‘No job is impossible’
The Vault is a 2021 Spanish crime thriller about an audacious bank robbery committed while the nation is distracted by the World Cup Final. Also known as Way Down
Directed by Jaume Balagueró (Muse; [REC] and sequels; Fragile; Darkness; The Nameless) from a screenplay co-written by Rowan Athale, Michel Gaztambide, Borja Glez. Santaolalla, Andrés M. Koppel and Rafa Martínez.
The movie stars Freddie Highmore (The Canterville Ghost; Bates Motel series), Famke Janssen (Primal; X-Men; Hansel & Gretel: Witch Hunters), Astrid Berges-Frisbey (Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides) and Liam Cunningham (Game of Thrones).
Plot:
When an engineer (Freddie Highmore) learns of a mysterious, impenetrable fortress hidden under The Bank of Spain, he joins a crew of master thieves who plan to steal the legendary lost treasure locked inside while the whole country is distracted by Spain’s World Cup Final. With thousands of soccer fans cheering in the streets, and security forces closing in, the crew have just minutes to pull off the score of a lifetime…
Reviews:
” …much of the film stuck to the proven formula of its predecessors, but The Vault also managed to incorporate some unique elements […] Tying in a real-life event like the FIFA World Cup helped give The Vault something to help it stand out and will probably have people questioning if The Vault was based on a true story.” Bulletproof Action
“Balagueró’s no-nonsense approach to the storytelling may turn some off, but it’s this incredible attention to detail that makes The Vault so engaging: we always know where the characters are, what they’re trying to do, and what stakes are at hand. This leads to climactic heist sequences that genuinely pay off, despite one (obvious) Hollywood-style twist.” The Prague Reporter
“Way Down’s greatest achievement is underscoring just how difficult it is to successfully execute a heist movie, let alone knock off a bank in real life. What appears breezy, effortless and disposable on screen is often the hardest thing to achieve from behind the camera. The movie aims high and inevitably falls short…” South China Morning Post
“The two hour run time feels about half that. Balagueró gives his camera a stylish flow and keeps us supplied with plenty of opportunities to feel like we’re in on the con, and have a stake in the success of the heist. And you know what that is? Fun.” UK Film Review
Main cast and characters:
Famke Janssen … Margaret
Freddie Highmore … Thom Laybrick
Astrid Bergès-Frisbey … Lorraine
Liam Cunningham … Walter Moreland
Sam Riley … James
Luis Tosar … Simon
Jose Coronado … Gustavo
Frank Feys
Axel Stein … Klaus
Hunter Tremayne … Executive
Emilio Gutiérrez Caba … Chairman
Julius Cotter … Executive 1
Eric Goode … Executive
Trailer:
MOVIES & MANIA rating:
