XIII (2008)

America's first female president is shot during Memorial Day when she announces that she will bring back the troops from the Middle East. The shooter is about to leave the scene of the crime. Val is sitting in a car and communicates with someone that the shooter is about to leave. As soon as the killer exits an elevator two security guards shoot at him, but he kills them. Then Val confronts the killer himself but he manages to escape.Then a military higher up, General Carrington, meets some little black girl and they talk about some failed mission, bodies, and someone who escaped.Now we meet a hunter who discovers a guy hanging from a parachute and bleeding. He takes him to his home where his wife takes care of him. The guy has a tattoo on his upper chest "XIII". He has some flashbacks but also amnesia. He knows nothing previous to waking up at the hunter's home. But they also discover he's got great military/self-defense skills and has some muscle memory of accessing some sites with a memory card he had in his watch.The NSA run by the awesome Colonel Amos in the meantime is trying to find the killer and eventually make public the picture of XIII.But Val and some military unit show up and shoot up everyone at the hunter's place. XIII escapes but is eventually grabbed by the NSA. He's tortured, uh...interrogated, but since he's got amnesia he has nothing to say. He manages to escape. And always Val after him who grabs him at some point only to lose him again. Eventually the little black girl and Carrington contact XIII and tell him what is going on.XIII of course is on a mission to discover his past. He's got pictures of a woman. But Carrington lets him know that he has a task to complete. He's not really the killer but his job is to draw out a conspiracy deep within the government. XIII agrees to continue. And sure enough, since the election is coming up there are powerful interests trying to obtain a certain result. After the president was killed, several terrorist attacks have taken place on US soil and XIII discovers a major nuclear attack planned on election day. Terrorism is as usual used by hawks to try to direct foreign and domestic policy. And the surprises continue till the very end.XIII has a fantastic rich and complicated story involving political intrigue, conspiracies, red flag operations, terrorism, etc. It has some good action scenes as XIII is almost invincible. I wouldn't expect too much realism in the action scenes, or some of the political details but that's fine. It has a good cast in part: Dorff, Kilmer, Bryk (a revelation and star-making performance), McHattie, Bourgeois. But there are casting problems as well: Higgins is weak in a key role, Murino is gorgeous but her accent is rather thick. Davis is completely miscast. Editing could have been better to make the story a bit smoother. Things are unnecessarily unclear at first, with short nonsensical flashbacks. Direction too isn't as good as this story deserves. Still, in the absence of 24 or something like it, XIII is a thrilling movie/mini-series.

Perhaps it's our inability to lay to rest the theories concerning our country's Presidential assassinations. Perhaps it's our growing fascination with government plots, which explain why we have so many conspiracies films. Whatever the reason, here is yet another movie which deals with the killing of the U.S. President. In this story which apparently played on T.V. first, we are witness to the assignation of a U.S. president. Ross Tanner (Stephen Dorff) the alleged assassin, escapes, but is badly wounded in the process. Thereafter, he is pursued by the F.B.I, secret service, military officials and nearly anyone who can carry a gun. Unable to remember his identify, Ross stays one step ahead of everyone. In the meanwhile, the audience is subjected to a Cat and Mouse game, but is not privy to know which cat or Mouse is his friend or foe. The entire film is one dark dangerous, action filled ride with Tanner in the cross hairs all the time. A treat for movie fans as we discover that good guy Val Kilmer plays the heavy and is so menacing we believe the hero is over matched. With Stephen McHattie, Lucinda Davis, Jonathan Higgins and Jessalyn Gilsig, playing government officials, it's mind-boggling trying to keep the two sides separated. As a result, this movie will provide audiences with enough excitement, action and black mystery, to rattle the brain. A good film which may yet earn top honors as a terrific Conspiracy movie. ****

Due the international publication on film forums I found the XIII conspiracy movie. I didn't know about the books, but did like the trailer. After watching the first part, I immediately get the second part to watch. Its a very good show, in the way it goes upon the nature of people. Getting power, fear and democracy in one hand. It is (again) a one hero movie. But i didn't find it annoying. In some of the named shows in other comments. I think it is not only feeling with our hero within the movie, but also with the American people.The fights were there, but not overwhelming the movie. It was about the conspiracy and not about the hero. Of course the movie is set in a total American surrounding of patriotism and believe in the good of the American administration. While the movie is just about not believing the men in power.

Good movie worth watching for entertainment. I liked Shooter, so this is a excellent concept. I has lots of suspense, excellent combat moves, and the plot is interesting. I love these type of movies. I am watching it now as I post this comment. Micheal and Val I have always been a fan on their work. The Val character is similar to the role be played in "Spartan". Steve shows the perfect style of a efficient killer with a heart of gold. I think this movie was made with the concept the Hillary would have won the election. I believe the same thing happen with "24" using a female in the "Oval Office" Oh well who knew. Anyway, so far I have been totally entertained. Look forward to more drama and high adventure.