AXELLERATEDREVIEWS

This low-budget indie thriller by the North East writer/director recounts a contained dramatic crime tale, with intriguing twists & turns. 

The sequel no one asked for, to a sub-par clone of the classic crime flick Heat, is finally out. More guns, more stakes, a bigger price, & no one who cares about it. Pantera tries to be more of a heist film than an action flick, but it has awkward pacing, dull surveillance scenes, and is empty of any tension. A sequel that has no reason to exist.

After a successful heist on an armoured truck, Detective Nick O’Brien (Butler) and his elite unit of sheriffs are brought in, to solve the case and catch the outlaws. Their first lead is a young barkeeper named Donnie (Jackson Jr.), who guides them to Merrimen (Schreiber), leader of the robbery crew and planning their next coup. As both groups keep running into each other routinely, a tactical game ensues that will lead all of them down a dark path.

An amalgamation of The Big Short & True Grit! Mackenzie’s Hell or High Water surprises with a smart story in this modern western.