Customer Reviews

The Italian Job [HD DVD]

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(54)
3 star:		(23)
2 star:		(12)
1 star:		(9)

 

 

Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) has planned a gold heist with a group of professionals in Venice, Italy, that displays his sophisticated style without using violence. In order to accomplish the heist Croker has asked the old-timer John Bridger (Donald Sutherland) to help crack the safe in which the gold is located. They get safely away with a large amount of gold, however, Steve (Edward Norton) has decided to keep all the gold for himself and kill the rest of the group. Steve shoots John while the rest of the group escapes, but they decide on settling the score with Steve as they decide to take the gold back with the help of John's daughter Stella (Charlize Theron). The Italian Job is a fun and suspenseful action film with car chases and dubious schemes, which leaves the audience with a good cinematic experience.

I have watched this a few times and it's engaging every time. This is more than just shoot-em-up action; it's clever! And Ms. Theron gorgeous or what?!

I Like It!! Très bon film, c'est on copain qui me l'a conseillé et j'adore les minis hihihih!!! Belle intrigue, je recommande!!

cute movie, but there was a bit too much mini-cooper in it.

come on, is this a movie or commerical?

This is a movie plenty of action. The script runs about an old thief who decides make the las robery. Thirty five millions in gold is a great temptation . But suddenly there will be a twist of fate.
Wonderful locations and excellent special effects. Shuterland as always, steals the show. Walberg is OK and the cosmic beauty of Charlize Theron plays a convincing role.
There are many hair raising sequences.
A good entertainment but without the punch of the previous version from the sixties.

Most of THE ITALIAN JOB is set in Los Angeles, but that's okay as the script coyly uses the heist in Italy as its model in LA. Mark Wahlberg stars as Charlie, a likeable thief (if there are such things?), who vows revenge after his compatriate, played with villainess glory by Edward Norton, undermines the Italian job, steals the gold and also kills Charlie's mentor and surrogate father, nicely played by Donald Sutherland. With that being the main plot, director F. Gary Gray wisely focuses on the heist and the chase scenes, minis in glory, are beautifully executed. Wahlberg has that stoic manliness we used to get from guys like Mitchum and Widmark; Charlize Theron as Sutherland's beautiful daughter, does nicely; Jason Statham, Seth Green and Mos Def are perfect members of Wahlberg's gang. The flashbacks where Wahlberg explains how they all got into crime are hilarious. Crisp editing, a marvelous score by John Powell and beautiful locales help add to the pluses of this well done thriller.

A group of expert thieves led by mastermind Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his father figure mentor, John Bridger (Donald Sutherland), successfully steals 35 million dollars worth of gold from a Venetian safe. But they are quickly double-crossed by one of their own partners in crime, who kills Bridger and forces the others to plummet into an icy river, leaving them for dead.
A year goes by and Croker contacts Stella (Charlize Theron), Bridger's daughter and a safe-cracking expert, and tells her that he has picked up the trail of the man who killed her father. He invites her to join his team and help reclaim their gold and avenge John Bridger's death.
Don't be discouraged from watching this movie by believing it to be a modernized remake of the 1969 classic. While there are definitely some connections between them (a plot-driving gold heist, car chases involving mini coopers and the movies' titles), this one is an excellently executed, Gary Gray film that shines on its own.
In a tight, solid plot it combines fast-paced action, thrilling suspense, clever and daring heists, great locales, state-of-the-art technology, engaging and witty characters, and a healthy dose of comedy skillfully added in all the right places. And the fact that it leaves out any unnecessary dramatic, life-altering issues makes it even more fun to watch.
The enjoyable mix of characters flawlessly portrayed by the actors, come alive through smart, snappy dialogues and believable characterizations. The choice of good, old-fashioned stunts that lend authenticity to the action over the not always effective CGI special effects, and the surprisingly pleasant musical score, give this movie the perfect finishing touch.
Sit back and enjoy the ride!
--Reviewed by M. E. Volmar

My guess is those that loved Lost in Translation will HATE this movie, and those that loved The Italian Job hated Lost in Translation. Just my suspicion.

But this was full of action, and thank you writers for no love scenes (I'm a girl and I hate love scenes in action flicks).

The bad reviews are coming from those that enjoy witty, thought provoking, ground breaking movies, and nothing else (could you ALL possibly be law professors and accountants?) and if that's what you're looking for, then forget it!

BUT, if you are looking for great action, fun, great acting (except from Wahlberg) and a great time, then pick up this movie - you won't be sorry...

Hopefully, that caption didn't scare you off. This movie provided pure escapism that didn't annoy the viewer with illogical twists or a plot that unravels. I enjoyed this movie much more than I thought I might. It was a surprisingly good adventure story that remained solid to the ending credits. Yeah, you rooted for the good guys (or is that criminals?) all the way through the film but aren't you suppose to in this genre, if it's done right? This movie was done more than right - it was done with a well written script, snappy dialogue, fast paced plot, interesting characters and great acting. Ohhh, the cars didn't hurt either - made me want to run out and get a mini cooper until I remembered they were made by BMW not to mention having two kids....ahhhh the magic of a good film.

I like Seth Green, and he did a fairly good job taming and personalizing an overblown character.

The Italian scenery was entertaining.

...And that's where the compliments for this movie end.

The "Italian" part of this job is just the first few minutes. So is its legitimate plot & well-filmed action. After 10 minutes, you can safely ignore-- or curse at--- the remainder of the film.

This is a feature-length commercial for the small, british car that has also plagued us through product placement in Austin Powers movies.

If product placement doesn't interfere with a movie's plotline, and never makes even an astute viewer think "I've just PAID to watch a COMMERCIAL" for even one moment, then I'm OK with it. If a character in MIB (Tommy Lee Jones, Will SMith) just happens to be wearing a cool watch or sunglasses, FINE.

However, this... is not that. FAR from it. This is a movie that is so governed by its product placement, that it's a complete insult to anyone who paid to watch it, even if it's as a $1-rental-video. Plot, photography, dialogue, physics-- it's all plastic bubble-wrapping around this brick of a commercial, and it's hurled through your window.

We're asked to believe that these low-slung, cramped matchbox cars are the TOOL OF CHOICE for (get this) stealing heavy gold from a California home...that just happens to have super-wide hallways and (huh ?) special rules of physics so hallway corners, doorways, and staircases are still navigable by these pathetic excuses for cars....WHILE LADEN WITH HEAVY GOLD.
Oh yeah...and then, these selfsame cars that're pushed at us in the house, are the TOOL OF CHOICE for racing along huge truck-wide sewers and city streets.

No, no, NO ! Damnit, NO !
"THe Marketing Genius of Product Placement" let his moronic intern write this movie. Murder both of them-- No, their entire warped, pay-me-to-slap-you product placement agency.

In Japan, this movie was named after the car: "Mini, mini, mini." Doesn't that tell you everything you need to know about the film ? Go buy a movie that works to earn its purchase price, not this ersatz car commercial.