Gets the Job Done.

Rating: Null/10 (26 June 2003)

I do not know what it is about movies like "The Italian Job", but I just love to sit and watch them. A couple of years ago was like a dream with "Sexy Beast", "Heist", "Ocean's Eleven" and "The Score". Admittedly I do not like "The Italian Job" as much as any of those four aforementioned productions, but I still enjoyed this film very much. Old-time master thief Donald Sutherland has hatched an elaborate plan to steal $35 million in gold bars in Italy. He has assembled a dream-team of criminals (Edward Norton, Mark Wahlberg, Seth Green, Mos Def and Jason Statham) to pull off the complicated heist. Naturally the robbery goes off without a hitch and it appears the six will get away free as birds. However Norton turns on his partners, kills Sutherland and takes all the money for himself. Fast-forward a bit and Norton is in Los Angeles living high, but revenge is still wanted by Wahlberg and the others who were double-crossed. Master safe cracker Charlize Theron (also Sutherland's only child) also seeks vengence on the man who took her father from her. Thus the five plan to take the remainder of Norton's money and take care of their enemy for good. "The Italian Job" suffers through sometimes with an often silly and cliched story, but the production saves itself late with an outstanding final act that will leave your heart pounding and your pulse racing. The cast is all right and Theron is just one of those actresses you can't take your eyes off of. Norton is not really utilized as much as I would have liked. He ended up stealing the show from DeNiro in "The Score" but he becomes willing to share the spotlight here with lesser performers. When all is said and done "The Italian Job" offers just what it advertises: a couple of hours of fun without much thinking at the theater. 4 stars out of 5.