sol- Nearly impossible to discuss without heavy spoilers, this unusual thriller from France involves a young workman who steals his suicidal employer's invite to a secret organisation, knowing only that by attending an opportunity exists for him to get rich quick. As it turns out, the young man has inadvertently signed up to a Russian Roulette game of sorts in which the bored and wealthy place wagers on which participants (from a group of thirteen) will survive with a payout to both the last man standing and anyone betting on him. It is a fascinating idea with all the participants being very willful despite knowing that their survival is a matter of luck (are they that desperate for money or that suicidal?) as well as all the betters conversing about the game as if there is some sort of skill involved in predicting a winner. Thought-provoking as all this is, more than half an hour of the movie elapses before the protagonist finds out about the Russian Roulette game and it is near the halfway point before they start playing. The film also goes on for at least twenty minutes after the game is over, which is a little too long given that all intensity dissipates once the game is through. That said, the middle section of '13 Tzameti' is utterly captivating with nail-biting tension in the air and those scenes alone render the film worth checking out at least once. It is also worth noting how the choice to shoot the film in black and white really captures the starkness of the situation and turns the picturesque outskirts cottage where the game takes place into an eerie location.

mvpharmcon This is a love story, a dark and morose love story. Its about the lengths that one brother will go to in order to deliver the other from a life of drudgery and uncertainty. A small deviation from honesty is answered with an introduction into a world of pain and suffering for the principal character. Blood sport is a realm of the lowest common denominator, for those whose lives have left them bereft of common decency. So they gamble on the misfortune of others in as intimate a manner as possible. I knew what was coming as the story evolved, yet it disappointed and saddened me nonetheless when the curtain closed. The tension that mounts in the movie is extreme. If you like a straight forward game of chance, you'll like this movie. Dark in the classic film noir style.

Eternality This is surprisingly, and unexpectedly a bore. This French thriller not only packs no punch, it has almost negligible suspense, except for a couple of scenes which are just mildly suspenseful. Less than ninety minutes, 13 Tzameti may be one of the slowest ninety I've ever spent my life on. The film takes way too long to get viewers into the mood, in fact it becomes alive only after passing the halfway mark.While the 'Russian Roulette' theme is significantly disturbing, the violence is not as shocking as I thought it would be. It's intelligently shot in black-and-white (a rare sight these days), but I wonder how much better the film would have fared from a cleverer, and unpredictable script. The cast shows little chemistry, and most of them are sleeping pills personified. But they are not to be blamed, the badly-written screenplay offers no room for the actors to work their talents. In a nutshell, 13 Tzameti is a thriller that neither thrills, nor provides even an averagely satisfying motion picture experience.GRADE: C- (5.5/10 or 2.5 stars)www.filmnomenon.blogspot.com]All rights reserved.

Brian Harris (wildsidecinema) 13 Tzameti is brilliant; the cinematography was exceptional and the characters were all well written and engaging. I cannot recommend this film enough.Those of you interested in checking it out should be sure to hit the special features for an absolutely hilarious little short film entitled Sunday's Game. It was a witty little gore-fest featuring a group of adorable little old ladies gossiping, sipping tea and playing an ultra bloody game of Russian Roulette! Brains and doilies never looked so good! If you're thirsting for something new and different and you're able to watch black and white films with subtitling than look no further than 13 Tzameti. I know many people out there don't do B&W nor are they fond of subtitles but I highly recommend giving this film a shot. I don't think you'll disappointed with this fantastic bit of French / Russian cinema.