Jaume Balagueró’s “The Vault” is now On Demand featuring a capable ensemble cast led by Freddie Highmore. This is an international heist flick that does follow a familiar formula. However, it’s well-acted, the production value is high, and regardless of a procedural progression, the story-line still delivers enjoyable tension and a string of delightful close calls. Highmore plays an engineering genius with a void in his life. It’s a persona we’ve seen before but Highmore certainly makes it his own. You can connect to his character, you get a clear sense of his motivations, and it’s all more than enough to create an appealing lead you can care about.
The cast as a whole were able to fill the film with interesting characters. Liam Cunningham was great as the patriarch of the group. He brought a capable personality to the team and he was believable as a leader. Sam Riley and Luis Tosar were great additions as well, and Astrid Bergès-Frisbey was able to bring all the needed duality to her role. She was natural as a skilled member of the team, and she also captured the needed chemistry with Highmore to sell their love dynamic. The desire between them could be felt, it added a bit of heart to the plot, and it was primarily due to their performances.
Everyone does their part to make the most of simplistic characters on paper. They certainly sell the rapport between the group that was on its own, was filled with plenty of interesting character dynamics. This was something that brought the film an added bit of personal drama to complement the already interesting layering to the heist. Which in turn elevates the suspense and uneasiness that comes from them trying to pull it off. So, if you are a fan of crime-thrillers centering on a seemingly impossible job, and all the up-and-downs and twists-and-turns that come with trying to achieve them, then there is plenty of meat to sink your teeth into here.
It’s a beautifully shot film. The direction is crisp. It elegantly captures the allure of the international locations. There’s a variety of back-drops that more than effectively take the viewer on an immersive ride filled with thrills and anxiety. There is also the added element of the World Cup taking place and being used as a diversion. This naturally increases the scope and scale of the job. The ramifications of getting caught are heightened as well. And the skill set needed to pull off a job that is filled with one hurdle after another, provides all the intricacy of a well-structured heist. It may be a tad familiar in places, but nothing that can hinder this movie from keeping you intrigued.
GRADE: 75%
Anthony J Digioia II - SilverScreen Analysis © All Rights Reserved
