The heist genre has seen a number of films released over the past few years, most notably THE ITALIAN JOB. But there have been a number of others to follow including the recently released TAKERS.
The film revolves around a group of professional thieves who are just finishing up from their latest job, a bank job where they scored big and no one got hurt. These guys try to make sure no one gets hurt and that the plans are well thought out and executed. In return for their heists going well, they aren’t charged with murder and the money they take makes them wealthy men.
As this story unfolds another one opens with the release from prison of Dalonte Rivers (T.I.) aka Ghost. Ghost just finished doing time after being caught in a previous job by this same group. In return for his silence they’ve held onto his share and kept an opening for him. Returned to collect on that debt, he comes to them with a new job.
The group is hesitant to do so having just completed one, but the sure thing information he provides them makes them consider it. The biggest problem is that they have just five days to prepare. And five days not only gives you little time to be ready, but no chance at all to make sure that everything will run as smooth as it has in the past.
While the thieves are preparing their new target police officer Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) is searching for them. Assigned the case, he and his partner are following every clue possible. At the same time Jack is dodging an Internal Affairs officer, fearing he will be reprimanded for accusations of excessive violence while apprehending a criminal. His focus is the bank job and he won’t be deterred in his pursuit of the crew.
The paths of these two sides of the story eventually collide and a chance encounter leads Jack to follow the crew’s leader Gordon Cozier (Idris Elba). In following him he’s led to the rest of the gang and surveillance places them almost in line to capture them before the next heist. But a smart escape leaves them free to complete their task: the robbery of an armored car loaded with cash.
The interplay between characters works well in this film, especially since it involves more than one piece of action. Ghost wants back in to a crew that has changed since he last worked with them, including one of the members now dating his old girlfriend. The crew wants to score big but at the same time is hesitant to trust Ghost, even more so since this job appears out of nowhere and Ghost seems to be rushing into a job immediately upon release.
And then there’s the story of the dogged policeman in Dillon’s character who wants to do nothing more than put bad guys in jail but is hampered by the technicalities that, in his mind, hold him back. But there’s more to that story as well.
All of these elements combine to make an exciting film filled with more story than most, enough action to keep fans sitting on the edge of their seat and plot twists that keep you guessing until the credits roll. Some may figure it out before then, but even if you do you’ll stay focused on the film as the story unfolds.
I’ll admit I had seen the trailer for this film so many times that I had no interest in viewing it. But I thought I’d at least give it a chance. I’m glad I did as I came across a solid action film that kept me watching from beginning to end never once checking to see how much time was left. If you want exciting action filled entertainment, you’d be hard pressed to find another movie to compare to this one this week.
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