As a bank is closing and its clients are emptying their security boxes, a few stragglers are left in the bank when a group of robbers attacks the bank looking for a very particular security box. Meanwhile, unbeknownst to them all, one of the clients starts picking the group off one by one.
The Last Heist was written by Guy Stevenson whose previous credits are mostly comedies and cartoons making this thriller a departure from his usual work. The writing here is decent and fairly by the book for this type of movie, however, it feels like two different stories (bank robbery and serial killer) put together which makes it harder to keep everything going on working well. That being said, the proceedings are fairly entertaining even though the killer’s presence is given away quickly, soon followed up by their identity. It must be noted that the dialogue is good and feels realistic for most of the characters.
This script was directed by Mike Mendez whose style gets a bit lost here as he excels at bloody, crazy goodness which this movie has plenty of but yet still does not feel like a Mendez movie. Here he gathers all the elements in one mostly cohesive story with plenty blood (practical effects and unfortunately CGI) and a big group of actors of variable talent levels. The pace of the film is good, giving each group of characters their time of screen, helping bring all the elements that could have become two films together while giving them the time they need to develop.
The cast is big and varied, with only a few ladies but they do get some screen time and are not just there to be cute or to be rescued. Of course, with a cast this big, standouts will happen for good and bad reasons. The main standout here is Henry Rollins who always has a strong presence on screen. Here is a good but not the best he’s been. He seems to give a variation of his character in He Never Died with extra touches of crazy added for good measure.
The other two stand-outs are so for much different reasons. Torrance Coombs as Paul, the lead robber, shows talent and leadership while also showing some restraint when needed. On the opposite side of this is Kristina Klebe who usually gives strong performances but here, her character comes off as grating as she tries to look extra tough, like a badass bitch but just ends up coming off like she is trying too hard. Sadly, a lot of the rest of the cast feels under used, such as Nick Principe who would have been more interesting in a part with a bit more meat on its bones and not just as the hired muscle when those who have seen his work know he can do more than this.
Supporting these are the effects which are uneven in quality. CGI blood is almost never good and visibly fake, unless a scene is very darkly lit or the blood is very scarce. The blood here is no different, which can be an annoyance. The practical effects on the other hand look very good and properly gooey. Also, the eyes in jars do look a bit funny, but disembodied eyes usually do.
The film has its issues but is an easy watch and fairly entertaining. It creates a cat and mouse story within a heist story with hostages that are not so helpless. Some of it, like the ending, becomes a bit much, but Rollins and Coombs presences along with an interesting story with plenty twists and a good pace make it worth checking out.