ENTRAPMENT

US, 1998, 113 minutes, Colour.
Sean Connery, Catherine Zeta- Jones, Ving Rhames, Will Patton, Maury Chakin.
Directed by Jon Amiel.

Entrapment is an entertaining heist movie, reminiscent of such films from the 1970s but set at the eve of the millennium.

The plot is nicely complicated, focusing on an investigator who wants to track a famous art thief. The investigator is played by Catherine Zeta- Jones, the thief by Sean Connery. Ving Rhames is an associate of Connery. Will Patton is Zeta –Jones supervisor. Maury Chaykin is a sleazy art buyer in Kuala Lumpur period

The film is very strong on reconstructing robberies, three in fact. One in New York, one in London, one in Kuala Lumpur. The latter takes advantage of Kuala Lumpur’s tallest building in Asia.

The film shows detail of investigative work in New York. A great deal of exercise and training in a Scottish Castle, and the final robbery itself in Malaysia.
Catherine Zeta- Jones is at her glamorous best. Sean Connery, almost 70, carries himself with aplomb, even as a romantic lead.

The film is constantly on the move, is entertaining as a crime drama, with a range of twists, and a, perhaps, implausible romance.

Direction is by John Amiel (Sommersby, Copycat, the Borgias).

1. An entertaining crime thriller? Sleek and glossy? Double cross? Romance?

2. The title, Mac’s explanation, Mac and his trapping the Virginia? She trapping Mac? Virginia trapping Mac? And the role of the FBI agent? The role of the supervisor? Who was trying to catch whom?

3. The glossy picture of international offices? Locations for robberies, especially via scaling walls? The Scottish Castle and countryside? London exhibitions? Kuala Lumpur? The city, sleazy and affluent? The high building and the action? The musical score?

4. The initial robbery, the skill, the entry, the safe, the window, the flowers overturned? Virginia’s explanation to her boss about the method? Her being watched by Mac?

5. Virginia, her skills, discussions with her supervisor? Her interest in Mac? Wanting to be bait? The superviser’s reluctance, giving in? Wanting contact?

6. Her meeting with Mac? following him? His turning the tables, photographing her? This in the light of the final information that he was wanting to trap her?

7. The plan, going to Scotland, the codes for the exhibition with the mask? His testing her, her ability to climb? The training, the exercise, the swimming, the lasers and her moving through them? The phone call and his listening in?

8. The London exhibition, the plan, the execution of the robbery, coming in through the floor, timing, the guard, success? His holding her under the water, her pulling the knife? Mutual trust?

9. The Rembrandt painting, her explaining her method to Mac, his producing the painting, stealing it from the mail room?

10. The dealer in Malaysia, effete, his henchmen, the deals, her bringing the painting, the mask and the substitution? His anger?

11. The plan for the robbery in Kuala Lumpur? 50-50? The bank, the New York Office and the closing down for 10 seconds, the millennium, the plan, impossible but doable?

12. The FBI agent, his bringing the equipment, the interplay between himself and Mac? The irony of the revelation of the truth?

13. Going to the social, the supervisor arriving in Kuala Lumpur, the FBI agent? The local authorities? Surveillance, going up in the lift, the pausing the CCV? the work with the computers, the timing, the transfer of the money as predicted?

14. The pursuit, the dangers, the outside of the buildings, the walking on the wires, the collapse, the swinging in the air, to safety, the arrest?

15. The revelation of the truth, the authorities using Mac, knowing what Virginia was doing?

16. At the station, the money deal between Mac and the agent, his minute with Virginia, the money, her pulling the gun, on the train, her return, the romantic ending?

17. The popular entertaining movie moral that crime does pay.