Solid Through Acting
Rating: 7 of 10 
Again I was proven right not to trust the reviews in German newspapers and magazines which gave this movie an altogether quite bad review. Instead I went to see it - thus having made the right decision. 'Entrapment' mightn't be a deeply philosophical piece, but this isn't really necessary. It's a beautiful movie with two very charming leads, also with Ving Rhames contributing his powerful appearance to it.
The topic of this film isn't such a new one, it is about thieves. But it is set in a technologically more challenging environment; today's thieves being confronted with high risks and high-tech security equipment making some "jobs" quite impossible, although perhaps "doable". The technobabble level is relatively moderate though, making it possible to follow the action without being an expert in the matter. The visuals are quite appealing, although the hype concerning the millennium was far understated, caught much better in 'Strange Days'.
What does it mean to be a thief? And why is it so appealing, so easy to sympathize with these characters, apart from them being impersonated by Sean Connery and Catherine Zeta-Jones? - Why do they steal? Not for the money, that seems clear. Perhaps they once did it for the money, but now it's more about the excitement, the mere thrill - to see whether it's possible or not to do it. The challenge is more important, the experience of it. But apart from that, it is also unmistakenly made clear what business they're in: Two agents sent to catch Mac were lost. The myth of theft being a crime which hurts nobody is not being upheld by this movie. This is also a piece about trust - "First we try, then we trust" is quite a pessimistic approach, but fits the business. This movie is excellent entertainment, and when considered more thoroughly, it presents some points of discussion. But mostly its energy is being derived from the performances of its actors, without them, it could very well be lost.
May 30th, 1999
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