Den of Thieves
I wanted to catch this when it first came out but somehow missed it. I dug the trailer. It didn’t look like a perfect cop v robber heist film but looked like a decent time at the movies. I also heard a lot of people early on say that the film was too similar to Heat. I don’t see the problem with that. Heat is amazing, and as long as its not the exact same thing I didn’t mind something paying tribute to that film. I also didn’t notice too much between the two films. Overall, I had a good time with this film despite it getting a bit messy in the third act.
The film follows a group of criminals and the detectives that try to bring down their ploy to rob a commercial bank. The lead detective (Gerard Butler) is rough around the edges, and is not always a straight razor but makes it his mission to infiltrate the plans of the robbers by tapping up one of their members. Things get messy as suspicion arises within the gang of robbers.
I thought the film had a good cast. I’m not a fan of a lot of what Gerard Butler does these days but I really liked the inclusion. Pablo Schreiber and O’Shea Jackson Jr. especially put on a good show. I liked the entire heist sequence. It feels familiar at times yet there are a few twists,turns, and passages that occur to keep it layered. However, it does get clunky as the film moves around through different events occurring between different characters. There is a bit of a twist that comes which I didn’t see coming which is always nice.
Den of Thieves goes against the grain of typical Janaury Hollywood films. Its good and actually makes for an entertainment popcorn film. The film could have been shorter, yes, and the execution isn’t always perfect but its a film to turn off your mind and watch. I don’t quite know how I feel about a sequel to these films but I would entertain the idea if it follows the suit of the first film. If you have time and want to watch a real solid heist thriller, here is your pick.
7.5/10
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