While the action crime-thriller Den of Thieves was a fairly “under the radar” release back in 2018, it clearly benefited enough from its star power and solid box office return to earn a sequel. Unfortunately, the follow-up, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, is a less than stellar effort that strips away too much of what made the original fun — leaving a hollow shell in its place.
The film, which is inspired by the 2003 Antwerp diamond heist, catches fans up with returning characters Nick O’Brien (Gerard Butler) and Donnie Wilson (O’Shea Jackson Jr.) as they become involved in a dangerous, high stakes European diamond heist. Part of the early fun of Pantera is seeing Nick and Donnie continue the first film’s story after the big twists were revealed. No longer is Donnie a hidden mastermind, as we see him directly involved in a big heist that showcases his prowess in the field. Meanwhile, Nick is super pissed that he was deceived and his search for Donnie builds this intensity that comes to a head when they eventually reunite. There’s a great contrast between Nick and Donnie’s lives following the first film and it allows returning director Christian Gudegast to work with more compelling visuals to capture these split atmospheres.
The first third of Pantera acts as not only a solid set-up for what lies ahead, but also creates a satisfying bridge between this film and its predecessor. Unfortunately, the film completely breaks its own momentum with a bloated and boring second act that leaves you begging for something better to happen. A big reason the first film stands out still is because of its gritty, sometimes grimy crime elements and tough personalities. Here, though, a lot of that foreboding darkness or brutal punch is lost as the group prepares for the central scheme.
Frankly, none of the set-up is all that interesting and a lot of time is wasted on unimportant dialogue between forgettable new characters. The lack of star talent definitely hurts the film by making it feel like a scaled-down sequel story, and sadly, even Butler and Jackson feel like they’ve lost a step since the first film. The rough and tough characteristics of Butler’s demeanor appear in flashes, and the dynamic between Nick and Donnie has shades of two rivals coming together. However, the film veers too much into generic comedy bits that don’t belong, like a drunken scooter sequence, and failed attempts to make its characters sly and cool. Often, it just results in lackluster scenes that don’t utilize the best parts of these characters, and ultimately makes the second act a chore to get through. Not to mention, whatever accent Jackson attempts to do to sound French does not work at all.
It also doesn’t help that the film adds other story threads concerning local mobsters and cops with their own interests that clog up the entire process. Frankly, throughout the entire middle act of Pantera, there’s a growing concern that the big finale heist will disappoint. But thankfully, it doesn’t, and the final stretch actually carries the intensity viewers are hoping for. Sure, it’s not as explosive as the first film’s major heist, but there is a calculated nature to it that’s thrilling to watch play out. The way the group narrowly floats undetected and under the constant stress of the clock makes for a harrowing experience that leaves you on-edge. Then, just as things seem to go perfectly, there’s a monkey wrench thrown in that puts everything on the line and lets Gudegast’s direction thrive through a windy chase sequence. Unfortunately, the film tries to capture the same twist-like nature of the first film’s ending, but to no avail. The big betrayal it builds towards is wildly obvious and everything that follows feels totally forced. There isn’t a clear vision for the ending, and it leads to final moments that are desperate to impress but rarely do.
Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is an underwhelming sequel that can’t make the most of its best parts, which will ultimately disappoint fans and newcomers alike. When it kicks into high gear, there’s some crowd-pleasing tension that hooks you into its very fun heist. But everything else is simply mediocre or straight-up falls flat, so it rarely feels like a worthwhile watch.
