Interpol calls on a team of art thieves to prevent a group of cyberterrorists from getting their hands on a large quantity of gold.
Stealing is bad. Except in Hollywood. Moreover, good thieves films form possibly the most important branch of the heist movies genre.
These works, filled with impressive action scenes, elaborate plans and ordeals, generally provide good entertainment. And when the protagonists are likeable, the audience tends to rally around them. Even more so if they are cool and calm like Danny Ocean and his gang. That of Lift does not have the charisma of George Clooney, Brad Pitt and company, or Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr. and their friends, but partly manages to charm us.
It’s the calm and not a bundle of nerves version of Kevin Hart (Central Intelligence, the new Jumanji) who plays Cyrus, leader of the team. Without being bad, he loses a little of his interest when he plays this kind of role. With the exception of the brilliant Vincent D’Onofrio (Dumb Money, Full Metal Jacket), the rest of the group is rather insipid. And above all full of clichés.
Lift is also full of lines that we have the impression of having heard elsewhere. Although screenwriter Daniel Kunka’s (12 Rounds) dialogue is elementary and his plot mechanics are overly complicated, his story has rhythm. The direction of F. Gary Gray (The Italian Job, The Fate of the Furious) certainly has something to do with it, even if his camera effects are often more flashy than spectacular. The last act at altitude still generates a good dose of adrenaline.
Cyrus’ gang attempts a mid-air heist at the behest of an Interpol executive (angry Sam Worthington), who wants to prevent the payment of half a billion in gold bars to a dangerous criminal (futile Jean Reno) to cyberterrorists. Agent Abby Gladwell (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), who has been trying to nail Cyrus for a while, is also on the mission.
In addition to good action scenes, the dynamic between the actress seen in the series Loki and Black Mirror and Kevin Hart is what works best in Lift. Their characters court each other in a fun and believable way, which lightens the story and makes it more inviting.
The soundtrack by Dominic Lewis and Guillaume Roussel resembles that of a travel agency advertisement – although the film takes us “visiting” several cities. At least Busy Earnin’, from Jungle, accompanies the credits.
Despite its many flaws, Lift can be a pleasant sight at home.
