Written & Directed by Christian Gudegast
The key to movies like Den of Thieves is doing at least one thing really well. What the original film in the series did really well was a few things actually. Not only did it feature a good central heist, but it also built out these fascinating and one of a kind characters, led by Gerard Butler’s complete mess of an LA County Sherriff “Big Nick”. Yes, there are plenty of dumb action movie tropes, but given the strength of the action and the foundation set by the cast/characters, the dumbness of the film can be forgiven rather easily, just go on the ride and enjoy the thrills along the way. When a sequel was announced, it felt a bit like a surprise, but why should it? If writer/director Christian Gudegast wants to put one of these out every 5 years with a new, exciting premise, then I’m here for it. Not every one has to be a masterwork.
After Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) got away to Europe with $30 million after the Federal Reserve heist in the first film, LA County Sherriff “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) is still on the hunt for him. Settling in Nice, France, Donnie has started to assemble a new team (Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Orli Shuka, Dino Kelly) for a heist of the World Diamond Center, one of the world’s most tightly secured locations, chock full of millions of dollars worth of diamonds. “Big Nick” finds Donnie, but instead of bringing him in, he proposes a new arrangement where he joins his team and takes a cut of the multi-million dollar heist, taking a walk on the criminal side. The team devices a fail proof plan, but are they able to execute and once again get away with the money?
Turning the dynamic on its head by having Nick and Donnie team up in this installment is pretty ingenious. The problem with many sequels and franchise movies is they often “run it back” with a slightly tweaked plot, but mostly playing the hits. Instead, this film reads more like Ocean’s 12, which may be a controversial take (I know many people don’t like the sequel, but it’s my favorite in the franchise), but it takes the crew to Europe with beautiful and exotic locations while upping the stakes of the heist. And what a heist it is. As a movie about a heist, it’s so important that the heist is good, and it’s not just good in Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, it’s great! Gudegast creates a scenario that is tense and beautiful, and executes on every beat. It’s masterfully crafted, making for an extended sequence with no downtime, no slack, all gas.
I also really enjoyed the supporting cast here, full of international actors who the everyday viewer will likely not recognize. Honestly, this is the best approach for a few reasons: it clears out and lets Butler and Jackson Jr. be the true stars of the film; it also allows the viewer to discover the great supporting cast, who are all very good here and stick to their roles without over or underplaying it. That being said, the proverbial twist works until it doesn’t. It was pretty well telegraphed, to the point that I would hesitate to even call it a twist, which is disappointing. I was watching the whole way, trying to figure out how I was being fooled, only to find out I wasn’t. The straightforwardness of the twist is a let down, as it’s a heist movie staple, but the other elements are executed at such a high level, it ultimately does not sink the movie.
Den of Thieves is now officially a franchise, which is a double edged sword. Hollywood so often beats a dead horse wherever there is money to be made, whether it’s the correct “artistic” choice or not. Den of Thieves was such a strong action movie entry that it earning a sequel was welcomed, but I am also a little hesitant to want this to turn into the new Fast and Furious franchise, we we’ve seen that franchise be effectively run into the ground at this point. But it has also been seven years between installments here. If Christian Gudegast gets the chance to really develop this, I have faith, but if it turns into a movie every other year moneymaker, then it’s doomed to fail eventually. Who am I kidding, I would show up to every installment of this franchise at this point. They’re too fun. Just keep the stakes (and budget) relatively low please, that’s the key to success.
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