Not brilliant, but not too shabby either

Rating: 6/10 (27 March 2005)

It's not a movie you watch over and over again, but this "re-imagining" is not that bad. In fact, give it any other name and the only similarities between this movie and the Michael Caine version would be the presence of mini's. The story is pretty predictable and forgettable, but it is the characters that make the story watchable. Or at least, some of the characters.
Mark Wahlberg and Charlize Theron, though OK, aren't the larger-than-life characters you'd expect from a film like this. Accordingly they pale next to the likes of Jason Statham, Seth Green and Mos Def, all of whom seem to compete amongst themselves to see who can steal scenes off each other. Seth Green seems to win most of the time but Mos Def in particular was a pleasant surprise. I'm no great fan of musicians turning to acting, especially ones with weird names. But he gave a great performance and gives me hope for "The Hitch-Hikers Guide..." out later this year.
As mentioned, the plot is best forgotten in favour of watching the characters interact, which is where the film really scores.
It's good enough that I'll watch the sequel when it arrives, but just for the characters, you understand. I'm sure the plot will be drivel.