“Let’s put that up on still-screen!”
– Joel Robinson, Mystery Science Theater 3000
Despite showing what I consider to be the three best examples of the heist film, there are still other movies (and games) that explore the genre even deeper, and even make references to each other at certain points.
Ocean’s Eleven (2001)
Boasting an all-star cast of Hollywood A-listers, Ocean’s Eleven tells the story of eleven con artists and career criminals attempting to steal a large sum of money from a high-profile casino using only quick wit and charm.
Reservoir Dogs (1992)
The directorial debut of Quentin Tarantino, Reservoir Dogs is a sort of inversion of the heist film. Despite references to a failed score and showing the aftermath, the film never actually shows the robbery in question (again, not until the video game adaptation). Shows the style that Tarantino would become famous for in his later films, using sharp-tongued dialogue and disjointed scene placement to tell a story.
PAYDAY 2 (2013)
Developed by OVERKILL Studios, PAYDAY 2 is a co-operative game that follows four heisters (Dallas, Chains, Houston, and Wolf) who rob banks and government facilities to make a living. However, when one of their old associates (Hoxton, from the first Payday) is revealed to be in prison, the four hatch a plan with Dallas’ dentist (played by Breaking Bad star Giancarlo Esposito) to break him out, while also enlisting the help of newcomers Clover (the first female heister in the series) and John Wick (a tie-in character played by Keanu Reeves himself).
Film Genres 