BRETT RATNER

Bil’s rating (out of 5):  BB

USA, 2004.  New Line Cinema, Firm Films, Contrafilm, Rat Entertainment.  Story by Paul Zbyszewski, Screenplay by Paul Zbyszewski, Craig Rosenberg.  Cinematography by Dante Spinotti.  Produced by Beau Flynn, Jay Stern, Tripp Vinson.  Music by Lalo Schifrin.  Production Design by Geoffrey Kirkland.  Costume Design by Rita Ryack.  Film Editing by Mark Helfrich.

Pierce Brosnan, who looks like he’s lampooning himself in a Campari ad, plays a sophisticated jewel thief (ooh, where did they come up with that one?) who has one last big heist before retiring to the tropics with his beautiful thieving partner (Salma Hayek). They’re not left alone for long, however, when the FBI agent (Woody Harrelson) whose career they ruined shows up and decides to stick on their tails. Brosnan insists that he’s done stealing, but it doesn’t take long for his surrounding friends and foes to realize that the impending arrival of a giant cruise ship carrying a splendid jewel exhibit might have something to do with his choice of retirement location.

Brett Ratner makes sure that everything, including bodies and scenery, look irresistible, but the story (and its predictable twists) is just a retread of well-known heist movie cliches. This is the kind of movie that Brosnan seemed not to want to make when he filmed The Thomas Crown Affair, but alas it seems to have happened anyway.