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After
the Sunset
I love a good heist movie. I love trying to figure out how
the theft will occur, who is actually going to do it, and
who’s going to get screwed. And, surprisingly, After
the Sunset manages to provide that mystery in a light,
fluffy, sun-filled and skin-full manner.
Two
of the world’s most notorious jewel thieves, Max Burdett
(Pierce Brosnan) and Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek), have decided
to retire, after their last big heist of the second of the
three Napoleon Diamonds. They plan to live out their days
on a beautiful Caribbean island, in the lap of luxury, with
no distractions. But, as with most of the best laid plans,
something goes wrong, as the biggest distraction of them
all comes sailing into port, in the form of the third Napoleon
Diamond, along with the FBI Agent Stan Lloyd (Woody Harrelson)
who has been on their tails since their first heist, and
this time is determined to catch them.
While
not being the most daring or intricate of heist movies,
After The Sunset still manages to make you cheer
for the bad guys, while still wondering how exactly the
heist is going to be pulled off, if it happens at all. There
are even some points where you’re left wondering who,
exactly, is going to be pulling off the theft. Some great
one liners dart throughout the whole movie, provided by
every character.
Pierce
Brosnan is at his scruffy best as Max, in yet another film
where he forgets where the shaving cream is. But it is yet
another film that will take him away from his 007 image
(while also keeping away comparisons to The Tailor of
Panama). While it isn’t the cream of the crop,
he embodies the role as fully as in any of his previous
films. Max Burdett genuinely wants to retire, but temptation
is as pervasive as ever, in the form of the only Napoleon
diamond he hasn’t held in his hot little hands.
The
skin-fullness of the film is provided by the curvaceous
Salma Hayek, who seems very at home in the role of Lola.
Lola just wants to settle down, and watch sunsets with Max,
and wants to do it as a married couple; but that doesn’t
stop them from consummating their relationship as often
as possible. She constantly asks about whether he’s
written his vows yet, and this little oversight of his turns
into a much larger problem later on in the movie.
Woody
Harrelson is delightfully comic as Agent Lloyd, who intends
to catch Max at any cost. He’s not a stooge, or incompetent;
the only reason he can’t seem to catch Max is that
Max manages to stay one step ahead of him all the time.
But this time, Agent Lloyd intends to keep Max in his sight
at all times, and this leads to some delightfully comic
exchanges between Brosnan and Harrelson. The two of them
make a very odd couple, but their interactions are the focus,
and truly the highlight, of the film for very good reason.
There
are several other supporting characters, the most noticeable
of which is the islands crime lord, Henré. I have
to applaud the scriptwriters here, because Henré
has some of the best lines of the film, describing criminal
activities in ways that would make lawyers want to take
notes.
Also,
Naomie Harris is a strong police officer, trading barbs
with the police chief (her ex-husband) and fending off the
interests of Agent Lloyd. But her focus as a cop seems to
stray quickly, and she seems to be there mostly to balance
out Agent Lloyd against the partnership of Max and Lola.
A very entertaining sequence involves the men talking to
the opposite partner, Max to Sophie and Agent Lloyd to Lola,
in an attempt to explain the other man’s actions,
so the ladies will forgive them.
Overall,
this was a light and fluffy entry in to the heist category.
Director Brett Ratner (Rush Hour 2, Red Dragon)
does an adequate job of giving us a tropical vacation in
November, with some major felony thrown in for fun. After
the Sunset is an enjoyable film, but not something
for the Movie Heist Hall of Fame.
Rating:
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