EVERYONE LOVES A good heist movie. There’s something about a gang of villains coming together and crafting a brilliant plan–which, if pulled off, promises riches beyond their wildest dreams–that really gets the juices flowing. Examples in the last decade alone abound: there’s the Ocean’s series, of course, along with Heist, The Score, Entrapment, and The Italian Job. Gone in 60 Seconds probably counts as well. And that’s just off the top of my head.
The key to a great heist flick is said to be the plan. How does it come together? What are our anti-heroes after? How exactly do they plan on breaking into the bank/vault/car emporium? Watching everything fall into place like clockwork, and sweating over the trivial things that might trip them up–that’s what people are interested in, right?
Sure. But what is even more intriguing is this: Once our thieves have their loot, how will they get away with it? Let’s face it; the audience knows the goods are going to get gotten. We wouldn’t have much of a film if the protagonists were to get pinched in the act, now would we? Getting into Terry Benedict’s vault was the easy part of Ocean’s 11. It’s getting out–with the cash in hand, right under the watchful eyes in the sky, in broad casino-light, no less–that was the tricky part. We’ve seen how the rest of the heist was supposed to work, but it’s that surprise at the end, when the “SWAT team” peels out with bags of cash, that gives the viewer a real thrill. The Score is similar–the audience knows a double cross is coming; it’s just a question of when and where. But the triple cross that De Niro pulls off in the closing moments is what leaves them breathless. Lesser heist movies have lesser escapes. Nic Cage gets away in Gone in 60 Seconds because he saves a police officer’s life. Yawn.
The Bank Job works on a similar principle. If one has seen any advertisements for the film, it’s pretty obvious that the rogues make it into the vault they’re trying to rob; they’re shown uncorking bottles of champagne with piles of cash strewn about, after all. Terry (Jason Statham) is contracted by an old flame (Saffron Burrows) working for MI5 (or is it MI6? As one of the detectives investigating the bank robbery says, I can never tell) to break into a Lloyd’s safety deposit vault and steal all that they can in a weekend. It turns out that some drug dealing black radical has a roll of rather naughty photos of a certain young royal in the throes of passion. He’s using them to blackmail government higher-ups into keeping him out of jail. Needless to say, this just won’t do.
Going through their loot, Terry and company find out that they have more than just wads of cash and strings of diamonds: They have the goods on half of London. Photos of members of parliament in bondage gear getting whipped by strippers? Yup. A ledger full of corrupt police officers and their bribes over the years? Check. Soon enough, eminent personages and lowlifes alike are on our crew’s tail with two goals–getting their goods back, and snuffing the bastards who had the temerity to steal from them.
How do you get away when every bad guy with a gun (and in one especially nasty case a sandblaster) in a ten mile radius is looking for you? Answering that question is where this movie comes to life. The heist itself is okay, but the getting away–that’s where the drama comes from. And unlike most of the light-hearted romps from recent years, not everyone does get away.
Jason Statham cements his status as the preeminent British action star in this flick. The Bank Job plays to his strengths; like Snatch and Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels he plays a quick witted lowlife with a clever tongue and a knack for getting himself into (and out of) trouble. He’s not as good in He-Man tough guy roles (think Crank or In the Name of the King), but he’s born to play the British street hood made good. (And he delivers the meanest headbutt this side of Zinedine Zidane.)
All in all, The Bank Job is a good, entertaining fun. It fits nicely into the genre and makes for a good evening out, even if it’s not quite required viewing.
Sonny Bunch is assistant editor at THE WEEKLY STANDARD.
