THE HURRICANE HEIST
US, 2018, 103 minutes, Colour.
Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Ralph Ineson, Ben Cross, Melissa Bolona, Jamie Cutler.
Directed by Rob Cohen.
It is surprising to find that The Hurricane Heist did not have wide release around the world. It seems to be the perfect action entertainment, strong characters and dialogue, human interest, the hurricane setting and its impact and devastation, the Treasury building and its work, the heist and its detail, the final pursuit. It was directed by Rob Cohen who made the first Fast and the Furious as well as xXx and a number of action films.
The film was shot in Bulgaria as well as in the United States, using a great deal of Bulgarian technical backup and special effects from India. The recreation of the two hurricanes in the film is very effective. The film has a strong combination of CGI and action work.
The two leading brothers of the film, Americans, are played by the British Toby Kebbell and the Australian Ryan Kwanten. The two principal villains, Ralph Ineson and Ben Cross are British.
The film also has a strong female lead, equal to the two men, Maggie Grace, a strong screen presence.
The film has all the ingredients of popular action entertainment – and which could appeal to a wider audience wanting something with a bit more human interaction and substance.
1. The title? The emphasis on the hurricane? The elaboration of the heist? An exciting combination?
2. The Alabama settings, the city of Gulfport, the surrounding countryside, industry, the police precincts, the Treasury building, exteriors and interiors, elaborate plant? The musical score?
3. The prologue, the hurricane, 1992, the father driving, the two boys and their squabbling, the crash, refuge in the house, the demolition of the house, their father trying to save the car, his death?
4. 2017, Gulfport and the oncoming hurricane? The visualising of the hurricane, clouds, rain, winds? The devastation? People moving out? Those remaining?
5. The line of traffic, the hold-up, the trucks with the old money, Casey and Perkins, Irish jokes, Casey taking over, the drive through the fields? The unloading of the cash? The vaults? The security? The personnel, managers, technical experts, military?
6. Will, his expertise, predictions of the hurricane, not being believed, the headquarters and the personnel? His going to see his brother, Breeze? The two young boys from the prologue? The relationship, Breeze and his service in Afghanistan, not having seen his brother for five years, his accommodation, engineer? Will and his wanting him to leave? Boarding up the premises? The relationship between the two – and the later driving together, Will and his apology? Breeze accepting, and never speaking of it again?
7. The invasion, the military tactics, weapons, knocking out the soldiers but not killing them? The manager as hostage? Perkins and his betrayal? The introduction of the IT technicians? The generator needing repair, Casey going out, finding Breeze, bringing him back? The threats? Will returning, rescuing Casey?
8. The local sheriff, the appeal, his being part of the plan, vindictive? The group going out to pursue Casey and Will? The gunfire? The crashes? The hurricane? The sheriff returning, confronting Perkins, bringing in the other police, their deal, their greed?
9. Will and Casey using their wits, their strength? Pulling down the tower, the attack on them at the time, preventing the code being finished? Perkins and his frustration? The members of the team, the deaths, the brother vindictive? The IT people and their trying to get the probability of the number to finish the code?
10. Breeze, doing his work, trying to free the military? His being imprisoned?
11. Will and Casey in the supermarket, making the contact, Perkins trying to do the deals? On the phone with the manager? Will and Breeze talking, football tactics? Will and Casey and the plan for the explosion, getting the ingredients, the attack, Casey taken? Her doing the deal, rescuing her bag, Perkins shooting the manager dead?
12. Will, the attack, the military, Breeze getting free? Will and Casey meeting at his accommodation?
13. The eye of the storm, the plan, the trucks leaving with the money? Will and his vehicle, teaming up with Breeze? The pursuit of the trucks? The leaps, on the rooms, the young couple, the struggle, taking out of the truck? Continuing on to the second truck? The road, the manoeuvres, the silos and the near crashes? The pursuit by the hurricane?
14. Perkins, angry, the two brothers and their pressing him in, the back opening, the money flying free, his anger, the truck upturned and caught in the storm?
15. A happy ending? The effective blend of action, stunt work, human interest story?
