“A good sequel to one of the most underrated Heist film from 2018”

Dir: Christian Gudegast
Prod: Gerard Butler, Christian Gudegast, Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson, Tucker Tooley, Alan Siegel, Mark Canton, O’Shea Jackson Jr.
Writ: Christian Gudegast, Paul Scheuring
Cast: Gerard Butler, O’Shea Jackson Jr., Evin Ahmad, Salvatore Esposito, Meadow Williams, Michael Bisping

(THIS REVIEW HAS BEEN UPDATED) I want to say thanks to Lionsgate & Cinema XXI for inviting me on special screening in 6 January 2025.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is a sequel to the 2018 Den of Thieves, which, for me, is still one of the most underrated heist movies of this century. While I don’t think it’s a masterpiece or a flawless film like Heat, it’s somehow far superior to other heist movies like Triple 9 or even The Town. I just appreciate how real and grounded Den of Thieves is compared to those two films. Over the years, people have started to appreciate it more. When the first movie was released, critics had mixed feelings about it, but audiences loved it, considering it one of the best Heat homages out there because of how similar it is to Michael Mann’s work. In fact, I still think it’s better than Michael Mann’s more recent films, Blackhat and Ferrari.

Now, let’s talk about the sequel. How does it compare to the first one? Is it better? Yes, in some ways, it is. The story is stronger this time, with no unnecessary subplots to drag it down. The filmmakers clearly listened to the critic and audience’s complaints about the first movie’s pacing, and the plot is now much tighter and feels integral to the overall story. Despite these improvements, the movie still shares some of the same issues as the first one.

One of the aspects I need to praise is that this remains a thinking man’s heist movie, just like the first one and Heat. This is by no means a brainless action film filled with shootouts. It’s a tactical heist movie that takes its time. The runtime is only four minutes longer than the first movie, but it builds tension and offers solid character development. We understand why the characters are doing what they do Big Nick (played by Gerard Butler) switching sides, and Donnie (played by O’Shea Jackson Jr.) deciding to rob the World Diamond Center (WDC) to recover a stolen diamond and save his life from the Mafia. The cinematography is also stunning, with beautiful shots of the orange-tinted French and LA cityscapes, giving the film a noir-ish feel reminiscent of Michael Mann’s earlier works like Collateral and Ronin (another heist movie starring Robert De Niro, which this film paying homage to).

The opening heist in Antwerp, Belgium, is fantastic one of the most intense prologue heist scenes of the year. It stands out because the guns aren’t firing at all the guns start firing almost like near the end of the chase scene, and there’s an awesome getaway scene that no other heist films can do like Takers, Triple 9, Widows, and The Town. It’s exciting, intense, and adrenaline-pumping. The final car chase, after the heist at the World Diamond Center (WDC), lasts about 35-40 minutes and is pure non-stop action. The gunshots are loud and echoey, preserving that signature Michael Mann sound. If you asked me who could recreate that distinct gunshot sound, I’d say Christian Gudegast, who clearly knows Michael Mann’s style well. The action sequences are beautifully shot with wide takes and handheld cameras, allowing us to see everything without making our heads feel dizzy.

The chemistry between Gerard Butler and O’Shea Jackson Jr. is great they seem to be having fun while shooting this film. Most of the cast delivers strong performances, including Evin Ahmad, who plays the mastermind. She’s not only pretty and exotic but also brings a logcal reason to her character why she do this thing.

My biggest complaint is the editing. Joel Cox, who edited the first movie, didn’t return because he was busy working on Clint Eastwood’s final film Juror #2. Instead, Robert Nordh was brought on as the editor. While I don’t know much about his previous work, the editing in this movie feels chaotic at times. There are some jarring scene transitions, a mash-up of scenes that come out of nowhere, cheesy dialogue, and humor that doesn’t quite land. Some of the music choices feel a bit out of place. Although Cliff Martinez didn’t return as composer, he did come back as a music supervisor. The film’s music, composed by Kevin Matley, includes some Middle Eastern-esque tracks, but with Martinez’s help as a supervisor, the synth scores from the first one also make a return. However, the ending feels a bit abrupt like, “Is that really it?” Don’t get me wrong: the first film’s ending wasn’t great either, but this one doesn’t leave you with any lingering questions.

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is still a solid sequel. Right now, I think if Michael Mann were to make Heat 2 and release it without maintaining the same level of quality as the original Heat or Collateral, I would probably say Christian Gudegast is my go to director for this type of mature, thoughtful heist movie. His work here just directing two movies, the first Den of Thieves and this one is still superior to Michael Mann’s last two films, Blackhat and Ferrari. The fact that Gudegast is paying homage to Ronin but also skillfully crafted with this movie shows just how competent he is as a director. This film is a thoughtful heist story that requires attention to detail without relying too heavily on dialogue. Despite its flaws, it’s still a good movie, much like the first one, though not necessarily better. I recommend watching it, and if Christian Gudegast continues making movies of this caliber, he might just become my new favorite action director.

My Rating: B-