“Italian Job” Movie Review

“The Italian Job” is a great action packed thriller. This movie has it all for one looking for action, suspense, and strategy in a great storyline of heist. (Good. You've established the genre and thus the criteria for evaluation.) Starting out in Italy, a group of men led by Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) steal $35 million in gold bars in what was called ‘The Italian Job.’ Charlie and the group are then double-crossed by one of the team members, Steve Frezelli (Edward Norton), who kills John Bridger and gets away with the money. The opening scenes draw the attention of the audience from the onset.

After a thrilling get away by Steve, the movie’s suspense relaxes. Gradually the members seek revenge and make plans to take back what was stolen from them. Charlie initiates contact with John Bridger’s daughter, Stella Bridger (Charlize Theron). She, like her dad, is a safecracker, although she does not intend to follow in her father’s footsteps. Stella wishes to use her abilities to stop crime rather than create it. Ultimately, her bloodline can not escape her and she seeks revenge on the one who killed her father. Bringing the daughter into the equation adds to the plot of story. Now the viewers not only have a group pursuing revenge for double-crossing them and killing their mentor, but also a family member who longs to see the guy’s face when the tables are turned.

The movie plot proceeds to the planning process after the group has been reunited in Los Angeles. The tension builds during this period of time. They show all the aspects of what they are planning to do. The audience gets to see all the plans and feels like they are part of it. In other films, the audience is left in suspense as to exactly how they performed the robbery until the end. Those films bring out excitement as well but are sometimes confusing. This approach was unique and successful.

The day comes when they are to perform the heist. With the audience knowing how the procedure is supposed to happen, it leaves an element open to be twisted, which is a characteristic of an action/suspense/thriller movie. (Good. Demonstrates the film fulfills the genre.) This element was not one of surprise but failure. As the group is beginning their move to the mansion they come across a party near the gate that Left-Ear (Mos Def) was just about to blow up for them, and the whole strategic plan failed suddenly. Through this the audience received the twist. Everyone is sure the robbery is going to happen or something would go wrong during the robbery but no. They totally have to disregard (abandon) the whole plan.

The sequence of events continues to be played out well by the storyline following the failed attempt. To lure Steve out of his house for the robbery to take place, Stella had to set up a date with Steve. The original plan was for her to stand him up; she now had to follow through with the date. This is ironic because Stella is on date with Steve, a man she has hard feelings for. At the dinner, she cannot contain herself and her identity is revealed. Charlie, like always, is right there when something is happening. He shows up and makes it known to a previous partner that they are onto him and planning to get back what was theirs. The audience can see the fear that goes through Steve, and the scene ends in dramatic fashion with Stella clobbering Steve.

After the failed attempt and the dinner, Steve realizes that his money is in jeopardy of being stolen. He knows the group and their capabilities of getting away with his stash. Steve then decides to have his money taken away from his house and falls into another one of Charlie’s brilliant, masterminded plans. With Lyle (Seth Green), Handsome Rob (Jason Statham), Left-Ear, and Stella behind him, Charlie sets off to “do it like ‘The Italian Job.’” Left-Ear rigs explosives in a subway tunnel under a highway while Lyle taps into the highway control center and Handsome Rob mans the vehicles. The crew knows that Steve will be moving his safe somehow, and they discover the means for this is armed vehicles. Steve thinks for sure that an armed vehicle carrying his safe and two decoy vehicles will be enough to safeguard his money.

The three trucks begin to roll but their paths are being controlled by Lyle while Left-Ear and the rest of the team wait for Lyle to lure the safe right into their hands.

This excellent storyline ends in dramatic fashion and has more twists and turns than a roller-coaster. The production staff and directors put everything together perfectly throughout whole movie. “The Italian Job” is a great movie of action, suspense, and thrills and is highly recommended for anyone seeking an intriguing movie.