Gerard Butler is again with Massive Nick Power in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera. This sequel to the 2018 movie Den of Thieves as soon as once more stars Butler as Nick O’Brien, a sheriff who tracks down mastermind thief Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.). Final time, we noticed Donnie’s crew rob the Federal Reserve; this time, they’re robbing the world’s largest diamond change. Whereas the primary film borrows a bit an excessive amount of from Michael Mann’s Warmth, author/director Christian Gudegast goals to make an authentic sequel with this movie. Right here, it falls flat, by no means reaching the suitable peak of the unique.
The primary act of Den of Thieves 2 is a harbinger of doom. None of it’s significantly attention-grabbing; there’s a shocking lack of stress and drama in a film that ought to be crammed with it. Heist movies have a selected system; a gaggle of individuals, every with their explicit set of abilities, group as much as steal one thing unimaginable to steal. Each Den of Thieves movies take themselves a bit too significantly to go down the usual system. The difficulty is that the film doesn’t have a whole lot of leisure worth, giving only a few thrills or pleasure.
Gudegast dedicates the primary act to organising the place our characters are after the tip of the primary movie. Massive Nick goes by means of a tough time, however none of his scenes are as compelling because the moments within the first movie together with his spouse and daughter. We all know what informs his determination to group up with Donnie, however we don’t really feel sufficient sympathy for him, significantly as a result of he isn’t purported to be probably the most sympathetic character. The exposition is uninteresting, and it’s a humorless film that falls flat even when it’s trying to present the dialogue some character.
The film stays fairly boring till it places Massive Nick and Donnie nose to nose. That is the place the movie picks up a bit as a result of there’s an interesting thought right here: placing the “good man” and “dangerous man” of the primary film collectively and forcing them to group up. That’s attention-grabbing, because it places Massive Mike in a state of affairs that you wouldn’t anticipate. It takes virtually an hour for a scene to really feel full of life, and it’s a sequence the place Massive Nick and Donny get to bond with the assistance of some substances.
Nevertheless, the story doesn’t go attention-grabbing quick sufficient. Whereas we do get to be taught a bit extra about each characters and their backstory in a scene that works fairly properly, we don’t actually see their backstory go wherever. The screenplay offers them baggage for the sake of reminding us that they’re human, however as soon as the heist begins, it doesn’t do something with this data. The story stalls whereas the movie develops the characters, as a substitute of growing them each on the identical time. Maybe that is a part of what results in the movie’s sluggish runtime of two hours and 20 minutes. Very similar to the primary film, Den of Thieves 2 is overlong.
One of the essential qualities of a superb heist is the stakes. This movie has surprisingly little of them. We don’t actually know what they should lose from this. The heist has just a few intense moments, however nothing memorable sufficient to depart an influence. The third act is definitely the strongest a part of the movie. However not like the primary Den of Thieves, the place as soon as the heist began, the thrills by no means stopped, this film is extra inconsistent. There are thrilling moments, however there are additionally moments the place the tempo slowed.
The supporting characters are additionally fairly boring. We’ve got one scene the place we be taught their music style, however they’re fairly forgettable. The antagonists are additionally uninteresting. No a part of this film stands out above different heist motion pictures that you simply’ve seen. It appears like probably the most generic model of what you’ve seen earlier than in lots of different heist movies. Whereas just a few moments rack up the thrills, it’s at all times fleeting. Even the ultimate act, which culminates in a automobile chase shootout, has enjoyable moments, but in addition has directorial missteps. For instance, there’s a cool stunt that appears prefer it might have been sensible the place a automobile flies off the freeway into the ocean. Nevertheless it’s framed in an excessive vast shot, so distant from the viewers that we don’t really feel the depth.
Moreover, as soon as Massive Nick and Donnie grow to be buddies, the heist by no means pushes their dynamic far sufficient. We must always really feel stress of their relationship, not figuring out if they may betray one another, believing them after they should belief one another, and feeling for his or her dynamic. However as soon as the heist begins, they barely work together. They’re co-workers, not for higher or worse. Gudegast is a reliable filmmaker, however he doesn’t appear to understand growing story and character on the identical time. As soon as one is in movement, the opposite should come to an entire halt. Whereas the ending goals for emotion, very like the remainder of the movie, it runs too lengthy, wrapping up a disappointing heist movie.
SCORE: 4/10
As sondramedia’s evaluate coverage explains, a rating of 4 equates to “Poor.” The negatives outweigh the optimistic points making it a battle to get by means of.
Disclosure: sondramedia attended a press screening for our Den of Thieves 2: Pantera evaluate.
