Takers

Takers – An elite team of bank robbers are visited by a former associate who has just been released from prison with a plan for a heist with a massive payout. Not knowing whether to trust him, the team hesitantly agree to help but with the cops following their every move, will their greed be their undoing?

Takers (2010) – Director: John Luessenhop

Rating: 12

Running Length: 107 mins

Starring: Idris Elba, Paul Walker, Matt Dillon

Genre: Crime

REVIEW: ‘TAKERS’

With a cast including the likes of Idris Elba and the late Paul Walker, this heist movie had the potential to be a fun, exciting and intelligent family movie. Unfortunately the one-dimensional characters and lack of interesting plot makes ‘Takers’ a disappointingly damp squib for everyone involved.

Idris Elba may arguably be most famous for his role as gangster Russell ‘Stringer’ Bell in ‘The Wire’, and it seems that director, Luessenhop, is more interested in making his protagonists a small gang of similar anti-heroes rather than a team of fraudsters that the audience can properly sympathise with. While some of the characters have good traits, the aggressive and violent nature of many of them prevent them from being truly likeable.

While many people may wish to see ‘Takers’ for individual actors in it, it is unlikely to appeal to anyone wanting a light-hearted heist movie, especially those expecting such a film to entertain kids.

CONTENT: IS ‘TAKERS’ SUITABLE FOR CHILDREN?

In the first third of the movie, the gang stage a very elaborate bank robbery where they wear masks and use guns to threaten their hostages. The characters however make it clear that they have no intention of hurting anyone provided that they do as they are told. A woman is caught pressing a panic alarm and is taken away, however there is no indication that any harm comes to her. While parents may be a little concerned about how violent this scene could become, the threats made a very mild and no-one gets hurt.

Two women are indicated to be naked in a swimming pool. A man approaches the pool and removes his clothes, he is shown to be fully naked from the back and his bare behind is shown. He enters the pool and kisses both women in turn. This is very sexual in nature and, although nothing more explicit is seen, it is made clear that the man will engage in sexual activity with both women at the same time. Also, because these women are not in the movie before or after this scene, it is also very likely that these women are prostitutes.

A man is beaten by a cop while in police custody. His face is bashed against a window and his arm is held tightly and painfully behind his back. The cop has previously been seen to be very arrogant and he comes across as finding this kind of mistreatment of prisoners amusing.

One character kills a cop and, after telling their friends, is told that he will face the death penalty. Another character is murdered and their loved one is devastated, holding them tightly and begging them several times to ‘wake up’.

CAN I SEE A CLIP?

VERDICT: IS ‘TAKERS’ FOR KIDS?

‘Takers’ is a disappointing and dull heist movie which is more interested in appealing to fans of gang culture than those wanting something light-hearted; the initial promise of fun hijinks is made with the first bank robbery but the tone quickly escalates to stronger violence as the story progresses. With so many unpleasant characters (especially Matt Dillon’s cop, who is as bad as any of the villains) this is definitely not one for kids. The certification allows for kids aged 12 and over to watch this film but we recommend strong caution for kids aged under 15 due to gang related themes, strong language and the glorification of aggressive violence.

• Violence: 3/5 (a man is punched and retaliates by kicking his attacker in the face and torso some of this is shown on-screen)
• Emotional Distress: 2/5 (several established characters are killed and their friends mourn for them. A couple of these moments are emotional but do not become too distressing, another is more a moment of bravery and is therefore not too sad)
• Fear Factor: 3/5 (some of the violence is unnecessary and realistic which could be quite upsetting for children)
• Sexual Content: 2/5       
• Bad Language: 4/5 (frequent moderate cursing and blasphemy which is impossible to avoid. Some derogatory words used against women)
• Dialogue: 4/5 (a male character talks to another saying ‘you took my bitch from me’)
• Other notes: Deals with themes of friendship, teamwork, trust, leadership, police brutality and the consequences of criminal activity.

Words by Laura Record