Inside Man: Most Wanted Blu-ray Review

THE MOVIE — 2.75/5

Plot Synopsis: NYPD hostage negotiator Remy Dardonne (AML AMEEN) teams up with FBI Agent Brynn Stewart (RHEA SEEHORN) to save hostages in a skillfully orchestrated copycat crime of the Diamond Heist at the Federal Reserve Bank, led by ruthlessly cunning bank robber self nicknamed “Most Wanted” (ROXANNE MCKEE). With time working against them and innocent lives on the line, they must put their professional differences aside before they get trapped in a twisted web of lies.

Review: Inside Man, the Spike Lee directed thriller from 2006, had a sequel in digestion for some time though lingered since the original, while certainly profitable earning $184 million worldwide off of a $45 million production budget, probably didn’t earn enough for a guaranteed sequel in good time. 13 years later and Universal, known for a quite a few direct-to-video sequels (see: Death Race and Jarhead for example), has produced and released Inside Man: Most Wanted, which surprisingly enough is a direct sequel rather than something that bears the name but little else.

Perhaps it was done as a way to explain why the plots for both movies are pretty similar down to the robbers dressing up the hostages the same way or the slide of hand with what the robbery is actually about, including that the masterminds aren’t as evil or devious as initially thought. Even the main character, even going beyond his race, plays the cocky negotiator much like Denzel Washington (at least from my memory), sans the on-screen charisma.

Now, in fairness, the three core actors Aml Ameen, Rhea Seehorn and Roxanne McKee were at least serviceable in thinly written roles. But, again from my memory, the characters in the first Inside Man weren’t fully developed instead the focal point was the plot and more specifically the mystery surrounding the robbery and the twist towards the end. In that regard, Most Wanted kind of fails, not only are the twists either not all that interesting but a couple are downright predictable making the movie as a whole a little laborious to sit through.

Like many sequels, direct-to-video or theatrical, aren’t exactly needed or necessary, Inside Man: Most Wanted is one that I’m not sure anyone asked for, especially one not involving the original filmmakers including Spike Lee. That being said, is it awful? Not quite as the entire running time I did at least was quasi-entertaining even when things were a bit too predictable and the acting was just okay and the direction, from MJ Bassett (Silent Hill: Revelation, Strike Back), pretty pedestrian.

SPECIAL FEATURES – 0/5

This release comes with a title-embossed slip cover and redemption code for the Digital HD copy. No features were included.

VIDEO – 4.0/5

AUDIO – 3.5/5

OVERALL – 2.5/5

Inside Man: Most Wanted might not be great and pales in comparison to its predecessor, but I suppose it is mildly entertaining for what it is and I do appreciate it didn’t shy away from a connection to the first movie and wasn’t another in-name-only sequels. The Blu-ray however is rather basic, no bonus features and the video/audio transfers were decent enough.