Well-made 're-invention' of the 1969 British classic

Rating: Null/10 (13 December 2003)

STAR RATING:*****Unmissable****Very Good***Okay**You Could Go Out For A Meal Instead*Avoid At All Costs
In this re-working of Peter Collinson's late 60s original,the premise now has Mark Whalberg as career criminal Charlie Croker who is approached by crime boss John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) to mastermind a heist involving gold bullion.Everything goes swimmingly,until surveillance expert Steve (Edward Norton) suddenly disrupts proceedings and,as if to add truth to the old aidage that there is no honour among thieves,kills Bridger,attempts to kill the rest of the crooks and makes off with the loot for himself.
One year later,and Charlie approaches John's daughter Stella (Charlize Theron,adding the real vroom-vroom factor to the movie) who has forged a successful career for herself as a security specialist,deciding not to follow in her father's footsteps as a criminal.She says she wants no part of his latest plan,until she learns of the possibility of getting her hands on a lot of gold and settling the score with Steve.
At first glance,this would seem like yet another cynical,manipulative and ultimately exploitative effort by the Hollywood cookie-cutter to take a great British classic and re-make it for their own money making ends.Director F Gary Gray,however,assures us that this is in no way a remake,but a 're-invention' of the British hit.And he's telling the truth.Gray,the man behind another enjoyable hit of this year by the name of A Man Apart,has crafted a slick,stylish and fairly mesmerizing little flick,with an absorbing soundtrack and some riveting action scenes.
And,like any film nowaday so it would seem,how could it go wrong with Edward Norton among the credited cast members,effortlessly stealing the show as the slimy,back-stabbing villain,oozing menace and charisma at every turn?
Oh yeah,the plot kind of lacks coherence and seems to get a bit lost with itself at certain stages.And it always feels like no matter what bag of tricks it throws at us,it will never manage to be entirely the sum of it's parts.
But to any devotees of one of our finest films ever,believe me,you are being in no way mislead and what could so easily have been just another derivative piece if nothing,emerges as something you will feel slightly more rewarded for having watched.***