Heist film starring acting royalty now on Amazon Prime but fans say same thing
Directed by James March, King of Thieves is a 2018 British crime film inspired by true events. The screenplay, penned by Joe Penhall, Duncan Campbell, and Mark Seal, brings to life the notorious Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary - a heist carried out over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in April 2015 by a band of seasoned elderly criminals.
The film boasts a star-studded cast including Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis, Charlie Cox, Jim Broadbent, Paul Whitehouse and Ray Winstone. It tells the tale of a group of retired crooks (and one young alarms expert) who plan and pull off a daring robbery in London's jewellery quarter during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.
However, their final big score quickly descends into chaos as greed takes hold.
Despite its stellar cast and gripping real-life story, King of Thieves failed to make a significant impact either commercially or critically.
Box Office Mojo reports that the film only raked in $7,518 domestically in the United States and Canada, with just $3,502 earned during its opening weekend. Globally, the film grossed around $11.5 million at the box office, reports the Daily Record.
The film's scenes were predominantly shot in central London and around Margate in Kent, showcasing venues like the Wig and Pen Pub, the Nayland Rock Hotel, Harbour Arm, outside Turner Contemporary, and Margate railway station. Additionally, one can spot Abbott's Cliff in Dover during the train sequence when Brian Reader (played by Michael Caine) heads to Margate.
(Image: Publicity Picture)
Despite its cinematic setting, the movie didn't quite stir up a storm, settling for a 31 per cent review score on Rotten Tomatoes. Both critics and audiences seemed underwhelmed by how the film was brought to life.
Echoing the sentiment, a critic wrote: "The Hatton Gardens heist was a ballsy operation. You can't say the same about King of Thieves."
Another reviewer pointed out: "King of Thieves really should have delivered way more cinematic swag than it does."
Meanwhile, a commentator dissected the film's tone: "Torn between jaunty genre hijinks and a bleaker streak of realism, it's a strangely stiff, lethargic account of a cracking tale."
The stinging critiques continued with a reviewer saying: "There is one joke in King of Thieves, and it's that the thieves are old. That's it-that's the whole movie," while another lamented: "Marsh had his hands on some very fancy jewels. What he didn't have, sadly, was the script to make them gleam."
The audience feedback was similarly tepid, with one viewer saying: "Passes the time but little else. Tries hard to be both a comedy and a thriller but doesn't really succeed at either. For such a daring burglary, this could have surely been done a lot better."
Another cinema-goer likened the film to the bungled robbery it portrays, adding: "Based on a real account of a robbery in London and featuring a superb all British cast. Very much like the botched heist, the plot here is in shambles all over the place."
A different viewer didn't mince their words expressing their disappointment, saying: "It's poorly written. The heist isn't that exciting. The humour isn't funny."
Meanwhile, another audience member remarked: "Not a gripping tale. At times the audience were laughing - was this supposed to be a comedy? ? ? Difficult to remember the names of the robbers...who was who?
"Undoubtedly the royalty of British male actors but the story was weak. It could have been much better if there was character and story development of the Police activity pitted against the perpetrators. Shame - not worth a look."
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