The Hatton Garden Job

I enjoy heist movies and was so looking forward to this but what a disappointment. It felt as though it had been filmed in one go over a weekend, the sound quality was dreadful and the characters, by and large, were little more than comic book characters.

The crucial thing: the meticulous planning and preparation that went into this heist was almost entirely omitted from the film. One moment they're mumbling inaudibly over a few flat pints and the next they're drilling through the vault wall and opening safety deposit boxes to some loud rock music.

This is at the bottom of the barrel as far as heist movies go and the worst film I've seen for several months. Don't waste your time unless you really, really, don't have anything better to do.

There have amazingly been three films about the true story of the heist on the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit facility in 2015.

Until now I have not seen any of them. For me the trailers for such movies look so cliqued. Boring for want of another word.

This film does not disappoint in that respect. It plays like a TV drama or extended episode of a British TV soap opera called Eastenders. Complete with West Ham United scenes and flags.

It even stars a couple of ex Eastenders 'actors' in Larry Lamb and Phil Daniels.

The film is not terrible. It is just so unoriginal. Done so many times before. It's just a cheap heist rehash.

I began to nod off about three quarters into the film.

The main USP of this story is that the lags that took place are old timers who have health problems that involve over active prostate, diabetes and emphysema.

Should I even bother with the other two films? King of Thieves starring Michael Caine being the latest?

The Hatton Cross Job is a fictional story based on facts. In Easter 2015, the Hatton Garden Safe Deposit Company was robbed by four old lags.

Matthew Goode plays the unnamed young man who recruits the old timers with their various ailments who know how to steal the old way. Goode is bankrolled by some East Europeans but an ex copper is on to him.

This is an efficient, low budget film. A couple of actors like Stephen Moyer drop in for a scene or two. It is not too far departed from the lovable ageing gangsters trope, reminiscing and joking about the good old days when the villains lived by a code. Then wondering where the next dose of painkillers have got to.

This film tells the story of a group of older criminals and a young man, who team up to rob a safety deposit box company in London. It turns out that they have successfully pulled off the biggest heist in the history of Britain.

"The Hatton Garden Job" could have been a thrilling heist film, but I think it is pretty flat. Most of the film shows them in an enclosed space drilling holes with Hilti equipment. It is not that interesting, to be honest. Even though there are several occasions where they are close to getting caught, or something big happens, none of these instances offer any thrill or highs. The film comes across as too descriptive and plain to be exciting.

This film could have been so much better if more time and effort was put into it. It feels very rushed in every way from the performances to the sound work and camera work. I think if it had a better cast maybe it could have been better I really would have liked to see Michael Caine or even Jason Statham. The film also wasn't very well written and it could have spent longer developing the characters more I think.

Overall it wasn't terrible it just could have benefited from a larger budget it seems. It's not that long either so try it out if you like heist movies.