Where this film departs from other heist movies is that the gang are not professional criminals. As an unexpected mix of a porn actress, a photographer, a concrete expert and even a newlywed groom jump into a plan to dig a 13 m underground tunnel, the thrill of carrying out the operation and the precarious feel of amateurs roll along together. Added to this is the setup in which not only the police but also MI5 and a criminal organization are chasing them, so what looks like a simple one-time heist spreads into a story about a bigger game. The question of whether there was something more than money among the loot adds another kind of tension to the story after the heist.
The running time is 126 minutes, and this version, which states in its title that it is an uncut special edition, can be watched on Wavve by subscription. Because the preparation and execution of the crime and the chase that follows are packed into a single film, the structure lets you enjoy both a crime drama and a chase thriller.
What to watch for
- 01
The premise of seven amateurs from different lines of work coming together gives you the fun of watching how the characters play off each other from the planning stage.
- 02
The process of digging a 13 m underground tunnel to reach hundreds of safe deposit boxes brings out the thrill of carrying out an operation that is typical of the heist genre.
- 03
The setup in which the police, MI5 and a criminal organization all move at once after a 40 billion won score widens the crime drama into a chase thriller.
This is a good fit for viewers looking for a crime film set in East London in 1971, with both an elaborate operation and the tension of pursuit and being pursued.