More than a re-make!

Rating: Null/10 (27 May 2003)

MILD SPOILERS. I didn't see the original, so I had nothing to compare it to. I actually saw this film twice at a sneak preview. I liked it so much I had to go back and be thrilled all over again. It is intelligently written and acted. You are actually given clues throughout the movie that tell you what, exactly, will happen. BUT, do you figure it out, or just go with the flow? The first time, I went along for the ride. The second time, the clues just about knocked me in the head like a sledgehammer! I can favorably compare this film to classic episodes of the vintgage television series Mission: Impossible of the 1960's and 1970's. Mark Wahlberg is an intelligent but affable master planner. Edward Norton is made to look like Sean Penn, so he plays out at the perfect sleazeball. Charlize Theron is an ethical, moral, pleasant-looking locksmith/safecracker whose character involvement moves the plot forward without distracting from the flow of events. If you are familiar with the old Mission: Impossible series, look for the similarities, like the choosing of the team, the brief outlining of the plot when all are together, and even the confrontation with the "bad guy" when he realizes he has been beaten by a superior intellect. Very entertaining and stimulating.