Fun and flashy but them Minis deserved better

Rating: 6/10 (23 October 2004)

I've yet to see the original film, so I don't know if this is an improvement on or detriment to it...but this was an okay movie unto itself. The capers were quick and a bit ridiculous, but not so much so that they weren't involving. F. Gary Gray kept the action going fast enough to where you could ignore the plot-holes and occasional stupidity of the characters. It sure did LOOK good and had that technical polish we've come to expect of modern American chase movies.
But...
I don't know how to say this, but the film was like...I dunno, like a helium balloon that's four days old. It still floats, but hasn't got the happiness a fresh balloon has. And I can't really fault the director, this time; he did better than journeyman work and had some really flashy moments. And the writers...well...they didn't try to get away with all that much dumb or irritating stuff, unlike some other thrillers have tried. It's mainly the performances.
Oh, Donald Sutherland was letter perfect, as usual, and Seth Green can do no wrong in my eyes. But while Mark Wahlberg handled his lines well enough, he seemed like a kid. Edward Norton, who has done some powerful work in the past, seemed even more like a kid. Mos Def seemed like a kid. Charlize Theron seemed like she was only there to make sure the guys came across as straight. But not one of them had any heft or danger or threat to their actions, despite the punches and doublecrosses and threats and gunplay. Even at the end, when Edward Norton is facing his inevitable end, he seemed more peeved than anything else. The fact is, aside from Sutherland and Green -- who carried more weight when he was mimicking "Handsome Rob" than when Jason Statham was mimicking himself -- the most convincing performances were turned in by the Minis. And that is sad.
Compare this film to "The Bourne Identity" or even "Speed" and you can see how lightweight the acting in it is. That's not to say it's not a fun movie...it's just nothing more. And that's what makes it forgettable. Too bad; them Minis deserved better.