‘Stolen’ Review
Stars: Nicolas Cage, Josh Lucas, Danny Huston, Malin Akerman, Sami Gayle, Mark Valley, M.C. Gainey | Written by David Guggenheim | Directed by Simon West
These days you know what you’re getting from a Nicolas Cage film – bombastic drama, glorious over the top action and, of course, Cage over-egging every single line in the script. And Stolen doesn’t disappoint…
Finally receiving a UK release some three months after the films American DVD and Blu-ray debut and six months after it was in US cinemas, Stolen sees director Simon West and actor Nicolas Cage team-up for the first time since Con Air in 1997, and follows Will Montgomery (Cage), a master thief who has been sent to prison for 8 years after being double-crossed in a heist gone awry. Upon his release, he’s ready to leave his criminal past behind and rebuild his relationship with estranged daughter, Alison (Gayle).
Montgomery’s former criminal cohorts and FBI agent Tim Harlend (Huston), are all convinced that the loot, totaling $10 Million dollars worth of bonds, was hidden away by Montgomery before he was sentenced. In order to get his hands on it, former partner in crime, Vincent (Lucas), kidnap his daughter Alison and demands the loot as ransom; keeping her in a soundproofed trunk of a taxi cab where she is nearly impossible to be discovered. Montgomery has only one day to deliver the $10 Million ransom, but much to the disbelief of both Vincent and the FBI, he does not actually have it. Montgomery is left with only one choice: To trust his instincts and join forces again with another old partner in crime, the beautiful and smart Riley Jeffers (Akerman). Together they must pull off one more heist so he can get his daughter back. Before it’s too late.
You know what? I’ve come to realise that really I love Nicolas Cage. Not the Nicolas Cage of films such as Raising Arizona, Red Rock West and Leaving Las Vegas, oh no. I’m talking about Nicolas Cage the wild and crazy madman of such films as Ghost Rider, Drive Angry and Justice. There’s just something so likeable about his gloriously over-acted performances in his recent films, in fact it’s like watching a kid in a candy store who’s had too much candy already. Some say madman, I say genius… Although Stolen sees Cage almost out-crazied by Josh Lucas, whose decrepit, unkempt appearance and wide-eyed, delirious behaviour rivals that of Cage at his most outrageous. It’s actually the first time I’ve ever seen someone go toe-to-toe with Cage and almost beat him at his own manic game!
It’s fair to say that Stolen isn’t going to set the world alight but director Simon West has crafted a suspenseful, action packed movie that, if you’re a fan of Nicolas Cage’s recent output, is definitely worth seeking out.
Stolen hits UK cinemas on March 22nd 2013, courtesy of Lionsgate.
*** 3/5
