At its core, Den of
Thieves is a gritty, dark, modern day cops and robbers film. Centered in
Los Angeles – a hot bed for bank robbers with a bank being robbed every 48
minutes - we get a chance to follow the stories of two groups of people on
opposite sides of the law. Nick Flannigan (Gerard Butler) is the head of the
major crimes unit of the LA County Sheriff’s Department and leads a small team
of elite cops. Once a decorated officer, Flannigan has succumb to the seedy
world that surrounds him, often toeing the line of right and wrong – with his
team following in their boss’s footsteps. Merriman (Pablo Schreiber) is an
ex-con who has his sights set on the holy grail of robberies – the Los Angeles
branch of the Federal Reserve. Merriman has pulled off multiple impressive
heists in the past with elaborate and well-executed plans being a part of his
m.o. This heist will have to be no different as the Federal Reserve has some of
the most intricate, high tech security systems and protocols in the world. Luckily
for him, Merriman has compiled a team of former Marines, who meticulously plan
and attack with precision. Every member of Merriman’s crew has numerous
valuable skills that are incorporated into his plan. The team includes Levi
Enson (Curtis Jackson) who is a talented marksman and strategist and Donnie
(O’Shea Jackson Jr.) the getaway driver who is the newest member of the team.
After Merriman’s team has a heist of an armored car that goes
awry - leaving multiple Police officers dead - Flannigan and the major crimes
unit decide to take on the case. The more Flannigan digs, the more he realizes
how many past unsolved robberies Merriman has orchestrated. Flannigan begins to
pull out all the stops as he pieces together Merriman’s next move. Working on
both sides of the law may be the only way that Flannigan can stop Merriman, as
the two of them engage in a dangerous game of cat and mouse.
Den of Thieves is
the directorial debut for Christian Gudegast, who also penned the screenplay.
Gudegast has experience working with Gerard Butler - he wrote the screenplay
for London Has Fallen - and he used this
experience to create a dark and complicated character for Butler. As the film
continues, the audience is torn between whether to root for the Police, as we
naturally drift towards doing, or against them because at times they are no
different than the men they are hunting. It is interesting to see the robbers
acting with poise and dignity while the Police repeatedly disregard the law and
engage in numerous questionable activities. This dichotomy continues throughout
the film and is an ingenious way to frame a classic premise in a new light.
Gudegast builds an exciting narrative that features clever ideas, fantastic
acting, and some twists and turns. Den
of Thieves is a fun action thriller that does not disappoint. While Den of Thieves doesn’t reinvent the wheel,
it does enough to make it stand out and keep the audience entertained throughout
the entire ride.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
