The Hollywood insistence that American audiences can’t handle foreign films unless they’re remade with American stars should insult you, at least slightly. Sometimes that filmmaking mindset delivers some great adaptations like Let Me In, but more often than not the American public gets a washed out, sanitized version of the original that severely lacks in the atmosphere and gravity of the original. Take Tzameti 13 for example; a Georgian thriller that does a lot of things right and is entirely digestible by American audiences, but which has now been remade as 13 starring Mickey Rourke, Jason Statham, Alexander Skarsgard, Michael Shannon, Ray Winstone, and 50 Cent – just because they could. Was it necessary to remake it? Even if by the same director? The original, Tzameti 13, was a film festival darling and had a tremendous run in European box offices, but apparently Americans can’t get excited about a film unless it’s been watered down and packed with cameos of recognizable faces.
Shortly before the death of his employer, Vince (Riley), a struggling electrician whose family is badly in need of money, hears him talking about an incredibly lucrative venture that he “won” and how he’ll get another shot at it now that a second invitation for the opportunity has arrived. With no idea whatsoever of what he’s getting into, Vince steals the dead man’s invite, packed with the number 13 written on a piece of cardboard, and sets off to his destination. When he arrives, the potential employers are a bit annoyed to discover Vince has taken the man’s place, but their dismay is for reasons Vince can’t adequately comprehend. It turns out that this is no job, but a game of odds where men stand in a circle with six-shooters pointed at the head of the man in front of them. After loading the gun with a number of bullets that increases with each round, the men spin the chambers until the master of ceremonies tells them to stop, at which point they point their gun at the head in front of them and wait for the signal.
At first, Vince reacts like any normal human being would: revulsion, sickness, and crippling anxiety. With every round the chance that he may inadvertently kill another human being for sport increases, but so does his comfort level with his new sport. Meanwhile, his sponsors and the other contenders deal with the stress the competition brings. As the competition progresses, more bodies hit the floor and the rich onlookers shift their bets according to the will of lady luck. How long can Vince survive in a game which depends almost entirely upon chance? And even if he does, can he survive the greedy aristocrats and sponsors reeling from major losses?
The best elements of 13 Tzameti, what made it so great, have been scrubbed clean and replaced with an unnecessary Hollywood glaze. Where there used to be carefully balanced lengths of nail-biting tension and necessary relief, there is now lots of empty attempts at creating overwrought backstories for Vince’s competition in the roulette. Why this was done makes plenty of sense when you consider that all of the big names have been placed in supporting roles that would have half as much screen time without that pointless elaboration. It’s shameless, and it destroys the rhythm that proves to be crucial in taking the audience from the highs of the competition to the lulls in between. Where Director Gela Babluani built up the moments before the gunshots to an almost unbearable level of suspense in 13 Tzameti, in 13 he only gave us half of that skilled rise in excitement with the rest of the time devoted to telling the stories about characters who are entirely inconsequential in the long run. 13 needs that build up. Without it, the film feels inert. It just doesn’t grab you and grind your nerves with every second the triggers aren’t pulled.
Also, when Gela Babluani remade his movie for American audiences, he did away with a lot of the gritty settings and the barebones elements that made the situation feel so primitive and thrilling. In the original, the bare concrete walls and the lone lightbulb hanging from the ceiling to signal the start of each round created a minimalist sense made ironic by the pool of incredibly wealthy men who came together to create this highly fatal league. But for 13, Babluani changed the location to a lavish mansion with stained hardwood walls and floors and added a wholly unnecessary flourish to the signal light which now featured a spider decoration. Did that make it more interesting or sinister? No, it just looks like a Director at a loss for what’s important to his film’s aesthetic and what’s not.
Blu-ray Bonus Features
There are none.
"13" is on sale November 8, 2011 and is rated R. Thriller. Directed by Gela Babluani. Written by Géla Babluani, Greg Pruss. Starring Alexander Skarsgard, Curtis Jackson, David Zayas, Emmanuelle Chriqui, Jason Statham, Michael Shannon, Mickey Rourke, Ray Winstone, Sam Riley.
