Yes, Den of Thieves is another heist movie, but no, this isn’t like most heist movies. The premise starts off simple enough. Every day, around USD120 million in the Federal Reserve is taken out of circulation and destroyed. And an infamous group of robbers had their eye on this money, not the whole amount, but part of it, USD 30 million to be exact.
However, their prior shady action had already caught the eye of Detective Nick "Big Nick" O'Brien (Gerard Butler), who’s hot on their tail. The payoff of Den of Thieves is at the end, when the twist happens that makes you go “what!?”. If Den of Thieves is your kind of movie, here are some movies that you’d like too.
If you like heist movies, you’d like…
The Italian Job (2003). Mark Wahlberg. Charlize Theron. Mini Coopers. This trio makes the perfect concoction for any movie. A remake of the 1969 classic starring Michael Caine, it sees Wahlberg as part of a band of swanky thieves that got sold out in a heist that got his mentor, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), killed. Thirsty for revenge, he ropes in Bridger’s daughter Stella (Theron), who’s highly skilled in opening safes, in his plans. With stunning locations (Venice!), sleek cars (Mini Coopers) and swift action sequences, The Italian Job is one sweet ride.
If you like movies with a huge payout at the end, you’d like…
The Shawshank Redemption (1994). This is one movie that you’d watch again immediately after the first viewing. Adapted from the novella Rita Hayworth and the Shawshank Redemption by Stephen King, this movie shines in its directing, acting and cinematography. A successful banker, Andy Dufresne, (Tim Robbins) was wrongly accused of killing his unfaithful wife and was thrown into the dreary Shawshank jailhouse. For the most part of the movie, it chronicles Andy’s adjustment in prison and his growing bond with his prison mates, right until the last half hour of the movie, where things got very interesting and make you realise that the things that Andy did while in prison had one singular motive. And when it finally ends, you can’t help but hit the replay button.
If you love Gerard Butler, you’d like…
London Has Fallen (2016). Since his iconic “This is Spartaaa!” scene in 300, it’s hard to disassociate Gerard Butler from being an action star. And he plays this part exceedingly well in London Has Fallen, the sequel to the 2013 Olympus has Fallen. This time round, we’ve shifted to across the pond from the first movie, where the British Prime Minister passed away suddenly and mysteriously. World leaders descend upon London for his funeral, making the city the most protected place on earth. And this is where the fun starts. Butler finds himself, once again, having to do a hell lot of killing to protect the President of the United States (played by Aaron Eckhart). To outdo its predecessor, the action sequences here are more outrageous, there are more explosions and Butler returns with even better moves.
If you like gritty crime dramas, you’d like…
Escobar: Paradise Lost (2014). The action in Den of Thieves is raw, gritty and violent, all of which are echoed in this Benicio Del Toro hit. Del Toro plays famed drug lord Pablo Escobar, whose niece falls in love with a young American man, Nico (Josh Hutcherson). Very soon, Nico finds himself embroiled in tricky situations that he’s uncomfortable with. But once he gets into the inner circle of Escobar, it’s not easy to get out.
If you like movies with characters who are not what they seem, you’d like…
The Usual Suspects (1995). In Den of Thieves, you’d find that one of the characters turns out to be someone totally different. And no other movie does this 180-degree turn on revealing a true character hidden behind a false premise better than Kevin Spacey in The Usual Suspects. You will never be able to foresee how one of the major characters turn out to be. It’s the kind of film that makes you want to watch again right away.
