluani learned the art of cinema from his father Temur Babluani whose film "The son of the wakeful" bagged silver bear prize for an outstanding artistic contribution at the 1993 Berlin International Film Festival.Both of them come from Georgia,a land which has given birth to such prolific film directors as Tengiz Abuladze,Temur Babluani,Goderdzi Chokheli,Georgi Daneliya,Nana Djordjadze,Lana Gogoberidze,Otar Iosseliani,Mikhail Kalatozov and Marlen Khutsiev.13 Tzameti is not for the weak hearted people as there is an excessive usage of guns in it.It is normal for us to associate guns for mutual destruction but this film shows us that they are also used to conduct wild games which can prove out to be fatal.There is a degree of authenticity as the events depicted might be taking place in an undisclosed location of an unknown country.13 Tzameti succeeds on a social level too as its success has ensured that the stigma attached to number 13 needs to be erased from people's minds.

Good but somewhat disappointing with very very little storyline. Basically, from the teaser trailer which just showed a scene from the part in the movie where they play the "game", I could make up this entire film. Besides the main concept, there is nothing new or original in the movie which was disappointing. We don't get to know any of the characters, and the game gets repetitive when they add nothing new to change it up. They also throw in a storyline with the police to try to put some meat on the storyline but it doesn't do much. On the flipside, this movie is quite well-filmed and despite its severe (and I really mean that) lack of tension, it still remained somewhat intriguing all the way through, with a very bleak atmosphere enhanced by the stark black and white look of the film. The first part up to the game worked well and would've worked even better had I known nothing about this movie. Essentially, I think this could've been one of the best 15-20 minute short films I'd ever seen. Instead, it is a diluted/flawed but passable feature film.

A very impressive debut film by a young french filmmaker. What starts out initially as a seemingly simple tale soon turns into a twisted thriller. The amount of tension this film builds is incredible. You'll be hooked. The black and white filming fits perfectly. I gives the film a different edge that I don't think would have been the same had it been filmed in color.

On a side note, I thought the lead actor, besides having an uncanny resemblance to James Franco, did a solid job. His emotions came across as very believable, and not forced.

This film is highly recommended. Be sure to avoid spoilers.

There is little one can say about the story without giving away its core absurdity. The first half is a mystery. In the second we are thrown into a violent hell. (For the sensitive: the gore is minimal and mostly off camera.) The film reintroduces us to the fact that the repetitiveness of violence deadens our revulsion to it. Here it applies to the main character in the film and to us as audience. It is disturbing how quickly we get used to each eruption of violence and come to see it as a game. This habituation is what soldiers in war, butchers, and grandma slicing the chicken's neck to get it ready for dinner go through. Death as means to an end. Ultimately an allegory of the predatory nature of power and money.

Filmed in B/W. Blood is dark gray which helps tame our revulsion. The director's brother plays the main role. He does a competent job. Filmed in wide format. Superb editing maintains the tension from beginning to end. As I understand it, "Tzameti" means thirteen. See the film to understand why the film is so named.