Lift (2024)

​“Lift” stars Kevin Hart, Vincent D’Onofrio, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Jacob Batalon, Jean Reno, and Sam Worthington. Released on Netflix on January 12, 2024, the film has a thief and his team joining forces with an Interpol agent to rob an airplane.

The film was directed by F. Gary Gray, who also directed films such as “Friday,” “A Man Apart,” “Be Cool,” “Straight Outta Compton,” and “Men in Black: International.” If there’s one thing I learned from watching heist movies, it’s that people can steal stuff from anywhere. Banks, trucks, and even secret organizations. But it’s rare to see characters try their hand at robbing things from 40,000 feet in the air. That all changed as Netflix kickstarted the new year with a new heist team led by comedian Kevin Hart. It’s not what I expected to have on my list of New Year goals, but hey, many strange things have happened throughout the past few months, so I shouldn’t be surprised that we got something like this. This latest Netflix movie had F. Gary Gray returning to the heist genre for the first time since the 2003 remake of “The Italian Job”. Based on the reception of that film, we could be in for another sky-soaring treat from the filmmaker. With that said, let’s take to the skies and see if it marks a solid start to Netflix’s 2024 season.

The story follows Cyrus (Hart), a renowned international thief with a record of performing secretive heists. However, his recent heist was foiled by his former fling, an Interpol agent named Abby Gladwell (Mbatha-Raw), landing him and his crew in hot water. But instead of landing behind bars, Cyrus and his gang are tasked by Abby and her superior, Commander Huxley (Worthington), to capture a criminal mastermind named Lars Jorgenson (Reno), who’s staging a terrorist attack in Europe to make a profit through stock manipulation. Jorgenson’s plan involves the payment in gold bullion being shipped to his bank in Zurich via a commercial airliner. With Abby and his trustful crew by his side, Cyrus attempts to foil Jorgenson’s terrorist plot by robbing millions of dollars in gold, but with a catch. He and his team must perform this dangerous task during the airliner's flight.  

You might wonder why I decided to review something like this on Netflix. It’s not just because of my interest in the heist genre and Hart’s involvement. It’s also due to me not reviewing many streaming movies as I used to throughout the past couple of years. It could be my lack of interest interfering with those plans or the amount of low-quality films that don’t require my full attention. I’m not sure. Since 2024 has plenty of exciting content coming out on the streaming service, it didn’t hurt for me to start getting back to streaming reviews or, in this case, attempt to do so. Please don’t blame me; blame my scheduling. Of course, what better way to start this new year’s goal than watching Kevin Hart rob an airplane?

I have my standards on what makes a heist movie entertaining. It needs to have a plot that’s not too complex but not too straightforward to the point it becomes tedious and underwhelming. It also needs to have characters that are charming enough to excuse their by-the-numbers characteristics. Finally, it’s got to have the action. You can’t have a heist without having to punch someone willing to interfere with the robbery. These elements are why I enjoyed some of the other films from that genre, including “Fast & Furious” and the underrated “Dungeons & Dragons” movie from last year. “Lift” is obviously nowhere near the heights as these movies and many others, with its hit-and-miss story holding itself back from reaching its potential. However, if you don’t mind much about its plot and want to see Hart be an action star for under two hours, you might have a decent time with this film.

Those hoping for “Lift” to be a groundbreaking achievement in the heist genre won’t find that much gold in its storyline. One reason is the screenplay, which doesn’t offer much to its formulaic and simplistic structure. The movie’s writer, Daniel Kunka, took many elements from the heist movies of yesteryear and applied them to “Lift,” similar to organizing a fake bomb using the same parts as the previous missions. That includes “Fast & Furious 6” with a heist crew cooperating with the authorities to bring down a common foe. In other words, if you’ve watched the other films from the same genre, you will get exactly what you offered in “Lift." However, what really matters to me is whether the plot’s fun enough to soar over its derivative narrative and straightforward characters. After watching the film, it’s safe to say that I enjoyed it well enough to add it to my “Netflix and Chill” collection.

Part of the enjoyment comes from the cast, which provides suitable talent and charm to make this by-the-numbers crew likable. It’s easy for me to admit that Kevin Hart has made some interesting choices recently to avoid becoming a one-hit wonder. Besides comedies, he’s made some ambitious attempts at being a dramatic actor, and now he’s making his way to action stardom, joining those like Jason Statham and Dwayne Johnson. While his role as Cyrus may not be enough to convince me he’s ready to take on the action genre, Hart maintained the charismatic essence he’s known for to keep this flight running smoothly. Gugu Mbatha-Raw was also decent as Abby, and Billy Magnussen has enough humorous moments to make Magnus one of my favorite parts of the film.

F. Gary Gray is one of the filmmakers whose vision can be hit-or-miss depending on the script’s execution. His direction can provide gold in specific movies like “Friday” and “Straight Outta Compton”, my personal favorite from Gray. On the other hand, he can sometimes prove that all that glitters is not gold regarding films like “A Man Apart” and “Men in Black: International”. But one thing is certain: Gray knows how to provide entertainment when the right opportunity arrives, regardless of the quality. “Lift” is a movie with a mixture of gold and bronze that’s tolerable enough to steal, with Gray providing a slick and energetic presentation to coincide with its ludicrous concept and charm. There were a few scenes that immediately reminded me of Matthew Vaughn’s stylish presentation, mainly the “Kingsman” movies. Although I wouldn’t say it’s as great as Vaughn’s direction, I still found it worth noting for providing an engaging flavor to its standard narrative.

Overall, “Lift” may not be the biggest heist of the century, but it has enough gold for viewers looking for by-the-numbers entertainment to steal. Regarding the heist genre, I would place this in the category of movies that deliver fun and charismatic appeal amid a less-than-stellar narrative. It often suffers from turbulence in its screenplay and characters. However, its enjoyable cast, Gray’s direction, and diverting action keep this flight soaring long enough to provide a mildly diverting experience. It’s worth watching on Netflix if you enjoy watching heist movies and Kevin Hart, regardless of the story.

C+