"TAKERS"
(2010) (Matt Dillon, Idris Elba) (PG-13)

Alcohol/ Drugs	Blood/Gore	Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude	Frightening/ Tense Scenes	Guns/ Weapons
Heavy	Moderate	Extreme	Moderate	Extreme
Imitative Behavior	Jump Scenes	Music (Scary/Tense)	Music (Inappropriate)	Profanity
Extreme	Moderate	Heavy	None	Heavy
Sex/ Nudity	Smoking	Tense Family Scenes	Topics To Talk About	Violence
Heavy	Heavy	Heavy	Heavy	Extreme

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QUICK TAKE:

Action: An ex-con convinces his former partners in crime to pull one last heist unaware that two police detectives are hot on their trail.

PLOT:

A team of five elite thieves successfully knocks over a bank and figures their days of crime are waning. The group leader, Gordon (IDRIS ELBA), wants to get his drug-addicted sister (MARIANNE JEAN-BAPTISTE) out of the country and into a cleaner lifestyle. Jake (MICHAEL EALY) wants to marry his girlfriend, Rachel (ZOE SALDANA), and run his club with his brother, Jesse (CHRIS BROWN). John (PAUL WALKER) and A.J. (HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN) just want to enjoy the spoils of their exploits.

Into their lives comes former partner, Ghost (T.I.), who was caught years earlier during one of their heists and has been in prison ever since. Ghost never ratted on his team, but he is bitter that they have enjoyed freedom and untold riches over the years while he has rotted in jail. Accordingly, when he gets wind of an armored-car route that could net them millions, he pressures the team to get back together for one final big score.

At the same time, L.A. police detectives Jack Welles (MATT DILLON) and Eddie Hatcher (JAY HERNANDEZ) are hot on their trail and getting closer. Both have problems of their own, though. Jack is under investigation by Internal Affairs for violating a suspect's civil rights, while Eddie is dealing with a sick child and an unemployed wife.

WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT?

The presence of recording artists T.I. and Chris Brown ensures a significant teen interest, while edits for violence and language help maintain a PG-13.

WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG-13

For intense sequences of violence and action, a sexual situation/partial nudity, and some language.

CAST AS ROLE MODELS:

MATT DILLON plays a violent, yet essentially good cop who is under investigation by Internal Affairs for violating a suspect's civil liberties. He is divorced, has a daughter he has problems relating to, and is said to be a heavy drinker who is often hungover early. He swears often.

IDRIS ELBA plays the cool-headed leader of the Takers, a group of elite thieves who target banks and armored cars in the L.A. metro area. He has a drug-addicted sister who he has tried to help get clean for years. He uses profanity, is a social drinker, and enjoys the occasional celebratory cigar.

PAUL WALKER plays his loyal right-hand man who enjoys spending the money he steals as witnessed by his lavish home, wraparound swimming pool, fancy sports car, and fine clothes. He has no problems killing if the situation calls for it, but like Gordon, tries to avoid murder whenever possible. He even spares the life of a cop who he knows to be a father. He is a social drinker and cigar smoker who swears quite often.

T.I. plays the violent former partner of the team, just released from prison. He is eager to get back into a life of crime even if it means selling out his former partners for a better deal. Time and again, his team suspects him of duplicity. He is a very violent character, who smokes cigars, drinks from a flask, and is probably the most profane of the bunch.

HAYDEN CHRISTENSEN plays the team's demolitions expert. He is surprisingly good in a fight, at one point nearly beating up three men all larger than him. He is a chain smoker who has multiple tattoos and likes to swear.

JAY HERNANDEZ plays a generally decent cop who we learn stole money during a drug bust to help with his worsening debt situation. He is dealing with multiple deals after his wife was laid off from her job, their insurance benefits cut, and their son became gravely ill and in need of dialysis.

MICHAEL EALY and CHRIS BROWN play brothers and members of Gordon's crew of thieves. Together, they own a club that they have financed with the money from their heists. The former, meanwhile, is engaged to the former girlfriend of Ghost. Both are violent men, who kill when forced to. They are both social drinkers, enjoy the occasional cigar, and use profanity.

ZOE SALDANA plays the former girlfriend of Ghost who has since become romantically involved with his former partner in crime and agrees to marry him.

CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO

HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE

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Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit?
Then read OUR TAKE of this film.

(Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below).

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OUR WORD TO PARENTS:

The following is a brief summary of the content found in this drama that has been rated PG-13. Profanity consists of at least 41 "s" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are also uttered. A bit of sexually related dialogue is present, and one male character is shown engaging in the early stages of a threesome in his swimming pool with two women with his bare backside briefly visible in shadow.

Violence consists of people being wounded or killed by gunfire, while others are punched, kicked, manhandled, or threatened with weapons. Some of that has moderately bloody results, and those scenes and moments of potential peril will likely be unsettling and/or suspenseful for various viewers.

Bad attitudes are present, as is some potentially imitative behavior and various thematic elements. One cop is compelled to steal drug money to keep up with his bills and care for a sick child, while other tense family material is present. Another cop is accused of violating a suspect's civil liberties in an off-screen incident. The film contains a heavy amount of alcoholic beverage consumption and smoking, while drug-related content is also present.

If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content.

For those prone to visually induced motion sickness, all sorts of camera movement (often quite bouncy, including point of view) occurs during the film's multiple action sequences.

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ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE

Gordon drinks liquor with a woman in his penthouse soon after the successful opening heist.

Jake and Jesse share drinks (presumably whiskey) at their club to celebrate their crime. Multiple bottles of liquor, wine, and other spirits are visible behind their bar in this sequence.

Ghost drinks John's Scotch without his permission.

In several scenes throughout the film, Eddie insinuates that Jack has been drinking the night before and is hung-over although we never see him alone or in a bar consuming alcohol. He doesn't look good, though.

Gordon's sister is in a drug and alcohol rehab facility as the film opens, having been hooked on heroin and other street drugs.

Ghost, Gordon, Jake, and the rest of the main criminals have drinks at a nightclub. Multiple other patrons are shown consuming various alcoholic beverages, and a fully stocked bar is clearly visible in several shots.

Bottles of whiskey, liquor, and other spirits are clearly visible in a closed bar as Eddie and Jack talk.

When asked how his drug test went, Ghost says he was clean, but adds, "They're trying to turn pissing in a cup into a seven-game series."

Naomi skips out on Gordon, steals some of his money, and goes back on the street to score some drugs. We next see her strung-out and in police custody.

Police also arrest a junkie-dealer who tried to sell the drugs to Naomi.

John, Gordon, and Ghost drink some sort of spirit from a flask while talking strategy on the balcony of Gordon's apartment.

After a shootout with Russian gangsters, Jake swigs from a bottle of whiskey as he decides his next move.

BLOOD/GORE

Ghost shows John a stomach scar where he had been shot years earlier.

Eddie is found bleeding from his nose and lamenting that a suspect he was tracking got away. We later learn that the wound was self-inflicted.

Jack briefly looks at crime-scene pictures of some bloodied corpses.

Blood is visible on the faces of three men A.J. has fought and bested as they lie on the ground with the other Takers holding guns on them.

When asked how his drug test went, Ghost says he was clean, but adds, "They're trying to turn pissing in a cup into a seven-game series."

Eddie asks Jack to "puke" on his lawn if he is going to throw up.

Jesse shoots a cop, and we see him a few moments later bleeding on a kitchen floor.

Five Russian gangsters and one of the Takers sport bloody clothes as a result of a shootout in the Takers' hotel suite.

Two men are shot and killed on a private aircraft, and blood is briefly visible from their bullet wounds.

Three characters are shot and bloodied at the film's climax following an airport standoff.

DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE

In general, the film follows six main criminals who believe that stealing from banks and armored cars is the way to accumulate wealth rather than getting educated and working for a living.

After he is finished drinking his bottled water, Jack crumples it up and throws it out a car window while his partner drives on a busy street.

We learn that Jack is being investigated by Internal Affairs for excessive force on a suspect, violating his civil rights, even though the man was much larger and resisting arrest.

Jesse makes a taunting hand gesture (but not the middle finger) at a bank security camera on his way out of the facility.

The Takers steal a news network's helicopter as part of their getaway.

Ghost breaks into John's house and drinks his Scotch while he waits for him to return home.

The Takers hack into a downtown L.A. traffic light and practice changing its colors, nearly causing random cars to have an accident.

A.J. goes to a demolition company after-hours and tries to secretly purchase some explosives for use in the crew's next heist.

Naomi leaves rehab a week early against her counselors' and brother's wishes and advice.

Jack slashes two tires on an informant's fancy automobile when the crook is initially unwilling to give him the information he wants. He then threatens to impound the vehicle on a trumped-up charge if the man doesn't come clean with what he knows.

John and Gordon agree that Ghost should be killed if they get even a hint that he is setting them up.

Naomi skips out on Gordon, steals some of his money, and goes back on the street to score some drugs.

We learn that Eddie faked being overpowered by a suspect, let the criminal go, and then pocketed a large sum of cash belonging to the crook.

The Takers cause a traffic light to malfunction, and Ghost masquerades as a traffic cop to put the armored car heist into motion.

During a long foot chase in which he tries to elude the police, Jesse pushes multiple innocent bystanders out of his way sending some to the ground. He also runs several times into open traffic, jumps on the hoods and trunks of multiple vehicles, and eventually charges into a commercial building and through a busy office putting those people in harm's way as the cops pursue.

It is learned that one of the Takers has cut a secret deal with Russian gangsters to kill the rest of the crew and take the armored-car heist money.

FRIGHTENING SCENES

Scenes listed under "Violence," "Blood/Gore" and "Jump Scenes" may be unsettling, suspenseful or scary to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material.

A bank employee is discovered purposefully setting off a silent alarm during the opening heist, and one of the thieves forces her at gunpoint to make a call to the authorities.

A Russian gangster wielding a handgun sneaks up behind Jack and is just about to shoot him when Eddie intervenes.

John recognizes that he and Gordon are being tailed while driving. So, he eventually pulls over to the side and waits for the car to pass. In the vehicle are Jack and his young daughter, and we suspect that John and Gordon are poised to open fire. But once John realizes a young child is in the front passenger seat, he decides not to shoot.

Russian mobsters descend on the Takers' hotel suite. They barge in, firing all of their guns, killing one of Gordon's crew, and forcing the others into retreat.

Inside Gordon's darkened apartment, Jack senses that Gordon is on the other side of door which the audience believes is true, too. When he kicks it in, though, Gordon has already made his escape.

GUNS/WEAPONS

Gordon and his team arm themselves with automatic rifles while robbing a bank, using the weapons to threaten scared employees and customers.

A.J. pulls a gun on a helicopter news crew when commandeering their chopper.

One of Sergei's men puts a shotgun in Ghost's back. After Ghost disarms him, he pulls out a pistol of his own compelling nearby Russian gangsters to come into the room with weapons.

While Gordon and his crew scope out an armored car crew going about their work, the crew are shown with weapons both drawn and in their holsters.

The Takers barge in with guns drawn on A.J. fighting three men. Ghost threatens to shoot one of the men three times in the head.

Jack and Eddie get into a running gun battle with Russian mobsters, with both cops and crooks exchanging gunfire.

John and Gordon reach for their guns as Jack and his daughter drive by, but do not fire.

The Takers detonate explosives underneath a busy downtown L.A. street, blowing a sizable hole in the asphalt. A gun battle then ensues between four of the Takers in the below sewer and the armored-car guards on the surface above. Rifles and handguns are employed in this sequence, and multiple shots are fired. On the street, John comes up from behind one of the guards, knocks him in the face with the butt of his rifle, and steals one of the armored cars. He then uses that vehicle as a battering ram to push the other armored car into the hole, injuring the driver inside. When surrounded and shot at repeatedly, John decides to drive his armored car into the deep hole, too, eluding capture. He escapes from the thrashed vehicle with the other Takers providing cover by exchanging more gunfire with the guards above.

Jack, Eddie, and multiple uniformed officers chase Jesse through several parts of downtown L.A. with their guns drawn. On several occasions, the cops shoot at Jesse.

A cop corners Jesse in a restaurant kitchen, and Jesse is forced to shoot him.

Russian gangsters arm themselves with multiple rifles and firearms in preparation for a hotel gun battle with the Takers.

Surrounded by cops inside of a club, two characters decide to arm themselves with rifles and walk into a hail of police gunfire.

Ghost uses his pistol to shoot two men inside of a private jet parked near a hangar.

Ghost, Gordon, and Jack end up in a standoff, each with handguns drawn, at the airport. Multiple shots are fired. A fourth man with a gun shoots and kills the last man standing.

IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR

Phrases: "Sh*t," "You look like sh*t, man," "You really wanna mess with this low-level sh*t?" "They were hot sh*t," "Do you think I'd come at you with some bullsh*t?" "That's some good sh*t," "That's some funny sh*t," "All bullsh*t aside," "This here is bullsh*t," "Easy as sh*t," "This is chicken sh*t!" "We got a sh*tload of C-4," "Do you need to get laid?" "Not a G-damn word!" "G-damn it!" "None of your damn business," "This boy has lost his damn mind," "Son of a bitch!" "That son of a bitch was fast!" "Do you think I'm stupid, you punk bitch?" "What do you say we go 'Italian Job' on that ass?" "You stupid ass!" "Ungrateful bastard," "What the hell is this?" "Hell no!" "Screw you!" "Shut up!" "Idiot," "Not to piss on the Grand Caymans," "Your alarm system sucks," "I've been non-stop trippin'," "He's got huge balls," "I'll put three holes in your head like a bowling ball," "If you're going to puke, do it on the grass," "They're trying to turn pissing into a cup into a seven-game series," "This scum," "This low-life," and "Crack-head sister."

All of the action, stunts and such might be enticing for some kids to try to imitate.

In general, the film follows six main criminals who believe that stealing from banks and armored cars is the way to accumulate wealth rather than getting educated and working for a living.

After he is finished drinking his bottled water, Jack crumples it up and throws it out a car window while his partner drives on a busy street.

A.J.'s upper torso is covered in tattoos.

Jesse makes a taunting hand gesture (but not the middle finger) at a bank security camera on his way out of the facility.

The Takers steal a news network's helicopter as part of their getaway.

After blowing up a helicopter, each of the thieves drives away at very high speeds in separate vehicles.

Ghost breaks into John's house and drinks his Scotch while he waits for him to return home.

Jesse is fond of chewing a toothpick.

The Takers hack into a downtown L.A. traffic light and practice changing its colors, nearly causing random cars to have an accident.

Naomi leaves rehab a week early against her counselors' and brother's wishes and advice.

A.J. goes to a demolition company after-hours and tries to secretly purchase some explosives for use in the crew's next heist.

Jack slashes two tires on an informant's fancy automobile when the crook is initially unwilling to give him the information he wants. He then threatens to impound the vehicle on a trumped-up charge if the man doesn't come clean with what he knows.

Jack recklessly backs into traffic with his young daughter in the car as he looks to catch up with Gordon and John.

Naomi skips out on Gordon, steals some of his money, and goes back on the street to score some drugs.

Jack tails two suspects in his car while having his daughter for the evening, putting her in obvious mortal jeopardy.

Naomi opens the passenger door and jumps out of Gordon's car while it is still moving.

We learn that Eddie faked being overpowered by a suspect, let the criminal go, and then pocketed a large sum of cash belonging to the crook.

Jack vows to do "whatever it takes" to save his partner's career.

The Takers cause a traffic light to malfunction, and Ghost masquerades as a traffic cop to put the armored car heist into motion.

During a long foot chase in which he tries to elude the police, Jesse pushes multiple innocent bystanders out of his way sending some to the ground. He also runs several times into open traffic, jumps on the hoods and trunks of multiple vehicles, and eventually charges into a commercial building and through a busy office putting those people in harm's way as the cops pursue.

It is learned that one of the Takers has cut a secret deal with Russian gangsters to kill the rest of the crew and take the armored-car heist money.

JUMP SCENES

During the opening bank heist, the Takers set off an explosive C-4 charge that is quite loud and jarring.

The crooks land their stolen helicopter, place charges on its exterior, then walk away as the aircraft explodes in a ball of fire.

The Takers set off explosives that blow a sizable hole in a downtown L.A. street.

John uses an armored vehicle as a battering ram to push another armored car into a hole in the street, which lands with a large thud. When surrounded and shot at repeatedly, the bulletproof glass cracking before his eyes, John decides to drive his armored car into the deep hole, too.

Jack makes a sudden motion to kick a door in, thinking Gordon is on the other side.

MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE)

A fairly heavy amount of tense music occurs in the film.

MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE)

None, although there are short snippets of various aggressive rap and hip-hop songs that play on the soundtrack throughout the film.

PROFANITY

At least 41 "s" words, 1 slang term used for sex ("laid"), 8 asses (4 used with "hole"), 4 damns, 4 hells, 3 S.O.B.s, 11 uses of "G-damn," and 1 use each of "Jesus Christ," "Jeez" and "Oh God."

SEX/NUDITY

Eddie asks Jack if he needs to "get laid."

Jake asks Rachel to marry him, and they share a long kiss.

A naked John (we see his shadowed bare buttocks for only a brief instant) gets into a swimming pool where two women wearing bikini tops wait for him. The three then begin kissing and caressing each other. John then playfully goes underwater and one of the girls throws her head back and laughs with pleasure. John then re-emerges as if he has just briefly performed oral sex on her.

A random prostitute is shown leaning into an open car window.

Eddie's wife wears a shirt that shows off her cleavage.

Gordon gets out of bed wearing only underwear briefs and sporting a very large bulge in his genital area.

SMOKING

While disguised as a bank security guard, A.J. smokes on a building rooftop.

A.J. smokes while playing the piano in Jake and Jesse's club.

Gordon visits his sister, Naomi, in a drug and alcohol rehab facility and she is shown smoking a cigarette.

John, Gordon, and Ghost all smoke cigars as they plot an armored car heist. A.J. is also seen smoking.

Multiple random patrons at a club are shown smoking in some background shots.

Gordon and several of the crooks are seen either holding or smoking cigars in their room at L.A.'s Roosevelt Hotel as they reconvene after the armored car heist.

Naomi smokes while trying to reconcile with Gordon.

TENSE FAMILY SCENES

Gordon visits his sister, Naomi, in a drug and alcohol rehab facility and pleads with her to complete the program so they can then go some place warm with her clean.

It is revealed that one of Eddie's sons is seriously ill and on dialysis, while his wife was recently laid off from her job.

We learn that Jack and his wife are divorced and he has a daughter who he gets to see every other week.

Jack tails two suspects in his car while having his daughter for the evening, putting her in obvious mortal jeopardy.

Jack is so wrapped up in the case on that evening that he is able to do none of the things his daughter wants. At the end of the night, he offers to take her to dinner wherever she wants, but she declines and asks to be taken home to her mother.

Gordon is dismayed when Naomi steals money from him and runs away to buy drugs. She is subsequently arrested and he is forced to bail her out, nearly getting nabbed by Jack and Eddie in the process.

Gordon and Naomi have heated words when he demands that she return and restart rehab all over. She jumps out of his moving car and runs away a second time.

Jake discovers the body of his dead fiancé laid out for him to find on his bar. We don't see any wounds or blood, but it is assumed she has been shot.

A dying man asks his partner to look after his wife for him.

TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT

Cops' salaries and how different the money is from that of the criminals they pursue.

Dealing with a sick child.

Divorce.

Honor among thieves.

The new Russian mafia and why they are villains in more and more movies.

How films romanticize criminals, giving us a rooting interest in their success.

VIOLENCE

The Takers don't kill anyone in their opening bank heist, but they rough up several security guards, punching them hard in their heads and upper bodies and forcing them to the floor. They also forcefully nudge and manhandle any customer who doesn't get on their knees and stomachs fast enough.

Jack tackles a fleeing suspect, forcing the two to fall down a flight of steps. The two men trade punches, and Jack gets the better of the criminal by handcuffing him to a rail and then punching and kicking him some more.

Ghost quickly disarms and punches a Russian mobster who has put a gun to his back, knocking him to the floor.

A.J. gets into a close-quarters fight with three large men. The biggest manhandles him and throws him across a small office and hard into a wall. A.J. rallies, punches and kicks each of them, positions himself on the other side of a doorway and whacks each of the men with a broomstick and other office equipment as they come through the door in pursuit of him. He is on top of one of the men, punching him furiously when eventually Ghost and the other Takers come to his aid, guns drawn, and beat the men until they relent and sell them the explosives they want.

Jack and Eddie exchange gunfire with Russian gangsters. Jack shoots one and Eddie kills two others, including one who gets the drop on Jack from behind and comes close to killing him.

Jack viciously beats up and manhandles a junkie-dealer in a police interrogation room to try and get information on some marked bills that were used in a drug buy.

The Takers detonate explosives underneath a busy downtown L.A. street, blowing a sizable hole in the asphalt and presumably injuring several bystanders (including a person on a bicycle). A gun battle then ensues between four of the Takers in the below sewer and the armored-car guards on the surface above. Multiple shots are fired. On the street, John comes up from behind one of the guards, knocks him in the face with the butt of his rifle, and steals one of the armored cars. He then uses that vehicle as a battering ram to push the other armored car into the hole, injuring the driver inside. When surrounded and shot at repeatedly, the bulletproof glass cracking before his eyes, John decides to drive his armored car into the deep hole, too, eluding capture. He is dazed and sore, but manages to escape with the other Takers who continue to exchange with the guards above.

Jesse gets into a long foot chase with Eddie and Jack in pursuit. On multiple occasions, Jesse runs into open traffic where he is briefly clipped by a bus and bounces onto several car hoods. As he is running, he slams into multiple pedestrians and innocent bystanders sending many of them to the ground. The pursuit forces him into a commercial building where he runs into a crowded office and violently pushes more people out of his way. He is eventually cornered by one cop, who he shoots and kills. Additional police officers arrive and shoot at Jesse, who jumps from the side of the office building one story down to a parking deck where he lands on a parked car, smashing its windshield. Police fire more shots at him, but he gets away.

Upon learning that Jesse killed a cop, Gordon briefly grabs him by the collar and roughs him up.

Russian mobsters shoot a hole through the front door of the Takers' hotel room, and the bullet hits one of the crew. The gangsters then burst in, guns blazing, with Gordon and his crew returning fire. In the exchange, one of the Russians -- the one firing a machine gun -- is shot. The Taker who was shot originally knows he is not going to make it out of the suite alive so he sacrifices himself so the others can flee to an adjoining room. He is hit multiple times with bullets. As the Russians start firing blindly into the next room where the Takers are, Jake flees to an adjoining hallway where the gangsters have stationed another gunman to block them in. He goes out on an exterior ledge and gets the drop on the hallway gunman, shooting and killing them. He then reenters the original room and shoots and kills the remaining two Russian mobsters from behind.

Jake discovers the body of his dead fiancé laid out for him to find on his bar. We don't see any wounds or blood, but it is assumed she has been shot.

Two of the Takers are surrounded by police at a club, and they decide to walk out into a hail of gunfire. The scene is shot blur-style in super slow-motion to give it a grandiose, operatic-style quality. We just see them run out and the camera then shows them from behind, blurry, and eventually falling amid the hail of bullets. No blood.

Ghost uses his pistol to shoot two men inside of a private jet parked near a hangar.

Ghost, Gordon, and Jack end up in a standoff, each with handguns drawn, outside of the plane. Multiple shots are fired, hitting two of the men, with non-fatal wounds. A fourth man with a gun then shows up and shoots and kills the last man standing.

Reviewed August 25, 2010/ Posted August 27, 2010

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