Den of Thieves 2: Pantera

-

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera
Starring Gerard Butler, O'Shea Jackson Jr., Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito
Directed by Christian Gudegast

The first "Den of Thieves" was a surprisingly modest hit, reminiscent of "Heat" about two factions - a gruff, hard-drinking leader of a police unit, and a smart, suave ex-military man who uses his skills to avoid the cops. The result was a decently made action thriller with Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. as the leads, and their chemistry was undeniable. Now, seven years later, the sequel has been released, and while some of that magic has dissipated, there's still enough fuel in the tank to deliver another decent action movie.

Nick O'Brien (Gerard Butler) is still upset about the robbery at the Federal Reserve led by Donnie Wilson (O'Shea Jackson Jr.) and vows to track him down, finding a lead in Europe after Donnie's crew steals a diamond from a drug lord. He tracks Donnie down in his home and offers a unique deal - he wants to work with Donnie on his next assignment, having given up the police force after losing his wife and pretty much everything else. Donnie is at first hesitant but brings Nick into his Panther crew as they plan their next heist - robbing the World Diamond Authority. The two men bond over the course of their planning, but come upon some hurdles as well including a vengeful drug lord and former associates that threaten their plans.

Much like the first "Den of Thieves," I had an issue with the elongated runtime. An action film shouldn't be over two hours long, and it seems nowadays many films are way too bloated for their own good. There's numerous moments in this movie that could've been left on the cutting room floor and nothing would've been taken away from it, leading to a few moments where the film seemed to drag moreso than the original, and this film focused more on the dynamics between Nick and Donnie rather than the action, which was fine, but again it could've been slimmed down by at least thirty minutes.

Still, Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. continue their chemistry like no time has passed, and seeing Nick and Donnie connect was really cool to see, especially one night when they go out drinking and bond more than before. Although at one point they were on opposite ends of the law, seeing them work together so easily was really refreshing to see, even if it's just a re-hash of "The Fast and the Furious" without the family aspect.

Once the heist actually occurs, the action is nonstop and, with the stellar direction of Christian Gudegast, done with minimal to no CGI effects. Instead, it's an intense car chase through the streets of France leading up winding mountainous roads, making for an explosive climax to a film that sometimes meanders its way getting there, but ultimately the payoff is worth it.

Although a bit long for what it needs to be, "Den of Thieves 2: Pantera" is heightened by the comradere between Gerard Butler and O'Shea Jackson Jr. and delivers its promise by providing a thrilling, exciting heist at the end.

The Score: B+

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Major Theatrical Releases May 2019

-
Image
Major Theatrical Releases May 2019 After the hype that is "Avengers: Endgame," May offers a massive collection of differing types of movies, enough to entertain everyone. Here are the major theatrical releases for May 2019. **THERE WILL BE NO SPOILERS** **DATES ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE**  The Intruder May 3 Dennis Quaid goes from starring the family-friendly "A Dog's Journey" to playing a total psycho in "The Intruder."  When a young couple purchases a home from Quaid's character Charlie, they didn't realize it came with an addition - Charlie himself, who can't seem to let his old home go.  I don't expect any twists or turns in this tale, and this looks like a film better fit for Lifetime than the big screen.  Long Shot May 3 Charlize Theron stars as Charlotte Field, the current Secretary of State and who's running for President.  Seth Rogen stars as Fred Flarsky, a...
Read more

Witch

-
Image
Witch Starring Russell Shaw, Ryan Spong, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Fabrizio Santino Directed by Craig Hinde & Marc Zammit Movies about witches are about a dime a dozen, and follow the same formula: typically set in a time period long ago (since now, fortunately, the stigma of witches has been lessened and the religious fervor has diminished), in a small Puritanical town, a girl is accused of witchcraft which spirals the town into a frenzy filled with suspicion, doubt, and murder until the witch is put to religious justice. While that's not necessarily a bad formula (Robert Eggers' "The VVitch" and Mario Bava's "Black Sunday" immediately come to mind), most films fall by the wayside. "Witch" is a small film that, at first glance, seems to follow the mold before completely shattering it in a second act twist that's daring, provocative, and works in a lot of levels, but could've been more pronounced if given a bigger budget. In the small ...
Read more

Special Review: "Midwest Sessions"

-
Image
Special Review: "Midwest Sessions" Directed by Mario Ricciardi Independent filmmaking is a fascinating concept, wherein the director and everyone involved sets out to make something unique, different, and go against the traditional status quo of what's defined as a "blockbuster." These films aren't usually seen by the masses and won't be included in the top ten highest grossing movies of all time, but they offer something those films don't: a heart and commitment by the people involved to craft something wholly distinctive that tell a story in their own way. Such is "Midwest Sessions," a local film directed by Mario Ricciardi that centers on the city of Youngstown, Ohio, and the captivating people who live there. Told in different vignettes that seem distinct and different from one another but coming together as a whole in the end, it's an engrossing film that utilizes its shoestring budget and gives great performances, decent effects a...
Read more