From Rob Cohen, creator of THE FAST AND THE FURIOUS and xXx, this Sky Cinema original film brings together two entirely different types of film and makes it work: thriller and disaster. It is the rare gift of the genre mashup, one we shouldn’t pass on too lightly either.
(Our own Shane Cahill reviewed the action-packed trailer in the latest episode of Trailer Park. You can watch it below.)
We’re never sure why these amalgamations work so well, we’re just grateful they do. In the case of The Hurricane Heist, we have a film that coalesces the all-out action of a good thriller like Fast Five and the tension of a great disaster film such as Twister. The fact is, these genres have been covered so well by so many filmmakers that it can be difficult to rival them. Here we have a new type of film injecting some fresh zeal into both categories.
When The Hurricane Heist opens, the film takes us back to 1992 for a traumatic incident. Two young Alabama brothers are caught in the middle of a hurricane and bear witness to their father’s demise. Unsurprisingly, it is a moment that torments them for the rest of their lives.
Will (Toby Kebbell) and Breeze (Ryan Kwanten) eventually diverge on different paths in life. 25 years on, Will is a meteorologist and daredevil stormchaser. Breeze, on the other hand, has taken over his dad’s towing company while being a whiskey-drinking womaniser on the side. When another superstorm threatens to destroy their hometown of Gulfport, they are put back on the same path.
Now, some might think that a hurricane would be the perfect time to get out of dodge, but there are those who think that it’s the ideal time to stage a robbery. This is where our antagonist comes in, corrupt Treasury employee Perkins, played by Ralph Ineson. He has masterminded a massive heist and plans to pilfer $600 million from a U.S. Treasury facility located just outside city limits.
Standing in his way are the brothers and Casey (Maggie Grace), the only Treasury agent left. They must weaponise Will’s knowledge of storms as well as his state of the art tactical weather truck, The Dominator, in order to stop stop the ruthless thieves from pulling off the robbery and survive the storm of the century.
The Dominator can’t help but take centre stage at times; after all, it is a 1,000 horsepower, 10-tonne storm-chasing truck equipped with the latest satellite technology and top of the range survival gear, of course. Closer to a tank than a car, this intimidating vehicle battles against the elements as our heroes try to save the day to the backdrop of crashing rain and hailstones.
The result of all this is a cataclysm of special effects and action sequences you’re not likely to find in another movie this year. The Hurricane Heist is essentially what Rob Cohen does best: 100mph winds, flying debris and inanimate objects (and people) bashing into one another.
If this sounds like your kind of movie, check out The Hurricane Heist, which is out in Irish cinemas now. For more information about the film, visit The Hurricane Heist website.
