The success of director Gela Babluani’s “13” (2010) lies in its unpretentious approach to the action thriller genre. The film promises to be bizarre and engaging from the very beginning. I don’t think the phrase ‘a man would bet on anything’ has been used more literally than in “13.” Seeing Sam Riley, Jason Statham, Mickey Rourke, and Alexander Skarsgard sharing the screen together is a great feeling for an audience. Like many good films, in “13,” there are some high points and some low points, but the way the film’s climax works out is perhaps one of the reasons why this film will remain as one of the finest thrillers of all time.
Spoilers Ahead,
13 (2010) Plot Summary and Movie Synopsis:
The film begins with Vince Ferro desperate for money as his father needs multiple operations. He looks for a way to ensure more money for his family. But being an electrician does not help him that much. But luckily, on one such occasion, he visits a house for some wiring and overhears the man of the house, Harrison, talking about an opportunity to earn a lot of money. Vince is not a bad guy. In fact, he is very honest with his intentions and cares deeply for his family. But, when it comes to providing for the family, his intentions somehow get mixed with his emotions.
There is a larger game at play as we see the man’s house being observed closely by law enforcement. However, Vince does not know anything about this, and he is not a threat to the police either. They know every detail about who comes into the house, how long they stay, and when they leave. On the other hand, we see Jasper borrowing a lot of money from someone and promising to return 3 million dollars in total. As the story progresses, we see something big take place as every character is pushed into a more intense scenario.
How does Vince end up as Player Number 13?
Soon, Vince finds out that Harrison has OD’d himself to death. After the interrogations are done, Vince, on his way out of the house, visits one of the rooms to find out if there is any cash. Since Harrison has already talked about a lot of money, Vince thinks he can take the opportunity to steal some. Instead, he finds out and steals an envelope with some instructions. He then prepares himself to meet with the people who have given the instructions to Harrison. The only problem is he is not Harrison. He does not know what will happen if they find out because all he cares about now is looking forward to the opportunity to make money.
After a while, he meets with Jack, who shows him a wooden card that says 13. Vince already had that same card. So Jack picks him up from the location. Until now, Detective Larry Mullane is able to follow Vince as he wants to track down where he goes. But, right after Jack picks him up, they lose his trail. Later, when the people find out that Harrison is dead, they offer Vince to play his part in a very secluded event. In other words, since Harrison is dead, Vince will be their player number 13 for a game of death. Vince did not have any idea that he should be participating in Russian roulette games that might cost his life.
What are the Rules of the Game?
In each round, participants spin the cylinder of their revolver and shoot when a special light bulb turns on. So, in the first round, the cylinder will have one bullet. In the second round two, bullets, and in the third round, there will be three bullets. Now, after that, there will take place a duel, and for that, if there are more than two participants, the patrons will have to choose between multiple balls. Only the patrons with black balls will participate in the duel. The rest of the patrons can place their bets on the players.
The event is for rich spectators’ amusement, including Jasper Bagges, who bets on his brother Ronald. He had been brought from a mental institution. Jasper talks his brother into making more money. However, Jasper has no intention of splitting it to Ronald’s benefit. Another participant, Patrick Jefferson, is brought from prison by his patron. Jefferson pleads with Jimmy for help, but Jimmy explains to him why he is unable to do anything.
He also tells Jefferson that his best chance of getting out is to continue playing the game and survive it until the end. Jefferson then offers Jimmy a deal. He tells him that he has a lot of money hidden somewhere. He even draws a map on paper and then keeps it inside his pocket. If he dies, he wants Jimmy to give half of the hidden loot to his son, and the rest he can keep to himself.
What events lead to the Face-off between Ronald and Vince?
In the first round, each participant gets one bullet in their gun. They form a circle, aiming their guns at the person in front of them. Vince wants to quit, but there’s no way his request will be listened to. As player number 13, he survives the first round. In the second round, with two bullets in each gun, Vince survives because the man behind him is shot by Ronald first. Now, in the third round, with three bullets in each gun, Vince and four other participants survive their fate.
In the final round, Vince is one of two survivors chosen for a duel. The other three get a lot of money because they have played their part. Meanwhile, Jimmy tries to strangle Jefferson to steal the loot map, but another person stops him, saying they can’t hurt the survivors. Jefferson shows Jimmy a blank paper, pretending it’s the map, and mocks him. As Jimmy leaves, Jefferson takes his stuff and burns the paper, which is actually the real map, so no one else can find the loot, and tricks Jimmy into not chasing him.
13 (2010) Movie Ending Explained:
How Does Vince Fool Detective Larry Mullane?
Vince wins the duel as his long run of good luck does not stop until the very end, and he gets $1,850,000 in cash. His opponent, Ronald, has won his last three duels, killing the respective men in the circles. Yet his luck finally comes to an end with a bullet released from Vince’s gun. Vince takes his winnings and sneaks away from the mansion, reaching a train station. Detective Mullane is informed about Vince, and police arrive outside the train station.
When Vince sees police coming for him, he hides his winnings in a trash can. When Detective Mullane asks him about the game and everything, he simply says that upon his arrival, they tried to kill him, knowing that he is not Harrison. So, he somehow escaped from the forest while everyone was shooting at him. When asked about whether he will be able to identify the location in the jungle; Vince calmly replies that he was blindfolded the whole time. Mullane does not have anything on him, so he sets him free.
Why does Jespar Kill Vince Ferro?
After being questioned by the police, Vince returns to find his money. He sees the bag has been changed recently, so he tears up all the trash bags he finds. Finally, he gets the money back and sends it to his family right away using registered mail. He calls at home, saying to his mother that there will be a package arriving the next day. He wants his mother to make sure someone stays in the house to receive the package. His mother does not have a clue whatsoever about what is going on, but Vince asks her not to worry about anything.
However, on his way home, Vince is seen by Jasper, and then he confronts him inside the train. Jasper has a lot going through his mind since he lost all the money along with his elder brother, Ronald. So, when the train arrives at a station, Jespar shoots Vince three times and runs away with the bag, not knowing it only has the toy that Vince bought from a store for his sister. Before dying, Vince takes out the package receipt and swallows it so neither the authorities nor Jasper can trace the money. Vince, even at the brink of his death, remains calm and secures the safety of his family, while Jespar runs away through a canal, holding an empty bag.
