This movie is not bad, as it has its moments. Though it is also chaotic in that it tells actually two stories In parallel: a heist and a bomb squad story. Even if they bind the two stories together in the end, it does not really work. Both storylines are actually not bad on their own, but the weaving them together feels a bit chaotic and messy and distracts from either story. A pity, as I believe that it would have been better to make two good separate movies rather than one that feels medium.

The film prizes style.It is original, well-acted and edge-of-your-seat.Great cast and the plot is totally unpredictable, and quite believable.

Went into this one not only totally blind, but under the false impression that it was a war movie of some kind (likely driven by a cursory look at the cover). This made for a fun experience, as both the basic setup (unexploded ordnance in London) and the twist surrounding that setup were both surprises to me. Yet another surprise was how quickly the plot moves past that setup, introducing new characters and complications as it leaves behind the cordoned off blocks of London. While there are some weaker elements (most everything with the police character), the main thread had enough surprises to keep me invested and the central trio of Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, and Sam Worthington were all great. It also helps that the runtime was lean, surprisingly so given how much they crammed in. The ending was unexpected and a bit goofy, but overall I had a good time.

It may not reach the same level of suspense as David Mackenzie’s last film, Relay, but he still delivers a solid, engaging thriller here. The tension peaks during the sequence where police and military forces attempt to disarm a bomb in central London, and even as the story shifts beyond that, the film remains consistently gripping and enjoyable. Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Theo James, and Sam Worthington make for a strong ensemble cast that carries the film effectively. The pacing rarely lets up—just when you think you have a moment to breathe, it pushes forward again. While this brisk pace leaves little room for deeper character development, the ride is entertaining enough that it hardly detracts. That said, the script could have benefited from tighter structuring, and the ending feels somewhat forced and tacked on. Still, that’s the film’s only major misstep in an otherwise fun and tense experience.

This was a really nice thriller with plenty of suspense throughout. It’s really well paced with a swift runtime. Things move along perfectly with plenty of intense moments sprinkled in. The cast and performances were really good. I thought the score was really good and suited certain moments to perfection. I want to say the entire third act was excellent but really the entire movie was like that. It kept me engaged and I was never bored. I enjoyed all the twists and turns and how things came together. I just didn’t feel like they stuck the landing. It felt very unfinished and left me with some questions. I still thought it was very good though. This had a lot of really good things going for it. I’d definitely recommend checking this one out. * Double Feature at AMC Crestwood 18