Barnes & Noble

If you’ve become accustomed to Pierce Brosnan as good-guy secret agent James Bond, his characterization in this film of a suave master thief may be a little off-putting at first. Not to worry: Pierce’s Max Burdett isn’t all that bad -- just a little more roguish than most of us. Besides, as the film opens he completes what is supposed to be his last big job and retires to a Caribbean island paradise with his beautiful accomplice, Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek), to enjoy a life of luxury. But even paradise gets boring after a while, and when a luxury liner appears, showcasing a rare diamond -- the only one in a set of three that Max hasn’t swiped -- the burglar can’t resist scoping out the ship. His longtime nemesis, FBI agent Stan Lloyd (Woody Harrelson), lays in wait, hoping the thief will take the bait. Director Brett Ratner (the Rush Hour films) obviously didn’t aspire to make anything other than a breezy little caper film, and he succeeds admirably. The actors aren’t called upon for heavy emoting, but they certainly seem to be enjoying themselves. There’s real chemistry between Brosnan and Harrelson, and while Hayek is more decorative than essential, she contributes her full share of the movie’s entertainment value. Standouts in supporting roles are {|Naomie Harris|}, as a local policewoman recruited by Stan to help trap Max, and Don Cheadle, playing a gangster who gives Burdett a little extra incentive to go through with the heist. The script is surprisingly clever; it not only offers some cute cat-and-mouse stuff but also contains a genuinely surprising third-act twist. After the Sunset may not be especially memorable, but you'll have a good time while you're there. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

In this caper movie from director Brett Ratner, two brilliant criminals are lured out of retirement...or are they? Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) is a master jewel thief who, with the help of his accomplice and lover Lola Cirillo (Salma Hayek), has stolen two of the three Napoleon diamonds, among the most valuable gems on Earth. Stanley Lloyd (Woody Harrelson) is an FBI agent who has been on Burdett's trail for years and is especially eager to bring him to justice after a humiliating incident in which Max swiped one of the Napoleons out from under Stanley's nose. But word has it that Max and Lola have abandoned their lives of crime, and they've taken up residence on an idyllic island in the Bahamas, where they're living the good life on their ill-gotten fortune. Lloyd is not convinced they're out of the game for good, and when he learns that the third Napoleon diamond will be on display aboard a cruise ship headed in Max's direction, Lloyd joins forces with Sophie (Naomie Harris), a Paradise Island police detective, to catch Max and Lola red handed. Henry Moore (Don Cheadle), an expatriate American gangster who also lives on the island, doesn't believe Max has gone straight either and tries to rope him into stealing the jewel for him. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 065935827467
• Source: ALLIANCE CANADA
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: DTS 5.1-Channel Surround Sound, Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Language: Français
• Time: 1:37:00