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The Vault
Way Down
2021 114 min France, Spain R 18+
★6.3
Drama, Action, Thriller
Director: Jaume Balagueró
Trailers
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Description
Madrid, Spain, 2010. While the whole city follows the national team's successful participation in the World Cup, a group of daring thieves look for a way into one of the most secure and guarded places on the planet.
Budget:
$15M
Worldwide:
$8.8M
Starring
Freddie Highmore
Actor
Astrid Bergès-Frisbey
Actor
Sam Riley
Actor
Awards
Goya Awards 2022
— Best Visual Effects
Key opinion
Way Down is a polished, family-friendly heist film that trades high-octane action for a methodical, puzzle-driven approach. While many appreciate its elegant premise and clever use of the 2010 World Cup setting, critics remain divided on whether its adherence to genre tropes and lack of grit elevates it or makes it feel overly formulaic.
| Originality | The 2010 World Cup serves as a highly effective and clever backdrop for the central heist, utilizing the massive crowd as an organic distraction. | |
| Accessibility | The film maintains a clean, family-friendly tone by intentionally avoiding excessive violence, profanity, or graphic content. | |
| Acting | The cast, anchored by Liam Cunningham and Freddie Highmore, delivers competent performances that ground the ensemble of archetypal characters. | |
| Screenplay | Opinions on the screenplay are divided; some praise the intricate, puzzle-like mechanics of the bank vault heist, while others criticize the reliance on implausible plot points and thin character motivations. | |
| Pacing | The film's pacing is a subject of debate; supporters enjoy the steady, methodical "process" focus, while detractors find the narrative slow, monotonous, or lacking genuine tension. |