Viewed in
2010
Formats
DVD
Premise
A movie (loosely) based on the famous Baker Street robbery, used as a government blackmail cover-up.
Liked
The twists in the story.
Disliked
Too many characters.
Thoughts
A film with a much more entertaining second act.
What I really liked about it was the cool plot twists after the bank heist. It became a slick cat-and-mouse affair with multiple pursuers in a giant spiderweb of consequences. Instead of a brainless shootout, I enjoyed observing the characters outsmarting each other to survive the fallout. Those expecting a Jason Statham action flick might be disappointed by that.
Speaking of Statham, he was rock solid in the lead, with his gruff, kick-butt presence while being more brains than brawn. The rest of the cast were mostly unfamiliar British actors, but they were likable and solid as well. Shame on me for missing the Mick Jagger cameo.
When you think Statham and English heist movies, you think Guy Ritchie flicks. Here, you could see director Roger Donaldson doing his best to restrain from emulating that frenetic, kinetic style. There were some slick cinematography to give it a cool vibe, but he managed to keep them from distracting the moment. Donaldson's vision of the 1970's was pretty fun, especially in terms of fashion, music, and bountiful bare breasts.
My biggest issue was that the film makers put too many minor characters into the story. It was a pain to keep track of all these people. There was probably way too many coincidences in the plot to make it believable, but it sure made it entertaining as hell when all the dominoes began to topple.
This film was enjoyable thanks to the battle of wits between charming characters in the second half. We will not know until 2054 whether a government coverup was actually part of the robbery, but in terms of making an entertaining film, I would like to believe it was true.
What I would change
Nothing.
