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| Italian Job, The |
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  (6/10)
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Runtime: 110 |
| Public Rating: 6.62 (104 votes) |
Director: F. Gary Gray |
MPAA Rating:  |
| Genre: Action thriller |
Year: 2003 |
| Writer(s): Troy Kennedy-Martin (original screenplay); Donna Powers & Wayne Powers (remake screenplay) |
| Distributor: Paramount Pictures |
| Reviewed by: Le Apprenti |
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This is the second of two remakes, both are released a week apart. The Italian Job is a daring heist (in Italy, of course) of gold bullions belonging to a Mafia group. However, the heist goes awry and it is up to heist team leader Charlie Croker to set things straight, with his team and a trio of Mini Coopers. The original version is a comedy caper first and action thriller second. The remake is vice versa.
Only two characters from the original return in the remake: safecracker Bridger and Croker (played by Noël Coward and Michael Caine respectively in the original). Taking over Caine’s place as Croker is Mark Wahlberg. He is the mastermind of the initial heist and the subsequent counter-heist to “set things straight”. Safecracker Bridger is split into two characters: senior John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) and his successor daughter Stella (Charlize Theron). Joining them are computer hacker Lyle (Seth Green), demolition specialist Left “Lefty” Ear (Mos Def), transporter(some pun intended)/driver Handsome Rob (Jason Statham) and antagonist Steve Frezelli (Edward Norton). Together, they are a special ops crack team of diverse skills that contribute effectively to the overall success of the tasks. Except Steve decides he wants all the gold for himself, takes out the senior Bridger, takes the gold, and goes into hiding.
A year later upon discovering Steve whereabouts (in a place not known for being discreet – Hollywood), the gang returns, with Stella taking over her father’s place, with a vengeance. They properly inform Steve, and the movie viewers, that “it’s never about the gold”, which sounds akin to Rena Mero’s $110 million suit against the WWE (or Nicole Bass’ $120 million version) and it being “never about the money”. Nevertheless, this is where all the fun begins: the plotting, the chases, the confrontations, the comedy, and the Mafia group tracking down the gold bullions thrown in as a wild card.
Director F. Gary Gray – whose Vin Diesel vehicle A Man Apart came out a few months ago – keeps the story focused on the planning and execution of the heist, to the exclusion of all else. A romance is teased between Charlie and Stella but not developed. The execution of the heist is explored in every foil, surprise and unforeseen circumstantial detail. The chase sequences are exciting but not outstanding, with the only distinguishing aspect about them being the red, white and blue Mini Coopers, together forming the colors of the United States flag – a fitting tribute to Memorial Day!
The characters are purposefully undeveloped, although enough information is provided to support their roles in the story. Lefty is so named because he is hard-of-hearing on his right ear, and he has a fear of dogs. Lyle insists on being called “Napster” because he invented the now-defunct technology but it was stolen from him while he was sleeping. British-accented Rob is the suave master of seducing women and driving cars very fast. Green, Def and Statham pull off a decent job as Lyle, Lefty and Rob respectively.
Lyle and Lefty have their comedic moments while Rob plays off them. These are the only colorful characters. What follows next are not.
Villain Steve’s one-dimensionality is justifiable because his personality is such. (“He has no imagination.”) Charlie and Stella’s have no reason to be because of their lengthy screen time. Stella has little personality other than being the daughter of Charlie’s partner and a highly skilled technological-inclined safe technician. Charlie is stiff when he is not doing his masterminding routines, and stiffer when his romance tease with Stella is not being furthered. With these constraints, there is little Wahlberg and Theron can do to inject any dimension into their characters. They have tried their best but to no avail.
The Italian Job is adequately on par with the original, but that is not saying much given how much the level of moviegoers’ cinema tastes and standard of filmmaking has evolved since 1969. It is a better remake than the previous-week released The In-Laws, which is nothing more than a Michael Douglas vehicle. As an action-chase movie, The Italian Job offers sufficient entertainment but none that is outstanding. However, it can be better appreciated if seen as a Mini Cooper film. The little automobile that could – three of them – is the real star.
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