DVD Release Date: March 29, 2005

Cast: Pierce Brosnan, Salma Hayek, Woody Harrelson, Don Cheadle, Naomie Harris

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By Sean Chavel

After the Sunset is a sexy caper movie that benefits significantly from the appeal of its stars. Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek play a criminal couple who retire to the Bahamas Islands after their last big score, and Woody Harrelson plays an FBI agent with a score to settle. The Bahamas is a great setting for a movie and is especially a perfect locale accommodation for this light and breezy entertainment.

That’s a real surprise considering that most of director Brett Ratner’s films are top-heavy on kinetic action and noise. Ratner’s oeuvre almost seems made up of deliberately tailored franchise movies like Money Talks (which had talks of a sequel that never happened), the Rush Hour series and Red Dragon, an inferior entry of the Hannibal Lecter series. The Family Man with Nicolas Cage was an exception, and although it was a fairly effective identity-crisis fantasy it was at the end just a little too hokey. With the exception of a shaky and confusing intro that involves a heist in and around a basketball arena, Ratner has nevertheless found a pleasurable rhythm with this new movie (I hope he continues making movies like this one). It’s casually exciting and vibrantly comical – it’s a curl up on the couch and kick off your shoes type of movie.

Max (Brosnan) and Lola (Hayek) share their perfect little home off of the beach, and it’s the kind of stupendously beautiful house that seems like a cut-out from an architectural digest catalog. As for Hollywood glamour, Brosnan and Hayek always look like they are ready for an In Style magazine camera shoot – they are always projecting cool. Brosnan fans will rejoice since this is the Brosnan movie for those who liked The Thomas Crown Affair. Hayek leaves her Oscar-nominated performance in Frida behind and returns to the screen as a sexy and playful heroine who is sometimes demanding and often fussy. This is like her turn in something like Desperado, but she rubs off an even more appealing luster in this movie.

As for the caper, it revolves around a famous Napolean diamond that is worth countless millions of dollars. Will its presence pull the restless Max out of retirement?

For one week, the diamond is scheduled to be a featured exhibit on a cruise ship docked at sea. Stan (Harrelson) arrives on the island in effort to entice Max into stealing the diamond. Stan really wants to nab him and Max knows that, but Max’s compulsive interest in the diamond keeps tickling the criminal inside him (Max doesn’t need the score, but he’s a compulsive hobbyist). Lola is the kind of women that gives her man ultimatums if he chooses to pursue trouble, but that doesn’t necessarily stop Max.

The caper itself is not as technically persuasive as most caper movies. It seems to be pulled off by overall bravado and guts, and by gadgets that are provided for the sake of convenience to the plot. It’s one of those movies where the characters are blessed with nepotism that allows them to narrowly dodge danger. Foresight is more important than actual skill. After the Sunset doesn’t seem to have its own brilliant approach to a caper, the whole criminal sting seems recycled from other caper movies. This weakens the movie to a degree, yet the movie glides along so amiably that maybe you won’t notice how manufactured some of its parts are.

The movie has so many other assets that’s it is ultimately forgivable, starting with the cast of characters which are so good. What is most memorable is the way it handles Max and Stan’s relationship. It recalls the recent film Collateral with Tom Cruise and Jamie Foxx – they’re adversaries but emerging buddies at the same time. Professional duty, of course, keeps their friendship at bay. Stan is paired up with a female counterpart, too, when he’s joined by island police authority Sophie (Naomie Harris from 28 Days Later). Sophie is there as a love interest, obviously, but also as Stan’s watchdog to make sure he’s doing his job right. All of these characters become entangled with each other’s lives, but it’s spiced up by the various juvenile games that they play on each other. (For example: When Max finds a wiretap in his home, he feeds steamy messages into Stan’s earpiece as a joke. I think it is Lola’s character that enticingly suggests how much she’d love a “ménage a trios.” Stan thinks he has eavesdropped on the world’s naughtiest couple.)

As with most good comic thrillers, the plot is supplied with a wild card supporting player. Don Cheadle plays the island’s most distinguishable gangster, a once-reputable crime figure from Detroit who has relocated to the islands as an organized racketeer in tropical paradise. For viewers that have seen enough film noirs from the ’40’s, Cheadle is playing the Peter Lorre part (he’s a double-crossing rat with more heft than meets the eye). Cheadle also sees the diamond theft as a big score, and figures it would be more productive to get Max to steal it for him. This sets up a plot triangle: between Brosnan, Harrelson and Cheadle, who is scamming who? After the Sunset is gripping for the larger part because it keeps its audience in a guessing game. A few arbitrary developments aside, the movie stays involving.

Even when the film has less going on in it than it should the movie still sustains its star magnetism – you’re beguiled at how sizzling hot Brosnan and Hayek look together. Whether it’s the sunsets or the people, there’s always something good to look at in this movie. If only the movie’s centerpiece heist scene had been more dazzling, or genuinely believable, After the Sunset could have joined other classics of the genre.

The special features are too cool, almost unnecessary but welcome nonetheless. Ratner obviously had a lot to do with making these DVD extras available, and he comes off like the happiest kid on Earth. The extras include:

• Feature Commentary with director Brett Ratner, Producer Beau Flynn and Editor Mark Helfrich – Brotherly type of film enthusiasm from the trio.
• Blooper Reel – Kind of rude, kind of silly, kind of prankish roundelay of outtakes from the movie that are… undeniably fun to watch.
• Deleted / Alternate Scenes – So many to choose from but they’re worth skimming through if you’re a fan of the movie.
• Before, During and After the Sunset – Video journal that runs for one hour and ten minutes. More than you need, but appetizing if you want to see what Brosnan and Hayek behind the scenes. Note: it’s lengthy but snappily edited.
• The Charlie Rose Show with Ratner, Brosnan, Hayek and Harrelson – Not the best of Charlie Rose’s half-hour celebrity interview symposium, but has there ever been a bad episode of The Charlie Rose Show?
• Interview with a Jewel Thief – Meet Bill Mason. A master criminal who is interviewed by Ratner himself. Very intriguing five-minute interview. Worth noting is that his life story has been optioned to become a Hollywood movie.
• Visual Effects Comparisons – Did you think that After the Sunset is very short on special effects shots? So did I. You’ll be amazed by its four-minute demonstration. Worth checking out.
• Trailers, TV spots, and ooh, a hidden DVD egg.

After the Sunset is worth putting on anytime you’re not look for something too serious, or you’re looking for something mildly kinky (I’m not talking about the scene where Brosnan and Harrelson share a bed together). And when it comes to Hayek, she has never looked hotter. So are you wondering whether or not After the Sunset is worth buying? If sexy caper movies are your thing, sure. But it’s definitely worth a rental. Just check your expectations lower if you’re looking for the most awesome caper movie ever made, because it isn’t. But the stars undeniably create some heat together.

Movie Score: B-
Special Features Score: A-
Overall DVD Score: B

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