The Italian Job (M, 111mins) Directed by F. Gary Gray **½
The 1969 classic crime caper, The Italian Job, was very much a product of its time.
Mixing British nationalistic fervour with swinging ‘60s sexism, James Bond style-action, Carry On humour and Great Train Robbery audaciousness, the movie was a huge success and is still a cult favourite.
It cemented Michael Caine’s leading-man status (although the studio had initially wanted Robert Redford) and made stars out of the three Mini Coopers used in the $4m gold heist.
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The original Michael Caine-starring The Italian Job was first released in cinemas in 1969.
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At the time of making the film there was no ending, and it was left to the studio to come up with the famous cliffhanger finale – brilliantly parodied by BBC’s The Young Ones in the 1980s.
Producer Michael Deeley says the ending was specifically designed to allow for a sequel, any talk of a remake would be “nonsense”.
More than three decades on, Deeley’s nonsense became Hollywood’s cash-cow in 2003. But to steal a line from Planet of the Apes director Tim Burton, this is a “reimagining” rather than a Gus (Psycho) Van Sant remake.
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Even the combined charisma of Mark Wahlberg, Charlize Theron and the Mini can’t save the 2003 version of The Italian Job.
Only the main character’s name, traffic jams, Minis and a trip to Italy remain the same. Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) and his team of crims travel to Venice – rather than the original’s Turin – hellbent on stealing a safe full of $35m (inflation and all that) of gold. They succeed in pulling off the Italian job, but before they can disperse with the loot, the squad discovers one of their number Steve (Edward Norton) has made a few plans of his own.
Cut to a year later and the surviving members are joined by the safe-cracking, Mini-driving Stella (Charlize Theron) in seeking revenge on the double-crossing Steve.
Director F. Gary Gray lets the audience know early that this Italian Job is going to be something altogether darker. We’re immediately whisked into the middle of the action, with none of the wisecrackery which pervaded the original. These guys are all business. Gray does a good job of handling the two main set-pieces, but it’s the bits in between that prevent the film from being a satisfying, smooth action ride.
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The Italian Job is a potentially explosive action movie let down by the intrusion of Hollywood conventions.
Writers Donna and Wayne Powers (Deep Blue Sea) shoehorn all manner of Hollywood cliches into the mix, including a father figure, love interest, Charlie’s Angels-style flashbacks and former Soviet Union heavies, all of which only detracts from the central heist.
There is some humour, but it’s not a patch on Caine’s cheeky chappies, with only a running gag about Napstar to keep the noughties kids amused (something that now definitely dates this).
Wahlberg, who at the time was rapidly developing a reputation as a remake king, after turns in Apes and Charade remake The Truth About Charlie, again shows he patently lacks the charisma as a leading man. Here his Charlie is dull and uninspiring.
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Director F. Gary Gray does a good job of handling the two main set-pieces, but it’s the bits in between that prevent The Italian Job from being a satisfying, smooth action ride.
The support cast isn’t much better. Jason Statham just repeats his Transporter role, while the permanently grumpy Norton has made it clear his participation was a result of contractual obligation, not choice, and his desire not to be there shows. And surely the casting of Charlize Theron was a mistake, they should have called Minnie Driver.
Fortunately Caine had the good sense to steer clear of appearing (except on a TV screen) in this disappointing remake after the debacle that was 2001’s Get Carter.
A potentially explosive action movie let down by the intrusion of Hollywood conventions. Sometimes less is more. To quote Caine’s Charlie Croker: “You’re only supposed to blow the bloody doors off”.
The Italian Job is now available to stream on Netflix.
