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The remake of a foreign film is one of the biggest gripes of those who embrace cinema on the international stage. As one studio executive says while begging for his life against a film-driven terrorist in John Waters’Cecil B. Dementedwhen confronted about ruining a beautiful foreign film, “I had to! You know American audiences won’t watch subtitles!” This has long been a joke for many, with the majority of these projects not only falling short of the original but failing to capture nearly the same amount of interest.
Jason Staham’s name was attached to one such project when the 2005 French film13 Tzametiwas given a ‘punch-up’ with a modern cast and a big-budget polish in 2010’s13. To ensure success, director Géla Babluani returned to helm the remake.Unfortunately, the result was less than stellar, with the original now existing as a favored gem among a small vocal group and the remake largely lost to the annals of time.
‘13’ Attempted to Improve on ‘13 Tzameti’
Both films follow roughly the same plot, with some character name changes and more background information added. The rough premise of both13 Tzametiand13follows a man hard on his luck who discovers someone else he knows has gotten a very prosperous job. After the unexpected death of this person, the man — Sébastien in the original and Vince in the remake — takes on the job without knowing the details. However, when he arrives under the secrecy of an intimidating group,the man learns he has been entered into a Russian roulette tournamentwith others and must compete. If he lives, he takes home a large chunk of themoney made on bets. The movie gets its name from the number given to the protagonist.
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2010’s13broughta strong ensemble cast, including Sam Riley, Ray Winstone, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Alexander Skarsgård, Micheal Shannon, David Zayas, Mickey Rourke, and Jason Statham.Despite being front and center on the poster, Jason Statham plays a supporting roleas Jasper Bagges, one of the men betting on the event. Sam Reily plays the lead, Vince, and is the film’s primary focus. Riley had recently come off his most significant role at the time, playing tragic musician Ian Curtis in the semi-biographical flickControl. Comparatively,13 Tzametistarred George Babluani in his film debut as a man dragged into a deadly game of chance.
What Makes ‘13 Tzameti’ So Great
The most apparent difference between the original and the remake is that black and white was utilized in the 2005 film. Yet, this approach reveals itself to be integral to the other themes that make13 Tzametisuch a profound viewing experience.There is a bleakness to the 2005 French film that is hard to shake, with its minimalistic approach emphasizing the discomfort and terror of Sébastien as he bounces from a down-on-his-luck young man to a participant in an unthinkable tournament. It borders on horror, as the viewer is constantly cued into the man’s realistic fear as he enters the competition. While simple in execution, there is a lot of flair within, from the light framing a circle of nervous men as they pull the trigger on those in front of them to the dreary landscape reflecting the poverty surrounding Sébastien.
While both movies take a similar narrative course,there is a rawness to13 Tzametithat makes it stick with the viewer long after they watch it. The ending, which needs to be experienced, is utterly soul-crushing (it is cynical and depressing) yet oddly apt considering everything that came before it. George Babluani also gives a remarkable debut performance, surrounded by other actors who hone in on either the depravity or desperateness you would expect to find tucked away in the world of illegal gambling.13 Tzametiis one of those rare small indie films that taps into something so dark, presents it brilliantly, and shakes one to their core.
How ‘13’ Failed Despite Having the Same Director and Star Power
There is one downside not often talked about in cinema when it comes to ‘star power.’ While everyone has their favorite actors that they see in multiple films,sometimes a fresh face can make a story resonate more profoundly. As an actor grows, fans become familiar with them, have certain expectations, and associate them with other roles that they do. It is part of why some actors find themselves type-casted. The story of13 Tzametineeded that fresh face to explore its themes of isolation. Even though Sam Reilly was at the start of his career in 2010, bringing inicons like Jason Stathamand Mickey Rourke would take viewers out of the illusion that they were witnessing some dark, perverse corner of humanity tucked out of the light of the public.
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“You’ve got a knife? I’ve got a spoon.”
The expansion of the story to include the background of various characters competing and involved in the betting was also a mistake.Sebastian’s cold isolation, replaced with sensationalism around the lives of high rollers and daredevils, took away from the parts of the original that radiated with many. This turned a remarkable film,13 Tzameti, into just another movie trying to make its name on a cast,13. Even considering the attempt to give the more significant names prominent roles, the talents of those involved were underutilized.It seemed that director Géla Babluani did not know how to adapt his previous workto maintain the same profundity while drawing audiences to the box office; only making $3.7 million at the box office off its $20 million budget.
You can watch both films and decide for yourself, but if you are only going to pick one, watch 2005’s13 Tzameti.13 Tzametiis currently unavailable for streaming;13(2010) is streaming onTubi.
