Customer Reviews

Takers [Blu-ray]

5 star:		(22)
4 star:		(26)
3 star:		(17)
2 star:		(16)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

I have to say that besides the delicious eye candy. I enjoyed the movie. It was action pack there were a couple of times when the plot was predictable but overall a good movie.

The heist genre has seen a number of films released over the past few years, most notably THE ITALIAN JOB. But there have been a number of others to follow including the recently released TAKERS.

The film revolves around a group of professional thieves who are just finishing up from their latest job, a bank job where they scored big and no one got hurt. These guys try to make sure no one gets hurt and that the plans are well thought out and executed. In return for their heists going well, they aren't charged with murder and the money they take makes them wealthy men.

As this story unfolds another one opens with the release from prison of Dalonte Rivers (T.I.) aka Ghost. Ghost just finished doing time after being caught in a previous job by this same group. In return for his silence they've held onto his share and kept an opening for him. Returned to collect on that debt, he comes to them with a new job.

The group is hesitant to do so having just completed one, but the sure thing information he provides them makes them consider it. The biggest problem is that they have just five days to prepare. And five days not only gives you little time to be ready, but no chance at all to make sure that everything will run as smooth as it has in the past.

While the thieves are preparing their new target police officer Jack Welles (Matt Dillon) is searching for them. Assigned the case, he and his partner are following every clue possible. At the same time Jack is dodging an Internal Affairs officer, fearing he will be reprimanded for accusations of excessive violence while apprehending a criminal. His focus is the bank job and he won't be deterred in his pursuit of the crew.

The paths of these two sides of the story eventually collide and a chance encounter leads Jack to follow the crew's leader Gordon Cozier (Idris Elba). In following him he's led to the rest of the gang and surveillance places them almost in line to capture them before the next heist. But a smart escape leaves them free to complete their task: the robbery of an armored car loaded with cash.

The interplay between characters works well in this film, especially since it involves more than one piece of action. Ghost wants back in to a crew that has changed since he last worked with them, including one of the members now dating his old girlfriend. The crew wants to score big but at the same time is hesitant to trust Ghost, even more so since this job appears out of nowhere and Ghost seems to be rushing into a job immediately upon release.

And then there's the story of the dogged policeman in Dillon's character who wants to do nothing more than put bad guys in jail but is hampered by the technicalities that, in his mind, hold him back. But there's more to that story as well.

All of these elements combine to make an exciting film filled with more story than most, enough action to keep fans sitting on the edge of their seat and plot twists that keep you guessing until the credits roll. Some may figure it out before then, but even if you do you'll stay focused on the film as the story unfolds.

I'll admit I had seen the trailer for this film so many times that I had no interest in viewing it. But I thought I'd at least give it a chance. I'm glad I did as I came across a solid action film that kept me watching from beginning to end never once checking to see how much time was left. If you want exciting action filled entertainment, you'd be hard pressed to find another movie to compare to this one this week.

Excellent movie. Love all the action and somewhat suspense. Also the characters were perfect for the role they played. This one is added to my DVD movie collection.

A treasure trove of the sexiest Black actors out today! This movie had me drooling and wishing it was me...great movie. The company that I bought it from was excellent and would definitely do business with them again!

I like both these actors so I am able to put aside the fact that I am not real thrilled with the bad-boy rapper type dudes that co-star in this movie. While it does fall in with the typical bad language and other trends of the movies of our time it is a good action packed piece. I am somewhat prejudiced because I am an avid Hayden Christensen fan (and he is the main reason I bought this dvd)but I honestly did enjoy the movie.Paul Walker has already proven himself as an action movie star with the Fast and Furious franchise but Christensen is just getting his feet wet in this genre. He does a good job playing with the veteran and I think he has a future far beyond Anakin Skywalker if everybody would just give the kid a break.If you like a lot of action and the crime movies give it a try. It's actually a pretty good watch.

This is a crime thriller that's a bit shy on the thrills. We've seen movies like this any number of times and the quality can vary greatly. This is by no means a bad movie, but it's nothing you probably haven't already seen any number of times.

Here's the scoop. You have a small team of guys who do mostly bank jobs. They're very smart, very professional, very organized and always pull big jobs so they can take a long time between heists and lower their risk of getting caught. One of the crew who was just recently released from the joint coerces them into a rush job that puts everything in jeopardy. Meanwhile, a detective (Matt Dillon) and his partner are slowly but surely closing in on them. So the question is: Will the bad guys succeed in their heist? Will their recently released partner double cross them? Will Matt and his partner spoil things?

This sports a very decent cast. There are a lot of names and faces you will recognize. All do a good job, though Paul Walker has surprisingly little to do. It's directed well, shot and edited well and the music score is decent enough. The problem, as I mentioned, is that there really isn't anything new here. The planning, the chases, the internal turmoil all play out in paint by numbers fashion. It needs the type of pizzaz that Guy Richie brings to his movies. But I have to admit that I did like the way all the plot elements panned out at the end. It's not all clean cut.

If you're prone to this sort of thing there are worse ways to spend your time. Just don't expect anything too original or exciting.

TAKERS is a very entertaining "cops-and-robbers" movie, enhanced with several well-executed action sequences that depend on stunts, rather than CGI.

Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Michael Ealy, Hayden Christenson and Chris Brown make up a gang of Los Angeles bank robbers who have been able to pull off some remarkable, big money heists without being caught. Their luck takes a downward turn when a former associate (Tip "T.I." Harris) approaches them with a fantastic deal involving enough cash that the gang will be able to retire. Now, aside from the cops (headed by Matt Dillon and Jay Hernandez) close on their trail, the gang also has to deal with the Russian Mob and a major double-cross by one of their own.

Directed by John Luessenhop, the film is cut from the same cloth as Michael Mann's HEAT (1995) in that it takes the audience into the personal lives of the criminals, humanizing them to the point where we almost wish that they will get away with their crimes.

The screenplay by Peter Allen, Gabriel Casseus, Avery Duff and Luessenhop contains several surprising plot twists, but also more than one lapse in logic. For example, in an opening sequence, the gangs robs a Federal bank, which had me wondering throughout the movie, why the LAPD was taking the lead in the investigation, rather than the FBI, which never even makes an appearance in the picture.

However, the exciting action scenes, including the spectacular heist on the streets of downtown Los Angeles and a later shootout at Hollywood's Roosevelt Hotel, certainly take you mind off the minor failings of this likable "popcorn" movie that is what it is.

On the other hand, I sort of felt sorry for the hotel maid at the Roosevelt who was going to have to clean the rooms at the Roosevelt after the gang had finished with them.

:-)

The DVD from Sony Pictures Home Entertainment contains audio commentary by the producers and director, plus a music video.

© Michael B. Druxman

Takers is a good modern day bank heist movie that's a cross between The Italian Job and The Town with a suprising ending that's similar to Waist Deep. Now that was a surprise! I thought that the ending would be different.

Man people who didn't like this movie are just silly. This movie was hard core. All pretty good actors. They all played their roles and it worked for the movie.

Takers "action packed" from beginning to end. Great line up of actors that blended together well and a good crime story. Highly recommended if you like a lot of action.