Originally published on metropolis.co.jp on May 2010

Thick as Thieves: ©2008 Equity Pictures Medienfonds GmbH & Co. KG IV and Nu Image Entertainment GmbH

Director Mimi Leder clearly thought that the star power of Morgan Freeman and Antonio Banderas would propel this dogged heist flick to success, and couldn’t be bothered with things like plot, dialogue or originality. Went direct to DVD Stateside. Nothing much is explained, but that’s OK—you’ve seen this chestnut so many times it doesn’t really matter. Checklist: Grizzled veteran and hotshot newcomer conspire to pull off one last heist, to swipe unbelievably valuable stuff from an impossibly impregnable safe/bank/museum. Cue the preparation montage, spring the incomprehensible final twist, wake up, go home.