DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA (4K), Starring Mr. Reliable

DEN OF THIEVES 2: PANTERA (4K UHD)

2025 / 144 min

From Lionsgate

Review by Mr. Bonnie, the Burglar😼

Wait a minute…did I see the original Den of Thieves? It’s difficult to remember off the top of my head. I’ve seen a lot of Gerard Butler’s action movies, few of which have resonated much afterwards.

And I don’t mean that as a dig. Quite the contrary. I enjoy most of his films, especially in the moment. They may not be cinematic milestones, but by and large, they deliver as promised…no-frills action, slick direction and a solid performance by its star. Butler (aka Mr. Reliable) pretty much plays the same guy every time, but he’s got a screen presence that generally lifts his films above the usual direct-to-video fodder (sort of making him a modern day Charles Bronson).

Then 10 minutes into Den of Thieves 2 - which I had no idea was coming until it popped up in theaters (in January of course) - I suddenly recalled the original: Ohhh, that’s right…Butler was “Big Nick” O’Brien, a cop trying to stop a gang of thieves from robbing the Federal Reserve. It had that twist ending where the real brains of the outfit, Donnie (O’Shea Jackson Jr), got away scot-free. 

Fortunately, Den of Thieves 2 quickly establishes Donnie as the one that got away and O’Brien’s obsession with him, so seeing the original isn’t necessarily a requirement for enjoying this one. Largely taking place in France, the story has Donnie assembling another crew with plans to rob the World Diamond Center. Meanwhile, O’Brien’s life and career are pretty much in shambles, yet he’s still obsessed with Donnie. Without support from the LAPD, he does some investigating on his own and learns Donnie’s location…and more importantly, what he’s planning.

"Zip that up, will ya?"

This time, however, he wants to join Donnie’s crew and participate in the robbery. This is where Den of Thieves 2 takes sort of a narrative detour, with O’Brien and Donnie not only earning each other’s trust, but developing something that almost resembles friendship, a relationship that becomes important when Donnie’s previous caper runs afoul of a powerful mafia boss. It’s also where the film deviates from the original’s serious tone. There’s quite a bit of humor in this one, largely through the interplay between its two stars.

Still, the job itself takes center stage, and while there are a lot of lulls in the overall pace (at 144 minutes, it’s way too long), the intricate planning and climactic heist are generally pretty entertaining. Despite another attempt at a twist ending (which you’ll see coming), there aren’t really any narrative surprises. Still, it’s an enjoyable enough ride and boasts a few good action sequences, though you may have forgotten all about it by the time they get around to Den of Thieves 3.

This 4K UHD/Blu-ray condo pack features excellent picture and sound, along with a smattering of decent bonus features.

EXTRA KIBBLES

FEATURETTE - Flipping the Script: Plotting Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is a pretty decent making-of doc.

AUDIO COMMENTARY - By writer-director Cristian Gudegast, producer Tucker Tooley, cinematographer Terry Stacey & editor Robert Nordh.

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