Criminal Squad

A bunch of professional thieves knock over a big city bank and butt heads with a not so professional bunch of police.

Now on paper there is a lot to not like about this. All the main characters look like human versions of He-man figures but with neck tattoos. Everything about them just screams ass-hole.

This is actually one of the films strong points. There are no good or bad guys in this film just seriously flawed people acting on some quite ambiguous motivations. I found this made the film more exciting because there is no chance of the "good guy" winning in the last moment.

There are lots of scenes that build on characters but ultimately feel like dead ends in retrospect but does get you invested.

The action is kept to the end and when things ignite it is very exhilarating and feels quite real.

Well shot, acted and produced. The actual heist when it pans out is not particularly clever.

If you are not a big fan of action movies then all the muscle bound guys fist-bumping each other and slapping butts might be a bit of a turn off for you.

I went into Den of Thieves with low expectations, and walked out pleasently surprised with this movie! Im a huge heist movie fan and Michael Mann's 'Heat' is one of my favorite movies of all time. And while its true that Den of Thieves takes almost TOO MUCH inspiration from HEAT, it certainly delivers some unexpected turns that make the movie unpredictible and not generic. Sure, there are a lot of heist films out there, but I found Den of Thieves to bring some new elements into the genre that i have never seen, which i thought was pretty great. I was actually surprised with Gerard Butler's performance in this movie, he was actually REALLY good and played the role with commitment. The same goes for the other cast members, Great Acting! What really sold this movie for me, was the incredible action sequences. They are directed fantastically, and the firearms in the movie sound robust and authoritative, which gives the film a hard edge that i found to love. There are a few scenes in the film that feel out of place and some of the character development isn't really there, but overall i had a blast watching this movie and plan to see it again. Definately Recommend to anyone a fan of the genre.

This film was a good romp and a solid 7 in my opinion. It crtainly doesn't deserve some of the ludicrous scores some people have rated it on here! Well acted and plenty of action. Then again I always thought Heat was overrated (probably would give that a 7 as well). I didn't feel it was overlong and din't get bored once. Yes, there were a few plot holes, but overrall this was good entertainment and so much better than much of the absolute dross that's doing the rounds at present. Don't listen to the naysayers on here, this one is well worth your time.

Criminal Squad isn't just a movie-it's a workout for your eyeballs: two hours of big muscles, big guns, and killer glares. Christian Gudegast throws the script at you like a hot potato. It doesn't aim high, but it's wound tighter than a string bikini, and let's face it-we're not here for poetry. We're here for bullets and heists, and damn, it delivers.

Gerard Butler is the embodiment of a corrupt cop fresh out of a mechanic's garage: rough, angry, and constantly on the verge of knocking someone out. He spends half the film chugging beers and the other half throwing punches. His investigation method? "Punch first, ask questions when I don't care." And it works because he carries the movie on his shoulders like Atlas lugging the world.

On the other side, Pablo Schreiber plays the charismatic heist mastermind with the haircut of an MMA coach and the brain of a chess player. His crew is stacked: 50 Cent (or 50 kilos of pure muscle) and a team that could rob a casino blind. Their heists are laser-precise, like Ocean's Eleven, but with bad-boy flair. The tension climbs in every shot, reminiscent of Heat, except this isn't De Niro and Pacino-it's Butler and Schreiber growling, "I'll take you down before you take me down."

Looking for subtlety? Switch channels. Here, it's all AK-47s and magazines emptying like a Vegas slot machine. The final shootout is straight out of Call of Duty: deafening gunfire, bullet-riddled walls, screams, and explosions. The movie grabs you by the throat and force-feeds you gunpowder. It's not a masterpiece, but you'll cheer because it's just so damn satisfying.

And then-bam!-the final twist. Sure, it's no Usual Suspects, but it's clean, clever, and feels like finding a decent toy inside a Kinder Surprise. The moral of the story? There isn't one. Just testosterone-fueled guys fighting to see who's got the biggest... machine gun, of course.

Criminal Squad is like a juicy, greasy steak: bloody, brutal, and no-frills. You know it's not a Michelin-star meal, but it fills you up and leaves you grinning. Butler is a growling grizzly bear, the action scenes slap, and the twist does its job. It's not fine dining, but it's the perfect meal for a night out with the boys.

In Christian Gudegast's directorial debut, he did better in directing, than what he's know for, which is writing. There were more clearly obvious holes in the plot than a brick of Swiss cheese. His screenwriting of Gerard Butler's character was way too overboard. It was still a fun flick to see, but lost much potential with the sloppy writing. What is more laughable are all the 8, 9 and 10 reviews for this film... are the producers that dumb not to think anyone can click on a user name and see this film was the only one they rated - clearly fake reviews. This film is a generous and honest 7/10 from me.