Den of Thieves, a 2018 heist thriller from director Christian Gudegast, is not a movie I expected to be tapped for a sequel, despite being deserving of one if only for making the post-holiday season merry and bright. One of Gerard Butler’s better movies, the film adopted elements of Heat into the cat-and-mouse relationship between lawman Nick O’Brien (Gerard Butler) and the brains of the criminal operation, Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.). Seven years later, those with a soft spot for the original movie will be delighted to know that Gudegast has crafted a second chapter that’s at least as good (and in some ways better) than its predecessor.

 

The sequel, subtitled Pantera, picks up shortly after the first one ended, with Nick still stewing over his inability to bring in Donnie while the Feds insist that no crime was committed since no money is missing. Meanwhile, in Europe, Donnie has hooked up with a new crew, including the smart, sexy Jovanna (Evin Ahmad), and has executed a daring diamond heist. Unfortunately (unbeknownst to him), he picked the wrong people to steal from: the Panther mafia. Now, as he’s planning an even bigger caper in Nice, they are tracking him down. That’s when Nick locates him and offers an audacious proposal: he’ll forgo bringing Donnie in if he can join the new heist.

Pantera suffers from slow pacing and narrative overdosing during its first half-hour (when it is bringing up to speed viewers who may not have seen – or who have forgotten the first Den of Thieves) and toward the end (when it’s setting up a possible third movie). Occupying the bulk of the hefty 144-minute running time is the heist. Gudegast does an even better job this time (and he was no slouch in 2018), blending all the requisite tropes into a tight, taut package that delivers the right dose of white-knuckle suspense. Although Butler is best known for his violent action films, this movie is surprisingly light on those moments, preferring tension over pyrotechnics while limiting the fisticuffs and keeping the body count (relatively) low.

 

Nick and Donnie’s relationship shifts from antagonists in the first movie to reluctant allies in this instalment. (Think of Pacino and DeNiro teaming up in a Heat sequel.) A distinct buddy film vibe develops with the actors playing effectively off one another. A nice addition to this instalment is Evin Ahmad, whose Jovanna is as beautiful as she is skilled. Sadly, her character is underused (she arguably deserves her own film), and her playful relationship with Nick dead-ends despite the obvious chemistry between her and Butler.

Heist films generally follow a template that includes various elements: plotting, execution, and regrouping (after something goes wrong). Pantera has all those things. The caper is deliciously difficult and requires all sorts of clever work-arounds (with split-second timing) to achieve the goal. A lot of the heavy lifting is done in the editing room. And, although I’m not prepared to say the plot is airtight, it works well enough to earn my seal of approval. The movie also doesn’t try to do too much (although the overlong running time might seem to argue otherwise). It knows what it is and sticks to doing the best it can be at that, which is better than enough.

 

The decision to open this film in January is a calculated one. Although Butler films normally prowl cinemas during the summer and fall, the first Den of Thieves was a moderate success ($45M domestic, $81M worldwide) with a similar release date. It’s hard to say whether lightning will strike twice, but it’s always a relief to find something worthwhile in theatres at this time of year. Although a heist film with a high testosterone quotient might not be everyone’s favourite wintertime treat, it’s an effective antidote for all the highfalutin Oscar wannabes out there. As to whether Pantera will spawn a second sequel, my crystal ball is cloudy. The ending allows for one but doesn’t demand one, and that’s always a good place to be for any potential franchise to find itself in.

 

8/10

Boluwatife Adesina
Website | + posts

Boluwatife Adesina is a media writer and the helmer of the Downtown Review page. He’s probably in a cinema near you.