`The Italian Job' is a movie that won't disappoint, but won't leave you amazed, either.

Rating: Null/10 (7 June 2003)

Everyone loves a good heist flick. But it's hard today to make an original one-probably the reason why some modern heist flicks have been remakes such as `The Thomas Crown Affair' and `Ocean's Eleven.' Now, we have the remake of the 1969 film, `The Italian Job.' It's easy to conclude that the main reason Hollywood remakes older films is because they are just trying to cash in on a dead movie. However, if they can do it as good as the original or better, than perhaps that does warrant remaking a motion picture. `The Italian Job,' from director F. Gary Gray (`A Man Apart') was a good film, but its one problem may rest in the fact that heist flicks are becoming less intriguing and more of cliché.	`The Italian Job' is the story of a group of thieves who while trying to steal gold in Venice are betrayed by one of their members, Steve (Edward Nortin), who kills their boss, John (Donald Sutherland), and takes the gold from the group of thieves. After a period of time, the friends regroup under the leadership of one of the members who felt that John was like a father to him, Charlie (Mark Wahlberg). Under new guidance, they try to steal back the gold from Steve. But they can't do it alone-they need the help of John's daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron). The film moves towards a revenge scenario, as the group not only tries to get the gold back, but also avenge the death of John.	`The Italian Job' has its moments that require a person to suspend disbelief. For example, in the scene where Steve betrays the others, their van crashes off of a bridge and they fall into a frozen mountain lake, as Steve peppers the icy water with bullets. It's amusing that, with the exception of John, all the men survive the frozen water. After they come out of the water, they even have time to grieve a bit over the death of John, regardless of the cold temperatures and that they are still wearing their soaking wet clothes.	The film was well made, though. Director Gray did a good job with making some suspenseful moments during a chase scene between a helicopter and three Mini cars. The movie also has its humorous moments, the best of which involve Seth Green who plays Lyle. According to Lyle, he invented the Napster music-sharing phenomenon while his roommate in college, Shawn Fanning, stole the disc with the program on it while Lyle was sleeping. Hence the reason while Lyle refers to himself as the original Napster.
Although `The Italian Job' was a good movie that was fun at times, it just didn't feel all that enthralling. The reason rests in the notions that heist films, or confidence scheme movies are becoming more of a cliché where we can predict everything before it happens. Also, the trailers for this film just ruined any surprises that the audience could take away from the film. It would be wiser to download the two and a half-minute trailer online than to pay full theatrical prices to sit through the two-hour movie. However, if you have the time and ambition to do so, `The Italian Job' is a movie that won't disappoint, but won't leave you amazed either. ***