TL;DR – It has all the building blocks for a fascinating film, but it needed some more time in the oven before it was ready. 

Post-Credit Scene – There is no post-credit scene.

Disclosure – I paid for the Amazon Prime subscription used to watch this film.

Wildcat Review Introduction

Some days you feel like falling into a comfort genre, and for me, that is a solid heist film. I love the construction, the action, and the aftermath. Add in the physicality of Kate Beckinsale and Lewis Tan, set it in the London underground, and frankly you have all the foundation you need for something interesting. I hope.

So, to set the scene, there is a new gang, the Mushka, threatening the balance of power between the two former kings of London’s underground: Christina Vine (Alice Krige) and Frasier Mahoney (Charles Dance). In the middle of this brewing civil war, Ada (Kate Beckinsale) leads a team including Roman (Lewis Tan) and Edward (Rasmus Hardiker) into robbing Ms Vine’s jewel vault. Because someone has kidnapped her daughter Charlotte (Isabelle Moxley), starting the civil war might be the cover they need to get her back.   

It’s Fine

While nothing stands out as being a disaster, very few things stand out as being exceptional. Part of this is because while the script is serviceable, it felt like it was one or two revisions away from where it needed to be. Some of this comes from a script that needed to be tightened; some of the dialogue is plain awful. Part of that comes from the discordant tone that weaves its way through the film. There are times when they are playing a farce, with everything heightened to absurdity, and yet other times they try to play it so straight down the line. This wildly swinging mood means that the film never finds itself an identity, and you as a viewer never get in a groove.

It Does Land in Places

If I sound frustrated, that is because there are moments throughout the film where you get to see real promise. Some of the action scenes are quite good; I liked the use of cover and move in the opening riot, and the tied-up brawl in Cia’s (Mathilde Warnier) office. Now, of course, when they finally let Lewis Tan off the leash, it was grand because Lewis Tan always gives his all. Then there was the moment when Edward gives the background to Galloway (Tom Bennett) and jumps in between scenes. It is in these moments where Wildcat truly shines. However, they are also the moments that put a spotlight on the rest of the film, which doesn’t quite get where it needs to be.  

Recommendation

In the end, do we recommend Wildcat? Look, it’s fine. I would not seek this film out, but if a friend put it on, there are certainly worse ways to spend 90 minutes.

Have you watched Wildcat? Let us know what you thought in the comments below. If you liked Wildcat, we would recommend Fuze to you because it is another English heist film which entirely understands its subject material and makes for a fun watch.

By Brian MacNamara: You can follow Brian on Bluesky at @Tldrmovrev, when he’s not chatting about Movies and TV, he’ll be talking about International Relations, or the Solar System.

Feel free to share this review on social media and check out all our past reviews and articles Here, and have a happy day. 


Credits – All images were created by the cast, crew, and production companies of Wildcat
Directed by – James Nunn
Written by – Dominic Burns
Music by – Si Begg
Cinematography by – Maja Zamojda
Edited by – Ben Mills
Production/Distribution Companies – Capstone Pictures, Signature Entertainment, Ascending Media Group, Bad Films, Aura Entertainment, Amazon MGM Studios, & Amazon Prime
Starring – Kate Beckinsale, Lewis Tan, Rasmus Hardiker, Bailey Patrick, Tom Bennett, Mathilde Warnier, Edmund Kingsley, Matt Willis, Roxy Striar, Isabelle Moxley, Zechariah Smith, Cameron George, Isabelle Willis, Peter Barrett,  Martin Razpopov, Teddy Holton-Frances, Jordan Duvigeau, Sam Gittins, Alice Krige, & Charles Dance
Rating – Australia: MA15+; Germany: 18; United Kingdom: 18; United States: R