Infiltrators (2014)

Brilliant and touching

it is finally so absorbing because it plays like a lyrical road odyssey that’s also a detective story.

While it is a pity that the story wasn't told with more visual finesse, this is trivial compared to our real-world problems. It takes a good movie to put that into perspective.

By the time the dramatic fireworks start popping off, each one feels earned.

INFILTRATORS is an indie thriller based around the ultra-modern concept of urban exploring. Our young protagonist is a keen 'urbexer' who is tasked by a cameoing Steve Railsback (performing from his death bed) to retrieve a priceless treasure from a tower block which is about to be demolished. Our hero and his buddies soon end up getting involved with criminals. Aside from a Robert Picardo cameo, there's very little of interest in this cheesy offering. It does have good quality cameras to make it look nice and some slick editing to lift it out of the normal indie doldrums. But urban exploring is known for being atmospheric and exciting, and that atmosphere just doesn't come across on film here.

I watched this movie on VOD and then went out and rented it on DVD at Family Video and watched it again. It was even better the second time because I knew the twists and could see how they were set up. Incredible. The plot is very intriguing (and might be true). Two very cute urban explorers are blackmailed by Steve Railsback (as creepy as he was in the Manson movie, but in a different way). They have to break into a skyscraper that is about to be blown up. Railsback's character sends along his gorgeous security person to tail them (Nathalie Kelley from Fast & Furious), so to start we get to watch 3 actors that are, shall we say, easy on the eyes. Of course, the relic they are hunting for is historically important so there are others trying to get it as well. Everyone ends up in this dilapidated skyscraper that really blows up at the end! That big explosion scene alone is worth the price of the movie (the DVD behind- the-scene extras were great in showing how this really happened). Who survives? Who gets out? There's a lot of back-stabbing and twists & turns, with good (realistic) action scenes. Every character is well-drawn, complete with back stories that make sense and play into how they act. I really believed them. This movie is similar to National Treasure and Raiders of the Lost Ark. Rent it or buy it and settle in for something that you will think about even after it is over.