A group of unemployed military, intelligence and CIA agents from around the globe are employed for a covert operation in Europe. The group must capture a briefcase for Deirde, however a series of double crosses and set-ups leads some members of the group into a dangerous game of betrayal and treachery.
This set itself out as something fantastically different from special FX films, but really this is an addition to the spy thriller genre with the same old hackneyed plot and rough characters. The plot here is quite good for the most part - the best bits being the build-up to getting the case and the chases, however the latter half falls into double-cross mania and loses much of the credibility it had early on. The film also tries to rope the plot into real life events involving the IRA, but this doesn't work and just creates a bit of a mess at the end. However, as I said, before all the baggage starts to weigh the film down this is a very tight little thriller with a simple plot.
The main talking point of the film at the time of release was the car chase scenes. No using any CGI effects, these are very exciting and very well executed throughout the film and, unlike some critics claimed, you don't get bored of them after the first one (there's only 2 or 3). The direction is excellent during these scenes - highlighting the speed, danger and narrowness of the streets, the only criticism would be the camera lingering on several multiple pileups in the wake of the action, these made me feel like I was watching the Blues Brothers or Cannonball Run rather than a thriller.
The characters are good, if a little stereotyped. De Niro and Reno and good together and have a nice chemistry for the most part. McElhone is good as the IRA leader of the group, while of the others Sean Bean and Skarsgård stand out. The worst link in the film is Jonathon Pryce's IRA mastermind - he has one of the worst Northern Ireland accents I've ever heard and his performance is limited by that.
Overall an enjoyable thriller that loses it's way towards the end as it starts to get tangled up in it's own plot.
