*SPOILERS* I'd have to say that this movie is pretty average. There are numerous things about it that I like, but some glaring holes make it really hard to swallow and take it down a few notches for me. Here are a few examples of what bothers me about caper movies like this. (Bear in mind that these are all issues that could have been dealt with if the scriptwriter spent a little more time thinking about plausibility.)
For example: 1) During the basketball scene, how did Max know that there was going to be a rowdy fan in the crowd (we were never told that the "fan" was really one of Max's cohorts), how did he know that fan would cause both of these FBI agents who were watching him to just happen to look away from him long enough for him to disappear, and how did he know these same agents would just happen to look up at the jumbotron screen to see his pre-recorded image (and therefore assume he was still sitting somewhere in the crowd and not on his way to steal the diamond)?
2) Does anyone here have any idea what it takes to take remote control of a real car? First, the car has to be HEAVILY modified with numerous mechanical devices and radios (something that I'm guessing would be hard for even the FBI to do to their own car, yet this jewel thief somehow did it to this particular FBI car). Furthermore, why would Max need the VIN number of the car to take control of it? He didn't already know which car the FBI was going to haul the diamond in? And if he didn't know which car then how could he have modified it as I just mentioned? This "master" jewel thief's plan also depended on all of Stan's FBI buddies getting out of the car before Stan did so Max could lock the doors on the car and take remote control of it. What if Stan got out at the same time as his protectors? Or before? Then our jewel thief's plan would have been hosed.
3) Why would you need a Kenworth truck to push this FBI car sideways into your garage? You have remote control of the car...you can't just drive it in normally? Doesn't this seem like an awful lot of overkill for a jewel thief?
These are just a few examples from the very beginning of the movie. There are numerous others (scuba diving in the middle of the night? What if the other people he was with didn't agree to go scuba diving with him? Then his plan is, once again, hosed. Also, we're supposed to believe that he was able to use a personal propelling device to zoom his way halfway around the island, underwater, in the pitch black, to get to the ship and do the heist. Also, how did he know exactly when to do the heist? Henri Moore didn't tell him exactly when he'd be doing it...only that it would be "after 10pm").Sheesh. *END SPOILERS*
I guess I have too much common sense to watch some of these films. Seriously, how can people believe this kind of stuff?
The movie also was very slow developing at times. They needed to delete some unnecessary scenes.
Other than those numerous (and debilitating) flaws, there was a lot that I did like about the movie.
1) Salma Hayek....grr, baby! 2) Woody Harrelson was pretty amusing in this role. While he was completely not-credible as an FBI agent (he should have been a competing jewel thief...that would have been more believable), I thought it was fun to see the situations they put him (and Pierce) in...good stuff. 3) The cinematography was very nicely done, and didn't call attention to itself. 4) Pierce Brosnan was serviceable in this role, but you probably could have had a number of people in his place (Harrison Ford and George Clooney come to mind). 5) Did I forget to mention Salma Hayek?
Overall, I would have to give this movie a 5 out of 10. I would recommend this for caper fans and Salma/Woody/Pierce fans, but you'll have to kind of check your brain at the door before watching.
For example: 1) During the basketball scene, how did Max know that there was going to be a rowdy fan in the crowd (we were never told that the "fan" was really one of Max's cohorts), how did he know that fan would cause both of these FBI agents who were watching him to just happen to look away from him long enough for him to disappear, and how did he know these same agents would just happen to look up at the jumbotron screen to see his pre-recorded image (and therefore assume he was still sitting somewhere in the crowd and not on his way to steal the diamond)?
2) Does anyone here have any idea what it takes to take remote control of a real car? First, the car has to be HEAVILY modified with numerous mechanical devices and radios (something that I'm guessing would be hard for even the FBI to do to their own car, yet this jewel thief somehow did it to this particular FBI car). Furthermore, why would Max need the VIN number of the car to take control of it? He didn't already know which car the FBI was going to haul the diamond in? And if he didn't know which car then how could he have modified it as I just mentioned? This "master" jewel thief's plan also depended on all of Stan's FBI buddies getting out of the car before Stan did so Max could lock the doors on the car and take remote control of it. What if Stan got out at the same time as his protectors? Or before? Then our jewel thief's plan would have been hosed.
3) Why would you need a Kenworth truck to push this FBI car sideways into your garage? You have remote control of the car...you can't just drive it in normally? Doesn't this seem like an awful lot of overkill for a jewel thief?
These are just a few examples from the very beginning of the movie. There are numerous others (scuba diving in the middle of the night? What if the other people he was with didn't agree to go scuba diving with him? Then his plan is, once again, hosed. Also, we're supposed to believe that he was able to use a personal propelling device to zoom his way halfway around the island, underwater, in the pitch black, to get to the ship and do the heist. Also, how did he know exactly when to do the heist? Henri Moore didn't tell him exactly when he'd be doing it...only that it would be "after 10pm").Sheesh. *END SPOILERS*
I guess I have too much common sense to watch some of these films. Seriously, how can people believe this kind of stuff?
The movie also was very slow developing at times. They needed to delete some unnecessary scenes.
Other than those numerous (and debilitating) flaws, there was a lot that I did like about the movie.
1) Salma Hayek....grr, baby! 2) Woody Harrelson was pretty amusing in this role. While he was completely not-credible as an FBI agent (he should have been a competing jewel thief...that would have been more believable), I thought it was fun to see the situations they put him (and Pierce) in...good stuff. 3) The cinematography was very nicely done, and didn't call attention to itself. 4) Pierce Brosnan was serviceable in this role, but you probably could have had a number of people in his place (Harrison Ford and George Clooney come to mind). 5) Did I forget to mention Salma Hayek?
Overall, I would have to give this movie a 5 out of 10. I would recommend this for caper fans and Salma/Woody/Pierce fans, but you'll have to kind of check your brain at the door before watching.