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Review by Greg King
4 stars out of 4
This slick and undeniably entertaining thriller about a
seductive female insurance investigator who tries to catch a suave
thief almost makes the forthcoming remake of the 1968 caper movie The
Thomas Crown Affair redundant. Entrapment takes the basic plot
details and updates them with sophisticated technology of the late
'90's, and throws in a few extra twists and turns to make it more
interesting. Cleverly written by Ron Bass (Rain Man, etc), Entrapment
also brings to mind Hitchcock's To Catch A Thief and its ilk. The
film adheres closely to the charming formula of those wonderful caper
thrillers from the '60's, but adds a few cynical 90's touches.
When a $25 million Rembrandt is stolen from a New York
skyscraper, insurance investigator Virginia "Gin" Baker (Catherine
Zeta-Jones, who last heated up the screen in the entertaining The Mask
Of Zorro) sets out to prove that notorious but debonair cat burglar
and art thief Robert MacDougal (Sean Connery) is responsible. She
plans to trap him by convincing him to help steal a priceless Chinese
heirloom from a museum. But she also has another agenda in mind.
MacDougal soon finds himself involved in trying to steal billions from
Malaysia's high-tech securities bank on the eve of the new millennium.
As with the great caper comedies of the past, the film
explores in detail the elaborate plotting and daring execution of
their impossible robberies. The uneasy relationship that slowly
develops between the pair is further characterised by a mutual lack of
trust.
British director Jon Amiel (The Singing Detective, etc) is
better known for his off beat comedies, but he brings plenty of
suspense and tension to the material. The key set pieces are superbly
staged. There are a number of implausibilities within the convoluted
plot, and a willing suspension of disbelief comes in handy.
However, the sheer chemistry between the two stars more than
carries the movie. Connery may be the oldest action hero in the
business, but he shows few signs of slowing down or making concessions
for his age. He still oozes charisma and carries off the role with
deceptive ease and conviction. The gorgeous Zeta-Jones is seductive,
sultry and heats up the screen as the tough heroine. Unlike many
other superannuated stars, Connery actually makes the older
man-younger woman dynamic work here. Connery and Zeta-Jones develop a
real chemistry, and their scenes together positively shimmer with a
palpable sexual tension. Ving Rhames (from Mission: Impossible, etc)
is along for the ride as the enigmatic Thibadeaux, whose involvement
in the scheme of things is never really explained until the
conclusion.
The ending is a little clumsily handled, but otherwise
Entrapment quickly snares audiences with its appealing and
sophisticated combination of suspense, romance and old fashioned
entertainment.
Copyright © 2000 Greg King
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