'The Italian Job' feels like a solid effort from the days of the studio system during the 1940s.
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The 2003 version of "The Italian Job" is the first of 2003´s summer blockbusters to arrive on DVD. October is just around the corner, and I think that "The Italian Job" has been the best film released so far in 2003. In fact, I had more fun watching "The Italian Job" than I did watching "Finding Nemo" (I saw both on the same day), and I´m glad that the film was able to cross the $100-million threshold.
"The Italian Job" begins with a team of thieves robbing a house in Venice of a safe filled with gold bars. Charlie Croker (Mark Wahlberg) is about to take over the leadership role from John Bridger (Donald Sutherland). Handsome Rob (Jason Statham, "The Transporter") is the getaway guy, Lyle (Seth Green, "Buffy, the Vampire Slayer [TV]) is the computer genius, and Left Ear (Mos Def) is the explosives expert. At the end of the heist that opens the film, Steve (Edward Norton) betrays his cohorts and leaves them for dead. The rest of the film deals with Charlie and Co. recruiting Bridger´s daughter, Stella (Charlize Theron) for a revenge job. The second boost job involves Mini Coopers being driven in L.A.´s subways and a traffic jam with inventive twists and turns.
That a lot of actors who could´ve headlined their own movies got together to make an ensemble picture is one of the reasons why I like the film so much. "The Italian Job" feels like a solid effort from the days of the studio system during the 1940s. The supporting actors are as interesting as the leads, so we get colorful nuances in every corner and with every step of the way. Seth Green is funnier here than he has been anywhere else, and Jason Statham makes his character´s smooth "ladies man" ways believable (not to mention enviable). Mark Wahlberg is solid as the top-billed guy (he keeps the movie grounded when Seth Green and Edward Norton decide to go over the top), and Charlize Theron has never looked more fetching to me, even when she was in various stages of undress in other movies.
The script has a couple of good laughs, but what´s really good about it--especially for an action movie--is that it takes time to develop its characters. You get a feel for each character´s individuality, and you also get the sense that the protagonists care for one another. Therefore, as the film builds its suspense, you begin to think of Charlie and his team as your own friends, and you root for them to win and for them to get together (Charlie and Stella, that is).
"The Italian Job" was inspired by a 1969 film with the same title, though the new film differs greatly from the old one in terms of narrative development and achievement. Sure, both movies use Mini Coopers during daring heists. Sure, both movies involve stealing gold. Sure, there are some chase sequences set in Italy. However, the 1969 film was merely an excuse to send motor vehicles into hard-to-reach places while the 2003 film is a lark filled with warm humor, camaraderie, and grace.
Video:
Aside from a few nicks, the 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen image is gorgeous. Colors don´t exactly leap off of the screen (after all, the movie wasn´t shot in Technicolor), but I like how a couple of sunrises/sunsets in the movie look really beautiful. The smooth, sharp transfer offers a high level of detail. The filmmakers (and the video compressionists) obviously did a great job in showcasing the advantages of shooting on film when compared to shooting on video (analog or digital). Since there´s real "depth" to the picture, you get a great sense of the logistics involved in staging the film´s action set pieces.
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[release]11214[/release]