My weekly movie reviews. You can also read these on letterboxd.
This week focuses on the first and second of Christian Gudegast’s DEN OF THIEVES films.
DEN OF THIEVES (2018)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
The comparisons to HEAT kept me away from DEN OF THIEVES. Watching it now in anticipation of seeing the sequel, it doesn’t feel as much like a rip-off of Michael Mann’s masterpiece as a movie set in the same universe. In fact, with the existence of Christian Gudegast’s series, I see even less of a need for Mann to make HEAT 2.
Though I enjoyed the well-staged heist, the plot turns, and the brutal action, what I liked most about DEN OF THIEVES had nothing to do with thieving. Big Nick’s family situation is written and played in a different way, avoiding the cliche depiction of domestic disputes in movies. It’s refreshing that Gerard Butler doesn’t lose his temper, that he doesn’t fly off the handle and yell and break something or hit his wife. In fact, the best moment is when she hits him and he lets her. Then, there’s the great scene where he crashes the dinner party; it reveals that even though he’s more than capable of being physical abusive, his abuse has manifested itself over the years through intimidation and power plays. Nick is played perfectly by Butler. I’ve ever been a big fan of the actor but here he proves that he has much more to give when given the right role.
The rest of the cast is also on target, creating vivid characters that we care about. That’s what feels so different (and good) about Gudegast’s film: he goes back to the old tradition of focusing on character over action, knowing that the action will be much more effective if we know the characters well. This might be the best action/crime film since THE TOWN and it announces Gudegast as a filmmaker to follow.
Watched on HBO Max.
DEN OF THIEVES: PANTERA (2025)
Rating: 4 out of 5 Stars
Christian Gudegast takes a page from THE FRENCH CONNECTION II with the sequel to his heist hit, transporting the story to France where Big Nick hunts for his prey just like Popeye Doyle continued searching for Frog 1. The second film in what the director clearly intends to turn into a franchise or at least a trilogy is not quite as good as its predecessor but it’s still pretty damn good.
PANTERA trades in some of the first film’s dramatic touches and focuses more on being a caper. Thankfully, Gudegast keeps the heist and action in the same world as before, gritty and grounded in some degree of reality. This is still in the HEAT/RONIN world, not drifting into THE ITALIAN JOB territory. The robbery is directed without embellishment; Gudegast is confident enough to let the tension play out without stylized camera setups or fancy edits. The tunnel shootout is even better and reminded me of the best action scenes of the 1990s.
The film doesn’t completely forget to give time to its characters. The scene outside the cafe and other quiet moments are again, like the first DEN, what makes us care about these thieves. Gudegast really gets action in a way that most of his peers have long forgotten. I just hope he stays the course, whether with the third film in this franchise or another story he chooses to tell.
Watched at Yakima 10 in Yakima, WA
