The Hurricane Heist

An entertaining, intense adventure, Rob Cohen’s The Hurricane Heist – provides a powerful punch in combining two genres: action movie and disaster flick.

The film opens with a flashback of characters Will and Breeze during Hurricane Andrew showing their father’s traumatising death and Will’s imagined vision of Satan among the clouds. The title is self-explanatory regarding the plot that unfolds. A small coastal town in Alabama is preparing for the arrival of Hurricane Tammy, while government agents Perkins (Ralph Ineson) and Casey (Maggie Grace) have the task of liquidating 600 million dollars of expired US mint money before the massive tempest hits. The shredding machine does not work however and Perkins has developed an elaborate plot to use the chaos of the emergency to steal the cash. Electrician Breeze (Ryan Kwanten) is recruited to help fix the shredder, and his brother Will (Toby Kebbell) is a meteorologist analysing the storm to minimise potential disaster. Needless to say, Tammy hits them with full force, cutting off all communication and creating mayhem. The non-stop action involves Casey trying to guard the fortune from Perkins and his crew while Will tries to save his brother.

Despite being given a limited range, the actors are competent. Although the piece initially submits strong emotional context, it is not developed and there is subsequently very little evidence of it. A motive is suggested but remains superficial, while the piece exhibits standard clichéd characters and relationships with the familiar prototypal greedy, ruthless thieves. Stereotypical Southern accents are somewhat overdone by the British and Australian performers.

The tone of the work suggests that Cohen has tried to create a kind of genius B movie, excelling in its tongue-in-cheek comic book two-dimensionality. In terms of no expectation entertainment, he succeeds. Though formulaic the film is well made: the cinematography – combined with special effects and sound – is very effective in conveying maximum intrigue, and the editing is tight and flawless.

A classic Hollywood blockbuster caper, The Hurricane Heist is not intended as enlightening cinema, but simply delivers the wild ride that appeals to audiences who love thrillers. Like Snakes on a Plane and Twister, the narrative makes no pretence of mystery but provides viewers with straightforward, riveting suspense.

Catherine Sedgwick

The Hurricane Heist is released on Sky Cinema and in select cinemas on 6^th April 2018.

Watch the trailer for The Hurricane Heist here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Maam_2DNgYw