By Matt Thacker
The biggest complaint about action films is that they are usually predictable and formulaic. The thought of a movie based entirely around a bank robbery hostage situation sounds even less original.
"Inside Man" is anything but predictable. With twists, intelligent dialogue and a star-studded cast, featuring Denzel Washington and Jodie Foster, the movie will keep you on the edge of your seat from beginning until end.
The Spike Lee movie wastes no time jumping into the heart of the plot. The opening scene shows a man in prison explaining why he is about to rob a bank. He says the only question is “How?” The rest of the movie will answer that question.
Without much delay, the scene quickly changes to a major New York City bank where four robbers burst in wearing full body suits and masks. While they hold the employees and customers hostage, the lead detective played by Washington finds out these are not your typical robbers.
The film editors interject the intense drama of the robbery with flashforwards, while giving the audience clues that there might be an even bigger surprise in store.
It quickly becomes obvious the robbers have everything planned out, and Washington who is trying to prove himself as a detective gets caught in mind-games with the robbers.
While the plot twists will entertain those who have a hard time sitting still for two hours, Spike Lee also provides viewers with a social commentary. Unlike other Spike Lee films, “Inside Man” doesn’t hit you over the head with the racial and cultural tension.
Instead, he sprinkles racial jokes into the natural storyline in a way that provides much-needed humor to the otherwise intense thriller.
While the end seemed to drag on a bit and some viewers might get tangled up in all the twists, the film will undoubtedly be remember as one of the best thrillers of 2006.
