AFTER THE SUNSET (DVD)

Director: Brett Ratner (Rush Hour I & II, Red Dragon)
Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Selma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Naomie Harris

Brosnan has had a lot of success with spy and master thief movies recently. The Bond films have made his name in this regard, but I was a much bigger fan of both the Tailor of Panama and The Thomas Crown Affair. I found both of these to be extraordinarily fun films. This film doesn’t measure up to either of those successes, but it is in its own right a satisfying little thief film. The tone of the story is extremely lighthearted with a fair amount of humor mixed in with a couple of complicated thefts. The story works on this fun, humorous level. Actually, I wish they would have gone further in that direction than they did.

The plot, despite a few holes, is solid. Brosnan and Hayek are a team of thieves after a series of three famous diamonds. They steal the first two, humiliating a certain FBI agent in the process (Harrelson). They then retire to the Bahamas to live the sweet life. Coincidentally, the third diamond soon goes on display in the Bahamas. Harrelson follows it and ends up in a series of wacky adventures with the thieves. The heart of the movie lies in the fun relationship between the four main characters while they spar back and forth. I really hoped they were going to end up joining forces in some way in the end. I wish they would have. I think it would have been a better story if they had.

Regardless, the film was successful as it was. Everybody seemed to be having a good time living it up in the lush Caribbean sun. Every set was gorgeous and Salma Hayek was extraordinarily beautiful in bikinis throughout. This will probably end up being a bit of a throwaway movie, but I definitely enjoyed it while I was watching it.

Standouts: Harrelson as the comic relief, lush beautiful locales, and a fun script.
Blowouts: A few plot holes in the thefts and twisting portion of the story.

Grade: B

12/19/2005