Release Date: 2 December 2004

Synopsis (Courtesy from Warner Bros) :

A retired master thief (Brosnan), his girlfriend and former partner (Hayek), and the FBI agent (Harrelson) who has spent his career tracking them down play a cat-and-mouse game of friendship and thievery in the Caribbean.

Movie Review:

Retired Master thieves, Max Burdett (Pierce Brosnan) is idling his days on the Paradise Island with his beautiful ex-accomplice, Lola after pocketing two of the three famous Napoleon diamonds.

Although Lola never could have been happier now watching the sunset, Max gradually grow restless inside, eagerly wanting some breakthrough to his groundhog days of retirement.

When Stan (Woody Harrelson), an FBI agent who has spent seven years pursuing Max, intruded into their paradise accusing them for scheming on the final Napolean's diamonds, which would arrive on Paradise Island for an exhibition, Max sprung to life again. In spite of the stern advice from Lola to stay away from temptation, egoistic Max continue to secretly plan his moves towards the precious diamond.

After the 1998 "Entrapment" (starring Catherine Zeta Jones and Sean Connery) and the 1999 "The Thomas Crown Affair" (starring Pierce Brosnan and Rene Russo), the story about a pair of man and woman master thieves seem to have lost its novelty. Unlike the previous works, "After the Sunset" is much slower-paced in its direction. The string of criminal tactics seen in the movie is nowhere intelligent or sophisticated, and most of the time, predictable and unexciting. There is a twist in its plot nearing the finale of the movie. Again, the twist is nowhere marvelous.

Shortcomings asides, the pair up of Pierce Brosnan and Salma Hayek may make this movie an edge over the two previous works. Both stars are equally sexy and refreshing in their roles.

Shedding the usual black suit and clean, gelled-hair images, Brosnan a.k.a. 007, seen mostly in casual Caribbean style with messy facial hair this time round. However, his charmingly wrinkled face and tied-lips smile still does not failed to impress.

Probably the only "jewel" tempting enough in the movie is Salma Hayek's jaw-dropping assets! Scantily clad throughout, revealing her non-fat, well-endowed and golden-brown body, Hayek is sure an eye-pleaser to the male audience. To all men out there, now you have the reason to clear up your old wall pin-up in replacement with Hayek's posters. As her dangerous
curves may put most female audience to shame, this movie is definitely not recommended as a "first movie date".

Conclusion: watch it if you are still not tired of the over-used plot.

Movie Rating: C+

Review by Leosen