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TAKERSMovie Reviews
Crime thriller about a group of bank robbers whose plan to pull off a $20 million bank job is messed with by a zealous, hard-boiled detective. Cast:Matt Dillon, Paul Walker, Idris Elba, Jay Hernandez, Tip "T.I." HarrisDirector:John LuessenhopRelease Date:August 27, 2010DVD Release:January 18, 2011From:Screen GemsRating:PG-13Length:1 hr 47 min
Takers played to fair reviews. • Nathan Rabin wrote for the AV Club, "...like a feature-length commercial for expensive liquor.... all about impossibly handsome, chiseled men in exquisitely tailored suits looking thoughtful and sophisticated..." • And Ty Burr wrote in the Boston Globe, "...about 45 percent chase scene and 45 percent frenzied shootout — the other 10 percent is strained macho posturing..." More Reviews Below...
Adam Markovitz, Entertainment Weekly: FAIR(cg) "...where slick passes for smart, motivation is for wimps and our merry band of robbers look like they spend more time laying out their hep-cat outfits than they do plotting..."(See all of Adam Markovitz's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 90 words, 08/27/10
Claudia Puig, USA Today: MODERATE(cg) "The dialogue is clichéd and laughable. It's a film far more concerned with style -- architectural, vehicular and wardrobe-related -- than substance."(See all of Claudia Puig's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 481 words, 08/27/10
James Berardinelli, Reel Views: VERY GOOD(cg) "The ending is a bit too grim and borderline-pretentious... but for as long as it stays close to the basics of the genre, it's not a bad way to spend an evening."(See all of James Berardinelli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 804 words, 08/26/10
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NEW YORK/LOS ANGELES/CHICAGO/TORONTO (11 Reviews)
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...there is plenty of nonsense, a great deal of stylish posturing and clothes-horsing, and a few action sequences... not nearly as cool as it wants to be or thinks it is."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 807 words, 08/27/10
Joe Neumaier, New York Daily News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "To get a B-movie really rolling, there needs to be a real B-movie cast.... 'Takers' has exactly that crew, and they help drive this heist thriller out of the basement..."(See all of Joe Neumaier's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 417 words, 08/27/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: POOR "...would be a good snooze if it weren't for all the noisy gunfire and explosions and the violins... there's really not enough to make it worth your time. Cue violins."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 689 words, 08/27/10
Lou Lumenick, New York Post: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a Michael Mann-ish heist thriller with a pulse-pounding foot chase and some terrific stunt work offsetting its hackneyed plot and dialogue."(See all of Lou Lumenick's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 467 words, 08/27/10
Michael Phillips, Chicago Tribune: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "A movie such as 'Takers' isn't reinventing anyone's wheel.... frantic, moderately entertaining... an unpretentious time-waster. And I rather liked it."(See all of Michael Phillips's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 553 words, 08/27/10
Rafer Guzman, New York Newsday: WEAK(cg) "...blatantly burgles the Pacino-De Niro epic 'Heat,' but like most amateur thieves, it grabs only what's in plain sight - in this case, sleek suits and cool guns."(See all of Rafer Guzman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 276 words, 08/27/10
Peter Howell, Toronto Star: MODERATE(cg) "The slick young thieves of 'Takers' are so into playing dress up, you wonder how they find time to plot their absurdly elaborate heists."(See all of Peter Howell's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 578 words, 08/27/10
Vadim Rizov, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a cheerfully derivative attempt to merge the epically ponderous L.A.-scapes of Michael Mann's 'Heat' with the digital blur of Michael Mann's 'Collateral'..."(See all of Vadim Rizov's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 214 words, 08/29/10
Liam Lacey, Toronto Globe & Mail: MODERATE(cg) "Once you get past the recycled quality of the characters and dialogue, the movie has some stylish action sequences and moderately clever plot turns..."(See all of Liam Lacey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 544 words, 08/27/10
Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a moderately entertaining caper flick about a gang of professional thieves whose armoured car job goes wrong while the cop on the case slowly closes in."(See all of Andrew Dowler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 150 words, 08/28/10
KEY CITIES (9 Reviews)
John Anderson, Washington Post: MODERATE(cg) "...strictly smash-and-grab. It could have used fewer people, too, or at least fewer poses: A story this thin can only prop up so much 'tude."(See all of John Anderson's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 638 words, 08/27/10
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle/San Francisco Chronicle: MODERATE(cg) "...a mindless, hyper-stylized heist movie, but the mindlessness is inoffensive and the stylishness is slammin'."(See all of Amy Biancolli's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 498 words, 08/27/10
Roger Moore, Orlando Sentinel: MODERATE(cg) "...a generic heist picture storyline and generic one-note performances.... script-by-committee is mostly plot and tastes of the high life these takers live..."(See all of Roger Moore's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 478 words, 08/27/10
Robert W. Butler, Dallas Morning News: EXCELLENT(cg) "...a slickly efficient cops-and-robbers yarn, largely uncomplicated yet offering a few moments of insight and dramatic weight."(See all of Robert W. Butler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 469 words, 08/27/10
Adam Graham, Detroit News: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a slick heist film, but that's all it is. Its main concern is its own slickness, to the point where its attempts at heart and humanity slide right off the screen."(See all of Adam Graham's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 343 words, 08/27/10
Rene Rodriguez, Miami Herald: VERY GOOD(cg) "A crackling crime drama... the familiarity of the material is overcome by stylish, unobtrusive direction by John Luessenhop and an eclectic ensemble cast of actors..."(See all of Rene Rodriguez's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 576 words, 08/27/10
ALTERNATIVE/INDIE PRESS (9 Reviews)
Vadim Rizov, Village Voice/LA Weekly: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a cheerfully derivative attempt to merge the epically ponderous L.A.-scapes of Michael Mann's 'Heat' with the digital blur of Michael Mann's 'Collateral'..."(See all of Vadim Rizov's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 214 words, 08/29/10
Tom Meek, Boston Phoenix: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...carries on like a generic TV crime drama propped up with a bristling score and rapid-fire flash cuts ... It's no 'Heat,' but it does take in a small haul of thrills."(See all of Tom Meek's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 144 words, 09/02/10
Nathan Rabin, AV Club: POOR(cg) "...a feature-length commercial for expensive liquor.... all about impossibly handsome, chiseled men in exquisitely tailored suits looking thoughtful and sophisticated..."(See all of Nathan Rabin's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 332 words, 08/26/10
Paul Schrodt, Slant: POOR(cg) "...like a recreation of another action movie recast with out-of-work celebrities.... The plot is more or less 'Heat' crossed with the corporate-fratboy hijinks of 'Entourage.' "(See all of Paul Schrodt's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 382 words, 08/26/10
Andrew Dowler, Toronto Now: GOOD (NOT GREAT)(cg) "...a moderately entertaining caper flick about a gang of professional thieves whose armoured car job goes wrong while the cop on the case slowly closes in."(See all of Andrew Dowler's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 150 words, 08/28/10
Curt Holman, Atlanta Creative Loafing: WEAK(cg) "The story unfortunately gets muddled due to the almost unnecessary subplots... a fast-paced, glossy turned gritty tale of greed... has a reasonably satisfying payoff."(See all of Curt Holman's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 737 words, 08/28/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...there is plenty of nonsense, a great deal of stylish posturing and clothes-horsing, and a few action sequences... not nearly as cool as it wants to be or thinks it is."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 807 words, 08/27/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: POOR "...would be a good snooze if it weren't for all the noisy gunfire and explosions and the violins... there's really not enough to make it worth your time. Cue violins."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 689 words, 08/27/10
MOVIE INDUSTRY (4 Reviews)
Brian Lowry, Daily Variety: MODERATE "Graced with ample style if not much substance... a respectable but watered-down heist movie... The dialogue and character beats consistently fall flat..."(See all of Brian Lowry's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 753 words, 08/16/10
Stephen Farber, Hollywood Reporter: GOOD (NOT GREAT) "...a serviceable B-movie... the stunt work is amazing, and the pace is breathless enough to keep one watching right up to the somewhat ambiguous conclusion."(See all of Stephen Farber's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 570 words, 08/16/10
Betsy Sharkey, Los Angeles Times: POOR "...would be a good snooze if it weren't for all the noisy gunfire and explosions and the violins... there's really not enough to make it worth your time. Cue violins."(See all of Betsy Sharkey's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 689 words, 08/27/10
A.O. Scott, New York Times: FAIR "...there is plenty of nonsense, a great deal of stylish posturing and clothes-horsing, and a few action sequences... not nearly as cool as it wants to be or thinks it is."(See all of A.O. Scott's reviews...)(Read the full review...) 807 words, 08/27/10
16.8 Percentage Points Average Difference Between Reviews (Norm is 18.4pp; <18.4pp = More Consistent; >18.4pp = More Mixed)
Takers's reviews are separated by an average 16.8 percentage points. The norm for this measure is 18.4 percentage points. Less than 18.4 indicates more consistent reviews; greater than 18.4 indicates more mixed reviews. In the chart below, each dot represents a review, with the dots at the top more positive than the dots at the bottom. From left to right, the dots represent reviews in big, bigger and biggest publications. Roll over each dot for more detail.
Takers (31 reviews) Roll over dots for each review
Coverage:Takers's reviews cover 34.0% of potential readers (average is 67.9%). Volume:The film's reviews total 14,945 words involume (average is 20,194 words). Length:The film's reviews average 482 words in length (the norm is 517 words).
Reviews Broke 1.8 Hours Before Release (Norm is 1.2 Release)
Takers's reviews on average broke 1.8 hours before opening. Norm for this measure is 1.2 hours before. The chart below shows reviews on opening day and the days before and after opening; the left side is earlier and the right side is later. The red bars extending above the horizontal mid-line represent more positive reviews, and the red bars extending below represent more negative reviews. The white space/red bar in the middle is Takers's opening day. Click on any bar for a list of the reviews for that day.
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