Italian Job (Review)

The movie started with Charlie Croker and his gang of 6 members, Handsome Rob, Lyle, Leaf Ear, John and Steve devised a excellent plan to steal a whole cupboard of gold ballerina bricks. The plan was perfect and the execution was better. After pulling off a successful gold bullion heist, the gang was unaware that Steve was an inside man and was going to double-cross them. When the gang went to the mountains to celebrate their wealth, they were blocked on a bridge and were confronted by two MPVs fulled of armed guards who belonged to Steve. Steve's people held Charlie's gang at gunpoint and shipped all the gold bricks to their cars. John tried to resist and Steve shot him in his stomach. The situation was getting out of hand and the gang was not ready for a hijack. Handsome Rob accelerated the car right into the freezing river while the bullets from Steve's crew sprayed all around in the freezing water. The gang helped each other to survive by sharing oxygen from a single oxygen mask. John had lost too much blood from his wound and lost his life.

Charlie was extremely devastated by John's death and was adamant to get back at Steve as John was like a father to him. The was dejected too but they knew that they have to put John's death behind them and start the planning to stage a revenge at Steve. After 6 months, Charlie came up with a plan. He knew that Steve would only spend the some of the gold bricks and would not sell all of them. These gold bricks would definitely be stored safely in a high-classed safe. As John was the safe-cracker of the gang, Charlie needed a new member who was skilful at breaking the codes of the safes so that they can aquire the gold bricks. Charlie then seeked help from John's daughter, Stella, who was a professional at handling safes. Stella refused to help at first as she blamed Charlie for her father's death but she was tempted by the thougt of avenging for her father's death. After much deliberation, she wanted a part in the gang.

Charlie and his team spend weeks staging lookouts at Steve's house, keeping tabs of the activity at Steve's mansion. He was determined to find the exact location of the safe in Steve's house to facilitate the hijack of Steve's house. However, he was unsuccessful at his attempts. Charlie then devised a plan to enter Steve's premises. He ask Left Ear, the electronic expert of the group to cut off the electrical power of the mansion. (Left Ear is called Left Ear as he went deaf in his leaft ear when he was 8 as his accidentally bombed up a toilet bowl. Ever since that day, he developed an unwaverig interest in electronics and bombing techniques.) Steve was pissed to have a power failure in his house. He called for assistance from the electronic company. Stella was then selected to be a repair woman assigned by the company after Charlie managed to contact the company to allow Stella to help Steve. Steve did not know Stella but knew the rest of the gang and so Stella was the best choice to enter the mansion and determine the location of the safe which kept the gold bricks so that the crew can stage a attack so as to minimise suspicions.

Steve was very attracted to Stella's charm and beauty and invited her to dinner. Stella was caught unprepared and she did not make a decision. However, Stella did probe around the house and had found the safe which kept the gold bricks. Stella then made it out of the house, but was shaken having met the person who had killed her father. Charlie comforted her and they continued their planning to rob the gold bricks back from Steve. Charlie aquires the help of a fat man and a person whose cousin was killed by Steve.

Stella then accepted Steve's date and went for a dinner with Steve. Steve started to have suspisions about Stella when Stella made a comment which her father always used - "I trust everyone, but I do not trust the devil inside their hearts". Steve started to find that Stella looked very alike John, his enemy. He questions Stella and went overboard. Charlie and his gang then appeared to help Stella. Steve then found out that Stella was indeed John's daughter and she was in cahoots with Charlie. Charlie punches Steve when Steve insulted Stella and John and hinted to Steve to watch out as they would strike back.

When Charlie was busy setting up and planning his attack, Lyle receives intel that Steve was about to leave the country and was going to ship the gold bricks out of the country to Spain. This was a dramatic change and the team had to act fast as the gold bricks were going to be shipped out very soon. Charlie acquires the help a Wrench, a mechanic with lots of experience with cars. Charlie then experimented how the gold bricks were going to be stolen and how the bricks were going to be loaded in the cars. After days of preparation, the plan was out and the team was ready to get hold of the gold bricks.

On that day, Handsome Rob and Left Ear were positioned outside the residence of Steve in a White Mini Cooper, making sure that the gold bricks were really going to leave the mansion. Charlie was in the Blue Mini Cooper while Stella was behind the wheel in the Red Mini at the Metro Station. Lyle was stationed in the metro station and after hacking into the traffic control system, Lyle had all the power to control all the traffic lights in California.

To the team's surpise, three armored plated trucks exited Steve's mansion, all of them might carry the gold bricks. This was challenging as the crew did not know which truck to follow which contained the gold bricks. Charlie then instructed Lyle to determine which truck was travelling lower which means that the truck was with the bricks. With a wave of hand, the target was locked to one out of the three trucks, allowing the team to zero in on their target. The White Mini then went to the Metro Station to join the other Minis. Lyle then manupulated the traffic system and forced the truck to the Metro Station.



Lyle then signalled to Charlie and the 3 Minis zoomed to the underground station where they were going to bomb the road so that the truck is going to drop down and the crew would then have access to the safe. The execution was perfect and the Minis were soon loaded with the bricks which amounted to 27 million. The team was ecstatic and Lyle even cried out in joy in the Metro Station. However, the crew's laughter were shortlived as they were immediately caught by Steve's helicopter in hot pursuit.

Charlie then instructed Lyle to provide all the green lights for them to the train station. Charlie beckoned to Stella and Handsome Rob to return to the train station first while he decoyed Steve's helicopter away. Steve knew that Charlie was in the Blue Mini and followed Charlie. Charlie was then forced into a corner in a dunkyard. With excellent driving skills, Charlie broke free from Steve's pursuit and made a beeline to the train station. Steve's helicopter broke down and he hijacked a car and went after Charlie.

However, Steve arrived shortly at the train station shortly after Charlie. However, he was no match for the large numbers of guards supplied by Markov, Charlie's ally. Steve was then held at gunpoint and then dragged off by Markov's men to help out ath Markov's workplace.

Charlie and his gang succeeded in staging a revenge for John. Everyone had a fair share of the money. Left Ear bought a mansion in Spain with a whole room just dedicated for shoes. Handsome Rob bought an Aston Martin. Lyle bought a stereo which was his dream and the stereo was so loud that it can blow off clothes which people are wearing. Charlie and Stellafell in love with each other and spent their lives together.