I did not go into "Entrapment" expecting too much, and well, there wasn't much. I have come to the conclusion that there are only two reasons why people may like this movie and both have to do with the two leading stars. Sean Connery is universally seen as the best looking older man and his Scottish charm is of course also one of his attractions. Then there is Catherine Zeta Jones, a red-hot newcomer whose luscious figure would make any man want to watch. "Entrapment" is a perfect example of a Hollywood star film, which has the sole purpose of raking in as much cash as possible. Any attraction to the film is based entirely on its stars. I saw the movie with a number of people who liked it, and when I was discussing it with them, all of their praise was based on the two leads.
The director, Jon Amiel is generally an unknown film-maker to most people. He has done "Copycat" and "Sommersby", both of which are average films and whose success can be attributed to the stars. "Entrapment" does not contain any breakthroughs in terms of editing or cinematography, and it certainly does not have an original plot. We have seen the formula that makes this movie many times, perhaps in varying inflections, but essentially the same. So what's left, entertainment value. Many people reading this review may think that I do not look at films in terms of entertainment value. Not the case. There are many films that I have given excellent reviews to based entirely on the merit of entertainment. Two recent examples that I can think of are "Cruel Intentions" and "Go". But "Entrapment" lacks anything close to what might have been an entertaining or interesting plot. The idea of basing a heist that will only work if it is conducted on New Years of the Millennium is a great idea. I would love to see a film about the meticulous planning and the execution of such an endeavor. "Entrapment" tries to accomplish too much and ends up leaving such huge plot holes that the film feels rushed and absurd.
Gin (Catherine Zeta Jones) takes on the role of an insurance agent/undercover thief who hooks up with Robert (Sean Connery) a rich career criminal to execute a couple of huge international heists. They train together in Robert's castle. There are a few scenes here that I enjoyed. I especially liked the scenes of Gin practicing avoiding lasers simulated by strands of yarn
Of course Robert and Gin have a romantic tension that is complicated by the rules of being a thief. You can not trust each other if you're romantically involved, right? At first, they do not seem to get along. Hollywood loves to put together two misfits who have to put aside their differences to accomplish some task. This formula has marked the cop-buddy film for years. Take for instance the first Lethal Weapon. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover at first hate each other. And in "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson did not at first get along, but in the end their differences are put aside and they emerge as friends.
"Entrapment" also exists as a catalyst to Hollywood's ongoing trend to have romantic encounters between young, extremely attractive women, and much older men. There is a forty year age difference between Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Zones. Other recent examples of this trend include Michael Douglas and Gyneth Paltrow in "A Perfect Murder" and Harrison Ford and Anne Heche in "Six Days Seven Nights". This trend is not necessarily a negative thing, but in "Entrapment", it's just too blatantly obvious and cliched.
"Entrapment" is a movie that had potential, but got lost in a number of cliches and its hurriedness. Connery and Jones do have chemistry and look good together, but forget the romantic tension; leave it for romantic films. Forget the first heist; it feels like filler to keep us occupied until the final scenes and climax. A strong film could have been made with the planning of the year 2000 heist. Because it would be the heist of the century, so many ideas could have been developed which would have made for a much more entertaining film.
** out of ****
The director, Jon Amiel is generally an unknown film-maker to most people. He has done "Copycat" and "Sommersby", both of which are average films and whose success can be attributed to the stars. "Entrapment" does not contain any breakthroughs in terms of editing or cinematography, and it certainly does not have an original plot. We have seen the formula that makes this movie many times, perhaps in varying inflections, but essentially the same. So what's left, entertainment value. Many people reading this review may think that I do not look at films in terms of entertainment value. Not the case. There are many films that I have given excellent reviews to based entirely on the merit of entertainment. Two recent examples that I can think of are "Cruel Intentions" and "Go". But "Entrapment" lacks anything close to what might have been an entertaining or interesting plot. The idea of basing a heist that will only work if it is conducted on New Years of the Millennium is a great idea. I would love to see a film about the meticulous planning and the execution of such an endeavor. "Entrapment" tries to accomplish too much and ends up leaving such huge plot holes that the film feels rushed and absurd.
Gin (Catherine Zeta Jones) takes on the role of an insurance agent/undercover thief who hooks up with Robert (Sean Connery) a rich career criminal to execute a couple of huge international heists. They train together in Robert's castle. There are a few scenes here that I enjoyed. I especially liked the scenes of Gin practicing avoiding lasers simulated by strands of yarn
Of course Robert and Gin have a romantic tension that is complicated by the rules of being a thief. You can not trust each other if you're romantically involved, right? At first, they do not seem to get along. Hollywood loves to put together two misfits who have to put aside their differences to accomplish some task. This formula has marked the cop-buddy film for years. Take for instance the first Lethal Weapon. Mel Gibson and Danny Glover at first hate each other. And in "Die Hard: With a Vengeance" Bruce Willis and Samuel Jackson did not at first get along, but in the end their differences are put aside and they emerge as friends.
"Entrapment" also exists as a catalyst to Hollywood's ongoing trend to have romantic encounters between young, extremely attractive women, and much older men. There is a forty year age difference between Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta Zones. Other recent examples of this trend include Michael Douglas and Gyneth Paltrow in "A Perfect Murder" and Harrison Ford and Anne Heche in "Six Days Seven Nights". This trend is not necessarily a negative thing, but in "Entrapment", it's just too blatantly obvious and cliched.
"Entrapment" is a movie that had potential, but got lost in a number of cliches and its hurriedness. Connery and Jones do have chemistry and look good together, but forget the romantic tension; leave it for romantic films. Forget the first heist; it feels like filler to keep us occupied until the final scenes and climax. A strong film could have been made with the planning of the year 2000 heist. Because it would be the heist of the century, so many ideas could have been developed which would have made for a much more entertaining film.
** out of ****