Gerard Butler as 'Big Nick' O'Brien and O’Shea Jackson Jr. as Donnie Wilson in Den of Thieves 2: Panthera. Photo Credit: Rico Torres.
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To talk about the sequel Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, we must first chat about the first film which many feel is a lamer version of Michael Mann’s classic crime opus Heat. True, the latter is a film that all other crime-thrillers are measured but even though Gerard Butler’s flick is a poor man’s version, I still enjoyed the hell out of it frankly due to Butler’s over the top performance as cop on the edge “Big Nick” O’Brien as well as Pablo Schreiber as Nick’s ex-special forces soldier turned bank robber foe Ray Merrimen. The initial film did have its share of problems, including an overindulgent running time, but I was still immersed in this world that is punctuated with a fierce and brutal shootout for the finale. Simply put to move on with this review, one can love Heat and like Den of Thieves immensely.
With all that said, here we are six years later as the sequel Pantera has finally graced cinema screens all over and let me just say that if you were not a fan of the original, then this one will surely not win you over. One of the biggest improvements over the first film is that writer-director Christian Gudegast, who returns from the first installment, has broaden this world of thieves having it go global with a Euro-style vibe to it that seeks to ramp up the proceedings. Also, it helps that Butler is back and even though Big Nick is more subdued here, an unfortunate circumstance of consequences for all his bravado and recklessness, he’s still Big Nick and this Nick is looking to take what, he thinks in his mind, is his. Butler is a product of old school action, and I’ve always said that he deserves to be in the same class as all the other icons even though he’s more of a blue-collar hero starring in more mid-level action films. Butler owns the screen whenever he is present and here Gudegast makes sure that he’s in almost all of it.
Also back is O’Shea Jackson Jr’s Donnie, who escaped at the end of the first movie only to go overseas to put his genius level brain to the ultimate task of stealing a fortune in diamonds. I did miss Schreiber for this one, his character is dead after all, but teaming up Nick and Donnie was a stroke of genius giving the sequel a buddy action film aesthetic mixed with high stakes heists and in your face action that doesn’t come along often but when it does, it punctuates the movie with flair, gusto and, yes, bravado.
The plot for Pantera centers around Big Nick of course who is now a former LASD officer having to quit after the events of the initial movie. Couple that with a recent divorce and Nick has fallen on hard times and is looking to make a better life for himself. This leads him to Belgium, most notable Antwerp, where he tracks Donnie down and forces himself in on Donnie’s latest heist involving the World Diamond Center. Just like robbing the Federal Treasury, again it’s go big or go home for Donnie and seeing the opportunity, he accepts Nick into the fold and the two set off to do the unthinkable but on the same side this time.
I mentioned earlier that going global here was perfect as it makes this world bigger and badder than just having L.A. as the landscape and if anything, this brings it closer to making it look like it could come from the world of Michale Mann. Again, I knew how to separate Den of Thieves from Heat so that’s why I think I enjoyed it so much and with the follow up, it’s definitely go big and not going home. After all, Heat is a remake of a made for TV film that Mann did so think about that when you stick it on its pedestal.
Those who had issue with Butler’s performance will like the fact that here he is downgraded and not as cartoonish but it’s still there. He’s just learned a little something from his mistakes and there is still a layer of macho infused humor to play along with. What makes Pantera work so well is the chemistry between Butler and Jackson and while the two didn’t share a lot of screentime before, here they are connected for almost the entire movie and with it comes welcoming retro buddy action vibes reminiscent of Riggs and Murtaugh or Tango & Cash and the two are all in from the get go leading to the desired effect and outcome fans could want.
Problems I did have with this follow up include less than memorable characters outside of Nick and Donnie and where I said Schreiber and company are missing here, the supporting cast does little to warrant any real mention here. Nothing against them but I just didn’t click really with anyone else like in the first flick. Detractors saying that the first film was too long will certainly hate the fact that this one is longer (clocking in at around 140 minutes) making the argument again that some could have been trimmed out. The action maybe accounts for 10 to 12 minutes of the entire running time, but I feel that having smaller beats of adrenaline showcased it even better when it hit and it hit harder than if there was wall to wall chaos. In this case, less is definitely and without a doubt more.
What action there is looks fantastic on the big screen and it includes a climatic heist sequence when it finally goes down that is harrowing, taut and feverishly upscale. When you know that the people onscreen are doing something wrong but are still rooting for them, then you know the filmmakers did their job in making you care for these flawed individuals. Just like the first robbery only better, the heist is the meat on the film while the subsequent car chase and shootout is the icing on the dessert cake. It’s expertly crafted, thrilling and manly with bullets and sweat flying everywhere at a hyper speed that tops it all off with a bombastic cherry on top. Big Nick gets to let loose and do some major damage and I’ll take as much of him in hopeful future installments that I can get.
All in all, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is the perfect January barnburner for the cold weather. The European landscape, international flavor and thrilling heist action is the near perfect antidote for what ails ya. Butler and Jackson work great together and fill the sequel with the buddy comradery that will entice viewers to check this one out and the action, when it arrives, is blunt force trauma with a heavy dose of speed infused in. Filmmaker Christian Gudegast has managed to take the best elements of the original and rev it up with awesome performances from the two leads complete with a banging score that enhances the action and dramatics on the screen. This weekend saw the release of Donnie Yen’s The Prosecutor as well and coupled with this film, 2025 is staring off with a collective bang and boom. Big Nick is welcome back at any time.
VERDICT: 4 Out of 5 Stars
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera Infuses Retro Buddy Action Banter with Pulsating Heist Thrills and Big World Expansion!
