Gabriel (Antonio Banderas) is a highly trained thief that has recently moved his operation to New York City. While pulling a quick job robbing some diamond couriers, he crosses path with Ripley (Morgan Freeman), a master thief with a proposition. Ripley wants to break into a near-impregnable vault inside a Russian-controlled diamond distribution center and steal two Faberge eggs worth nearly 40 million dollars for a Russian mobster with a long reach and heavy hand. An incentive for Gabriel to partake in the theft is the burgeoning interest that Ripley's goddaughter Anna (Radha Mitchell) is showing in him. Though Ripley expressly forbids it, the two quickly become an item while Gabriel trains with Ripley in preparation for the heist. However, when the mobster gets anxious and kidnaps Anna as "motivation," the stakes are raised, as now any mistake will not only land the pair in jail, but will also cost Anna her life.
I normally do not hold out high hopes for First Look Studios direct-to-video releases, but I will admit to being a huge fan of Morgan Freeman and The Code piqued my interest. It is a typical heist movie and anyone familiar with the genre will find most of the normal plot twists present. That being said, there are some nice surprises worked into the script that, while not likely to catch the savvy viewer totally off guard, offer enough flavor to keep the movie interesting. I had my doubts about Banderas' role, as he is usually a bit over-the-top for my tastes, but he does a good job and his character is well played. Morgan Freeman is outstanding, as usual. The supporting cast, including Radha Mitchel, Robert Forster and Rade Serbedzija, all provide nice secondary roles for the story. All told, I was surprised at the overall quality of the movie and, while certainly not a blockbuster, it might have done passable in theaters. The Blu-ray version offers 1080p support and a few bonus features including a behind-the-scenes featurette as well as interviews with the cast and crew. Frankly, neither of these bonus features were overly interesting and did nothing to enhance the movie experience. While I'm not sure that I would recommend The Code be purchased, even by fans of the genre, you could do far worse for a rental. Pull out the popcorn, kick back and enjoy.
