Having not yet seen the original The Italian Job that Michael Caine I have no frame of reference to compare it to. Still this version is fast moving and fun and you got to tip your hat to a bunch of professional thieves who know their business and steal without it being bloody.

Donald Sutherland has assembled a crack team of thieves all with special skills that include Mark Wahlberg, Edward Norton, Mos Def, Jason Stathem and Seth Green. The six pull off a well timed heist of 35 million dollars in gold bullion bars. But then Norton gets real greedy and in turn steals the bullion from the rest, killing Sutherland and nearly all the others. Of course they're out for revenge, but revenge is a dish best served cold. Still they're all a little emotional on this one given the circumstances.

New on the team is Charlize Theron who is Sutherland's daughter and she brings safe-cracking skills into the mix. They will be needed before the film is over.

Edward Norton in his career has done a nice variety of sociopathic types from The Score, Primal Fear, and American History X. He's some piece of work in The Italian Job, but Norton is an actor who creates a peculiar fascination with the evil he does.

The key man as the team attempts to heist the bullion again from Norton is Seth Green the computer hacker. What he does I can't say, but it's the equivalent of directing a mouse in a maze.

This version of The Italian Job can safely stand on its own merits as entertaining and thrilling. Even without me seeing the first one as of yet.

The 1969 film I don't revere as a classic but it was very entertaining, and I have to say this film is just as enjoyable. While inferior in some aspects I actually noticed one or two improvements. The plot does meander slightly in the second half, and I found Edward Norton's villain too sleazy and one-dimensional. The film is also a tad too long by about two or three minutes. But it is very fast paced, looks great, has a great soundtrack and has some wonderful set pieces, very like the 1969 film. Where the improvements come are in the direction and the script, here the direction is super-charged, in the 1969 film I found it too flashy, and the script was smarter and more consistent. And the acting wasn't bad either. Mark Wahlberg takes on the Michael Caine role with real enthusiasm and charm and Seth Green is very funny in a very different role. Not to mention Charlize Theron, who is very beguiling as the sassy safe cracker. Overall, entertaining and enjoyable. 7/10 Bethany Cox

The Italian Job is the ill-advised Hollywood remake of the much-loved Michael Caine classic about a gold heist in Italy. Now I, like most people, really enjoyed the original film and I expected that this film wouldn't and couldn't hold a candle to it. Surprise, surprise, it doesn't, although it is a solid action film. This movie can best be thought of as a precursor to the FAST AND THE FURIOUS franchise as it feels very similar to those films. The dialogue is snappy and the action is fast paced, with lots of enjoyable car chases. This and the GONE IN 60 SECONDS remake would make a good double bill.

A word on the cast: Edward Norton is ill at ease, making a film he has no interest in, but Mark Wahlberg is a solid enough and charismatic lead. Donald Sutherland is ever the professional and Charlize Theron does well in a star-making turn. The real stand out is Jason Statham as one of the crew; he did well enough to turn his back on ensemble movies for many years, instead making a series of fun action vehicles occasionally more entertaining than this film.