Review: A ‘Den of Thieves’ sequel heads to France — and loses a little local lustre

Review: A 'Den of Thieves' sequel heads to France — and loses a little local lustre

In the years following its release in 2018, Christian Gudegast’s movie “Den of Thieves,” which pays tribute to the classic film “Heat,” has gained a devoted fanbase. A significant factor contributing to this is Gerard Butler’s powerfully worn portrayal of Detective “Big Nick” O’Brien, a Los Angeles County Sheriff who doubles as a criminal and is hot on the trail of Merrimen (played by Pablo Schreiber), a skilled thief with influential connections.

If “Den of Thieves” is similar to “Heat,” then its sequel, “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera,” draws inspiration from another Robert De Niro thriller, “Ronin,” featuring car chases through the winding roads of Nice, France, and a new gang of proficient thieves headed by an engaging woman named Jovanna (Evin Ahmad). At the same time, Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.), the talented driver from the original who outsmarted both Big Nick and Merrimen, now works alongside the Serbian Mafia (also known as Pantera) in a series of expensive diamond heists. Sounds like we’re talking about “Chasing Thieves on the French Riviera,” n’est-ce pas?

In his reinterpretations of De Niro’s films, Gudegast has realized that the charm lies in Big Nick. Therefore, he needs to cast our protagonist – fresh from a divorce – in “Den of Thieves 2: Pantera”. This new film serves as a travelogue for our antihero, an “A Propos de Nick”, if you will. While he indulged in donuts, fried chicken, and wine in the first movie, now he’s savoring espresso, croissants, and gelato in Europe.

In France, Nick disguises himself as an investigator pursuing his suspect, which he’s traced through Donnie’s bank records. However, instead of staying vigilant, he winds up associating with Donnie and the Pantera gang. Together, they plot to burglarize the vault of the World Diamond Center, a place where a large pink diamond, previously swiped from an Antwerp plane, is kept safe.

Review: A 'Den of Thieves' sequel heads to France — and loses a little local lustre

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In simpler terms, Nick finds himself constantly hassled by his unscrupulous adversaries, yet intrigued by them. He’s exhausted from pursuing them and instead of confronting Merrimen, a former convict and high school football star from Torrance, in a restaurant, he’s choosing to enjoy himself at a French nightclub with Donnie, disguised as Jean-Jacques, a wealthy diamond dealer. They’re spending their time getting drunk and scootering around for shawarma. This is fun, but it lacks the intense excitement that characterized the original movie.

The movie “Pantera” seems too lighthearted, veering towards the humorous side of Nick’s character. The first film was successful because it maintained a serious tone, and none of the characters in “Pantera” embody Schreiber’s intense nostrils-flaring and smoldering anger as effectively. Instead, it turns into more of a comedy between Donnie and Nick. The Serbian gang members and Sicilian Mafiosos lack development, and they don’t serve as convincing adversaries. In truth, they all merge into a homogeneous group of undifferentiated European mobsters, and there’s no palpable threat or danger.

Gudegast independently worked on the script (he collaborated with “Prison Break” creator Paul T. Scheuring for the initial movie), yet the sequel doesn’t carry the rich backstory of its predecessor, instead relying extensively on coincidence and deus ex machina to propel the narrative forward. The film clocks in at 2 hours and 24 minutes but appears overstretched, lacking the taut tension of a well-crafted heist movie.

Enjoying time with Big Nick and witnessing him explore new cuisines is certainly entertaining, but there’s an essential element lacking in this apparent imitation of “Ronin” – danger. It appears that Gudegast and his characters embarked on their European journey with only a handful of concepts, and the overall feel of the world isn’t as intricately crafted as the original one. Oh well, there’s always Torrance to reminisce about.

2025-01-10 05:31