‘Lift’ (2024) Review – Boring, Lazy, And Insipid

It may be that Lift is not your typical Kevin Hart affair. It’s an action film that lacks the mega-star’s signature personality and flair. While the movie doesn’t showcase Hart’s usual staples, there’s nothing wrong with the actor/comedian stretching his talents. In this caper film, his character is the action hero. Hart plays the role charismatically, which is refreshing. He brings an energy typical of a leading man who wins the girl and the gold.

The problem with Lift is that all the characters are void of personality, resembling nothing more than your typical trope-filled, cliché-ridden cardboard cutouts. When the film attempts to inject any flavor, it feels forced. Director F. Gary Gray’s focus leans too heavily on slow-motion action and aesthetics. The result is an insipid, characterless streaming thriller that offers very few thrills in exchange for your time.

The story follows a master art thief, Cyrus (Hart), who has been tracked by Abby (Gugu Mbatha-Raw), a federal agent hot on his trail. However, Cyrus and Abby have a history, spending five days together before knowing each other’s profession. After thwarting an attempt at arresting him at an NFT auction in Venice, Abby’s boss, Huxly (Sam Worthington), wants to play a game of Catch Me If You Can.

Huxly orders Abby to convince Cyrus to join her in stealing $100 million of gold bullion to capture a notorious and vicious crime boss known for seeking revenge on anyone who stands in their way. Abby, clearly harboring feelings for Cyrus, reluctantly agrees because her job is on the line. Meanwhile, Cyrus, evidently having feelings for Abby, is more than willing to join in on the fun (and we all know why).

Cyrus assembles his team, but only if they feel comfortable joining. This group includes Denton (Vincent D’Onofrio), a master of disguise; Magnus (Billy Magnussen), a tech expert who relishes the thrill more than the score; Camila (Úrsula Corberó), a woman skilled in driving anything from boats to an invisible plane; and Mi-Sun (Yun Jee Kim) and Luke (Viveik Kalra), versatile individuals adept at various tasks who step in as needed when executing the con.

One significant issue with Lift is that the film is marketed as a comedy. When scribe Daniel Kunka does offer comic relief, it’s brief and only comes from other supporting characters. In one scene involving Hart and Mbatha-Raw, it’s a one-note joke. Again, Hart doesn’t play for comic relief; it’s as if there’s a complete refusal, and the goal is to show a different side of him.

Even if Lift is not a “comedy,” we can still judge F. Gary Gray’s film on its merits. And if you do, we need to recognize how predictable, lazy, and boring the film is. Here is a director of popular thrillers like The Negotiator, Set It Off, and The Italian Job. He’s versatile, helming the comedy Friday and even a revenge thriller you can revel in, such as Law Abiding Citizen. The man knows how to appease the masses.

Here, Gray desperately tries to elevate a script with dynamic visuals and on-location cinematography laced with special effects. However, a cliché remains a cliché. A trope is still a trope. And a film you’ve seen thousands of times before is merely repackaged for audiences who may not know any better.

For instance, you can’t bring oxygen canisters on an airplane due to the risk of explosion. Yet, a pivotal plot point involves a heist with a supporting character possessing not one but two. These simple, glaring mistakes could be corrected but aren’t, which defies explanation. Similarly, the plot involving Jean Reno and catching him in the act is implausible and contrived.

Lift is a pure money grab and resume builder for almost everyone involved. Kevin Hart and F. Gary Gray’s film tries too hard to be an updated Ocean’s 11 with a faux artificial style and very little substance.

Lift will debut exclusively on Netflix on January 12, 2024.