Den of Thieves 2: Pantera does not try to go a lot greater than the bar set by the cat-and-mouse recreation of its predecessor, nor does it land too far beneath the unique Den of Thieves. It’s the very definition of a lateral transfer, which can doubtless fulfill the fanbase that has constructed up across the first face-off between prison mastermind Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) and decided cop “Big Nick” O’Brien (Gerard Butler). That stated, it does endure from the identical inflated-runtime issues whereas taking too lengthy to get to the showcase heist sequence that we actually wish to see.
Recognizing what labored beforehand, returning author/director Christian Gurdegast leans into Butler’s endearingly hambone persona, with the more and more shaggy Scottish actor once more breaking out his mush-mouth American accent in service of f-bomb-laden tough-guy discuss. New in Pantera is a enjoyable 48 Hours-style buddy dynamic between Butler and Jackson. When O’Brien learns that Wilson and a brand new prison crew have taken up residence in France for one more potential rating, he heads abroad to deliver them down, with the Pantera of the title referring to the French activity pressure assigned to help him. This is the place the assorted intricacies of who’s who within the hierarchy of Gallic organized crime threaten to topple over in a sea of rushed overseas dialogue (with no subtitles!) and impenetrable accents.
Like Den of Thieves, Pantera could be very a lot a mirrored image of its influences, with DNA from Fast & Furious, Donnie Brasco, and The Town in proof. Unlike the primary chapter, which restricted its motion to L.A. and garnered an air of grounded authenticity consequently, the sequel is extra of a globetrotting affair, which provides a way of scope however robs this burgeoning franchise of a few of its identification. Though props to Gurdegast for making O’Brien the butt of a number of “Ugly American” jokes versus utilizing his “man’s man” persona as a car to consistently dunk on his French colleagues.
It actually is not till about 90 minutes in – when the central heist begins – that issues begin to hum alongside in earnest. From that time, Pantera depends on the tried-and-true pleasures of a ticking-clock situation, with characters having to maneuver rapidly to keep away from detection by movement sensors, cameras, and so forth. It’s labored wonders for Mission: Impossible collection and Ocean’s Eleven, and whereas Pantera isn’t completely of their league, it nonetheless manages to entertain with a number of last-second escapes as our characters dart the labyrinthine vault.
One grievance about Pantera additionally utilized to the unique Den of Thieves: Both motion pictures clock in at roughly 140-ish minutes. Gurdegast might have aspirations for a criminal offense saga within the vein of the equally prolonged Heat, however these are in the end pulpy confections at coronary heart, and there is not sufficient story to justify the extra-sized body. Regardless, whereas the earlier movie got here to a bittersweet conclusion that did not instantly name out for a continuation, Pantera could be very clearly telegraphing one other Den down the road. Here’s hoping they trim a number of the setup within the subsequent one and go straight for the caper.
