Entertaining not-a-remake

Rating: 7/10 (19 May 2009)

This isn't The Italian Job (1966). That was a great film and stands on its own, no question.
But this also isn't a remake. Sure, it uses some of the same elements -some characters with the same names, 3 minis, a carefully planned heist, a robbery/chase where they drive through all sorts of unexpected places, traffic chaos arising from overriding the official system etc. But all those elements are used in a completely different story to the original with completely different character dynamics.
I liked it. Importantly, there was so much that was different in the story that I never felt the need to compare it to the original.
Mark Wahlberg, low-rent action protagonist, was marginally less inexpressive than usual, and the rest of the cast gave reliable performances. A special mention must go to Seth Green, occupying the Benny Hill slot as official bollixer of traffic lights - a quite different character (no big ladies for a start off!) but still a very funny performance.
The original is still out there, folks, and it's still great, but this version has a lot going for it - don't discount it.