The original film is of course a classic, but in all honesty, it really isn't anything special, it was only Michael Caine that really made it worth watching, so why do a remake? Well in retrospect, this film really isn't a remake, it just carries the same name, the same lead character and a few mini's, the story is completely different. This is where the film has a lot going for it, strangely enough, as it quite rightly uses the original movie as a launch pad, to draw a crowd, and then forgets all about it. The end result is a smooth and very entertaining heist movie which sidesteps comparisons to the "Your only supposed to blow the bloody doors off!" original. However, with an all star cast, the film can't help but be compared to George Clooney's 'Oceans Eleven', which was another extremely good remake of a classic movie. This is only where the film can really become the underdog, Charlie just isn't as cool as Danny Ocean, but nevertheless 'The Italian Job (2003)' is a great flik. The movie starts with a heist in Italy, hence the title, which sees Ed' Norton's character double cross Charlie and the gang, which then results in another heist aimed at getting revenge upon 'Norton, the bad guy. The direction is a little restrained, but perfectly paced, and what the film lacks in one liners (unlike the original), it makes up for in basic character interactions. A solid film, with a solid cast, well worth seeing.

4/5