Today’s quick review: The Take. Michael Mason (Richard Madden), an American pickpocket living in Paris, becomes the lead suspect in a terrorist attack when he steals a bag with a bomb in it from Zoe Naville (Charlotte Le Bon). Special Agent Briar (Idris Elba) of the CIA tracks down Michael before the French police can, and together they search for Zoe and the real terrorists. Meanwhile, mounting tensions push the city to the brink of violence.
The Take is an action thriller about a pickpocket falsely accused of terrorism. Left with nowhere else to run, Michael has to put his faith in Briar, a proactive CIA agent, to clear his name. The Take falls into the same rhythm as other action thrillers, a race against time before the real culprits can enact their full plan. The movie features a decently constructed plot with a couple of nice twists, but its characters and action hold it back.
The Take misses a few important opportunities. The action scenes are unreliable, with one or two good shootouts mixed with some lackluster chases. Briar and Michael have no real chemistry together, making their scenes less dynamic than they should be. Michael has very little to contribute to the plot, and his skills as a pickpocket are barely put to use. And while the movie tries to portray a city on the edge, its efforts are cursory at best.
None of these issues stop The Take from being a serviceable action thriller that fans of the genre will enjoy. Although it falls short in a few ways, it does not make any major mistakes, and it implements a tried-and-true formula. Action fans who aren’t feeling too particular may want to give it a chance. Those looking for something more groundbreaking or memorable will want to give it a pass.
For a more dynamic pairing of a CIA agent and a criminal, try Safe House. For an action thriller with similar appeal, try Unlocked, Survivor, or Erased. For a similar thriller about a terrorist attack, try Final Score. For an action movie with a more comprehensive treatment of a city on the brink of disastr, try Siege. For a smarter crime thriller, try Inside Man.
[6.3 out of 10 on IMDB](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt2368619/). I give it a 6.0 for passable action with some notable weaknesses.