The cover for the screener of '
13 Tzameti' is black and white except for some splashes of red, obviously evoking splattered blood. The review quoted there uses the quite visceral word "gruesome." I found myself looking at this seriously wondering,
Do I really want to watch this film? If you find yourself asking the same question, the correct answer is "yes," by the way.
The setup is simple, yet mysterious. A young man (Georges Babluani) is taking roofing jobs to help earn his family some much-needed money. He happens to overhear the old man who hired him talk about not having enough money to pay, but he also hears talk of an opportunity for huge earnings that may arrive at any time. Sure enough, an envelope shows up with a hotel receipt and a train ticket. When the old man commits suicide, circumstances put the ticket in the hands of the young man, and he decides to see what this mysterious opportunity is all about.
For the sake of best enjoying this film, I would think it unfair to elaborate much more on the events that follow, though you might find details elsewhere. Suffice it to say that the circumstances this young man finds himself involved in are appropriately dangerous and outrageous, yet they are rendered here with such precision as to be completely engrossing. The strange competition our hero is compelled to participate in is made startlingly realistic through an abundance of small, relatable details. The emotions of everyone involved - pride, greed and fear - are portrayed so vividly that we can't help but be drawn in.
This pleasant surprise of a thriller is the work of French director Gela Babluani. Instead of the kinetic style so common today, Babluani uses classic, uncomplicated compositions with steady, fluid camera movements. All of this is filmed in sumptuous black and white, by the way. The persistent mystery and slowly building suspense in the early part of the film recall the works of Alfred Hitchcock. The middle, however, is a wholly unique experience, executed with a perfect sense of building tension.
In the end, however, the film becomes a victim of its own strengths. The opening is suspenseful and leisurely. The middle portion is suspenseful and intense. The final portion of the film is again leisurely, but can't quite hold us with suspense after such a draining middle portion. Despite the flawed ending, '13 Tzameti' is quite intriguing, and much more thrilling than most films that purport to be thrillers.
The word "tzameti," as far as I can figure, is for the number 13, which would make the title technically '13 13.' One might also note that the director is planning an English language remake in color. Only time will tell if this turns out to be a bad idea or not.