A century of junk food theft

When we last saw “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler) in the 2018s Cave of Thieveshe was in the throes of defeat. Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) had overtaken him and robbed the Federal Reserve so the books wouldn’t even notice the missing millions. As far as the federal government was concerned, no one had robbed America’s most secure building. What good does it do to pursue a criminal who technically hadn’t stolen anything? Donnie fled to Europe with his millions looking for his next big score. As for Big Nick, he is first seen in the enjoyable if decelerated sequel Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera taking a big old piss, nursing a perpetual hangover after losing family court. After waving goodbye to the only good thing in his miserable life, Nick tosses his wedding ring down the drain, rips a hand dryer off the wall and heads for his next drink.

In the last six years, Cave of Thieves has built a cult following around his junky action-movie charisma. In an age of superhero dramas and sci-fi operas that have to be all things to all audiences, Cave of Thieves was a dirty, unapologetic macho riff on Heat. However, the film was a cut above the straight-to-Redbox titles that could just as easily fit that bill. By focusing on the technical authenticity of the crimes and the warty pathos of his characters, writer-director Christian Gudegast delivered. But the real breakthrough was Butler, who after a decade with the fall Angelp and Geostormpfinally found a screen persona he could sink his massive meat hooks into. As Big Nick, Butler ironically couldn’t get big enough, turning the crooked, get-the-guy-at-all-costs member of the famously ethical Los Angeles Sheriff’s Department into a likable disgrace who leaves a trail of spilled whiskey and cigarette ash, when he is on screen.

The line between cops and robbers blurs beyond recognition Den Of Thieves 2: Panteraas Gudegast downplays the moral ambiguities so boys can be boys. broke from his divorce and made a pariah to believe that Donnie robbed the Fed, and Nick chases Donnie to Europe. There, the master criminal has scaled up and joined an elite team of thieves – the Panthers, led by Jovanna (Evin Ahmad) – who rob Antwerp airport for a diamond the size of a 20-sided die. But that’s only the first part of their plan. By assuming a French identity, Donnie manages to get the diamond into the vault Antwerp World Diamond Centerone of the world’s most listed buildings, which he also plans to crack. Nick is tired of being the hunter and wants to join the job.

Rather than clashing with reality, Gudegast instead tones down the intensity of his sequel. Panther is more Tenet than Thiefbut the European air does Butler and Gudegast good, takes them out of their comfort zones and opens the door to a different kind of film. Funnier and more focused on the homosocial bonding of its leads, Panther is lighter on action and heavier on scenes of Nick and Donnie crashing scooters and belching shawarma. The film lives and dies by the chemistry between Butler and Jackson, which runs a little over Butler’s dirt charisma to get him on the audience’s side.

Gudegast’s Rifi-inspired structure dedicates much of the playtime to planning, setting the pieces in motion, and devoting the final third of the film to infiltrating the impossibly guarded Diamond District in Nice, France. It also comes from reality. The film’s crown jewel sequence was inspired by 2003 Diamond rub in Antwerpthe so-called “theft of the century.”

However, Gudegast does not have the encyclopedic knowledge of European life that he has for LA, so Nick is forced to ingratiate himself with the crew like a fish out of water. Poking Nick in France almost instantly shows a winning prospect. He is taken into a French police station and fumbles over the word “croissant”. He smokes weed with a signed tongue as he tries to prove he’s up to par. Although the ensemble is less defined in this follow-up, Gudegast still finds pockets of characterization, like a battle for the auxiliary string, that allows some of his roster to shine. Although his powerful machismo with enveloping nuances is much more boring than Gudegast realizes (this man’s husband drinks full flavor Pepsi – like Madame Web!), it’s still quite endearing. Gudegast loves these characters but cannot muster the same moral complication a second time. Nick and Donnie are unapologetically the good guys as they set one ground rule for the grand heist: “No one gets hurt.”

To Gudegast’s credit, he turns Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera to a grounded version of Mission: Impossiblethat provide thicker, more utilitarian versions of gadgets that the IMF may have developed. Designed for practical use, their reflective screens and 3-D printed masks can fool censors without the slimness. They simply do the job. The bulky tech matches the leads, who have the size but not the body types of your typical action movie stars. Butler and Jackson’s broad, imposing frames carry the strength and agility of a six-pack Avenger, providing believable bruises and greater human tension when things come to a close.

While guys are huge, Den Of Thieves 2: Pantera is lighter than the first film. By screwing up his personality to make Big Nick more morally palatable, Gudegast emphasizes the kindness of his motley crew throughout, not the moral gray areas of law enforcement. Nick’s simmering internal conflict about switching sides with the thieves feels like a bit of an afterthought, but focusing on fun isn’t necessarily a bad thing. What’s wrong with leaning into your strengths? Big Nick isn’t just bullshit. He is Gudegast’s scumbag, and he wants the audience to feel good about loving him too. There are no vulgar displays of power here; Big Nick is just vulgar. And he – and the film – are all the better for it.

Director: Christian Gudegast
Author: Christian Gudegast
Cast: Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Release date: 10 January 2025