Largely forgotten, The Hurricane Heist will go down in history as one of the worst films to have been released in 2018.
A quick prologue introduces us to Will and Breeze Rutledge in Alabama during the height of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. They get traumatized forever by seeing their dad being killed instantly by a water tank. As the house collapses on top of them, there’s no time to mourn his loss because we cut to a scene years later at the National Weather Service in Maryland. Tropical Storm Tammy has just been upgraded to a Category 1 hurricane. I know what you’re thinking–this isn’t going to turn out so well. You’re exactly right!
While things are blowing in the wind, some criminals come up with a plan to steal some $600 million from the US Mint facility. There’s a genius idea if I ever saw one. But before they can even get everything together the Category 1 hurricane morphs into a Category 5. There’s only one treasury agent who knows the ever-precious code to the vault and it’s none other than Casey Corbyn (Maggie Grace). Casey eventually finds herself teaming up with Will Rutledge (Toby Kebbell). Having witnessed the killing of his dad, Will goes into the one career where he can work in a room without windows: meteorology. That’s beside the point. What’s important is that Will and Casey team up to rescue Will’s now-captured brother, Breeze (Ryan Kwanten).
The thieves are led by a rogue Treasury agent, Connor Perkins (Ralph Ineson). If they thought they could get away with it, they’re barking up the wrong tree. Will has something riding in his favor: his knowledge of the weather means he can use the hurricane as a weapon. It does beg the question as to where the hell has Will been hiding during all five Sharknado films?!?
There are some good set pieces here and there with some solid visual effects action. It’s just not enough to save the wannabe thriller when all is said and done. Honestly, the stakes just don’t even feel like they’re even present in the film.
This is a film that never had a chance at all. A big budget spectacle from the outside looking in, The Hurricane Heist lacks in just about every department. It was never going to stand a chance anyway without sharks or a the vice president’s bazooka hiding in the trunk. If this were Oceans’ Hurricane Heist, you might have been able to get my attention. Maybe that would have been a better film but I don’t know.
4K ULTRA HD/BLU-RAY/DVD/DIGITAL SPECIAL FEATURES
- Deleted Scenes
- “The Eye of the Storm” Featurette
- “Hollywood Heist: A Conversation with Rob Cohen” Featurette
- VFX Reel
- Audio Commentary with Director Rob Cohen
DIRECTOR: Rob Cohen
SCREENWRITERS: Jeff Dixon and Scott Windhauser
CAST: Toby Kebbell, Maggie Grace, Ryan Kwanten, Melissa Bolona, Ralph Ineson, and Ben Cross
Entertainment Studios Motion Pictures opened The Hurricane Heist on March 9, 2018. It is currently available on 4K UHD, Blu-ray, DVD, Digital, and VOD platforms.
