I suppose we can accept the excitement of thievery, but not really its romance. In this film, the uncertainty as to who is stealing what, for which purpose and for whom adds some extra interest to a story, the outcome of which can be predicted almost from the beginning.
I do not really think that the film is about theft, or that it takes an ethical position in relation to theft (in itself, perhaps, ethically risky). Rather, it is about excellence, about being the best at what you do; and it succeeds in demonstrating something of the commitment needed, and the satisfactions to be found, in the exercise of superlative skills.
It is amazing that Connery still manages to convince in action roles, but how very clever to give him so lithe and stunning an amanuensis as Miss Zeta-Jones. In her role as Gin Baker, she claims a perfection that seems justified and which is an undeniable part of the appeal of the film. In the rehearsal for and performance of the defining theft scene, which could so easily have slipped into bathos, Miss Zeta-Jones is convincing and her balletic grace entrances. The switches between the tough girl and vulnerability are intrinsic to the stereotype, but are well done, and we manage to admire and sympathize with her character throughout. The action scene towards the end is sufficiently tense for the genre, and the final scene twists the plot, and the people and roles switch sufficiently, to add a final touch of irony.
This film succeeds completely in what it seeks to achieve, without troubling to puzzle us with the plot, it is thoroughly entertaining, with some interesting locations, plenty of action and enough tension. Recommended.
I do not really think that the film is about theft, or that it takes an ethical position in relation to theft (in itself, perhaps, ethically risky). Rather, it is about excellence, about being the best at what you do; and it succeeds in demonstrating something of the commitment needed, and the satisfactions to be found, in the exercise of superlative skills.
It is amazing that Connery still manages to convince in action roles, but how very clever to give him so lithe and stunning an amanuensis as Miss Zeta-Jones. In her role as Gin Baker, she claims a perfection that seems justified and which is an undeniable part of the appeal of the film. In the rehearsal for and performance of the defining theft scene, which could so easily have slipped into bathos, Miss Zeta-Jones is convincing and her balletic grace entrances. The switches between the tough girl and vulnerability are intrinsic to the stereotype, but are well done, and we manage to admire and sympathize with her character throughout. The action scene towards the end is sufficiently tense for the genre, and the final scene twists the plot, and the people and roles switch sufficiently, to add a final touch of irony.
This film succeeds completely in what it seeks to achieve, without troubling to puzzle us with the plot, it is thoroughly entertaining, with some interesting locations, plenty of action and enough tension. Recommended.