High-energy action scenes are the draw in 'District B13'

The best thing about the trés French, action-packed "District B13" is its talented male leads. They muscle their way through a breezy 85 minutes, expertly leaping and running atop tall buildings when they're not fast-punching and karate-kicking "Road Warrior"-style thugs.

Magnolia Pictures 'District B13' B- The verdict: Two talented guys — and almost enough eyepopping martial arts and street acrobatics. Director: Pierre Morel Starring: David Belle, Cyril Raffaelli, Tony D'Amario, Dany Verissimo, Francois Chattot Run time: 85 minutes Release date: June 2, 2006 Rating: R for strong violence, some drug content and language. Langauge: In French with English subtitles. See showtimes On the web Official movie site View the trailer    Trailers require Quicktime Rate 'District B13'   Go see it   Make it a matinee   Wait to rent   Don't bother Voter Limit: Once per Hour View Poll Results

The worst thing about "B13"? It needs a lot more leaping, jumping, punching and kicking.

David Belle, co-founder of the exciting and dangerous building-leaping sport of parkour, and Cyril Raffaelli, a longtime stuntman and fight coordinator in films such as "The Transporter," are the reasons to see "B13."

As the film's rogue citizen, Belle is like a European Jackie Chan, racing across building tops, hurtling himself through tiny windows and openings, and falling multiple stories to land on his feet like a stealthy, soft-pawed cat.

Meanwhile, Raffaelli's determined cop fights with Einsteinian precision, rapidly punching bad guys and throwing deadly kicks with lightning force.

Made two years ago, their film is reminiscent of the setup of "Escape From New York." "B13" takes place in 2010 France, where a large, full-of-thugs portion of Paris known as District B13 has been walled off. Crime is rampant, with drugs, guns and gangs.

Belle's character is a B13 resident and do-gooder who fights baddies. He steals a cache of cocaine and destroys it, dumping the powder down his bathtub pipes with running water. The thugs come for him, naturally, so he's off and running, scampering down hallways, up the sides of walls and out over terraced rooftops.

Later, when a nuclear bomb goes missing and is expected to explode within 24 hours, officials connive to team him up with Raffaelli's testosterone-juiced cop. Their mission: Find the weapon and disarm it.

Co-written by Bibi Naceri and French überproducer Luc Besson, the story is as hackneyed and as full of holes as you might expect in such a standard-issue run-and-punch film.

The pace, though, is fast, and the action, when it occurs, is faster.

Like "Ong-Bak," the Thai fighting film released in the United States last year that flies only when its star, Tony Jaa, is let loose to do his acrobatic martial arts, "B13" is watchable and, sometimes, quite invigorating. But only when it's getting its adrenaline rush from its stampeding macho duo.