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Entrapment (film)
Encyclopedia
Entrapment is a 1999 American caper film
directed by Jon Amiel
and starring Sean Connery
and Catherine Zeta-Jones
.
) is an investigator
for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal (Connery) is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one night. Gin is sent to investigate Mac as the chief suspect. She tries to entrap him with a proposition, claiming that she is a thief herself. She promises that she will help him steal a priceless Chinese
mask
from the well-guarded Bedford Palace. They travel to Scotland
and plan the complicated theft at Mac's hideout: an isolated castle
. While Mac is busy making final preparations, Gin contacts her boss, Hector Cruz (Will Patton
), and informs him of Mac's whereabouts. Little does she know that the island is bugged, allowing Mac to eavesdrop on their conversation.
After they complete the theft, Mac accuses Gin of planning to sell the mask to a buyer in Kuala Lumpur
and then turn him in. Gin convinces him that her insurance agency job is a cover, and that she has planned an even bigger heist in Kuala Lumpur: $8 billion from the International Clearance Bank in the Petronas Towers. Despite the presence of Cruz and other security
watching the building the theft takes place in the final seconds of the new millennium countdown. Gin pulls the plug on her laptop prematurely and sets off alarms. They narrowly escape the computer vault and are forced to cross the lights hung from the bottom of the bridge linking the two towers. Following a death-defying escape when the cable breaks, Gin and Mac make their way to a ventilation shaft, where Mac explains "plan B." Using a micro-parachute
they were going to escape down the shaft. Gin lost her parachute earlier in the escape, so Mac gives her his. He tells her to meet him the next morning at the Pudu train station
.
Gin arrives at the station
waiting for Mac. He shows up late with Cruz and the FBI. He explains that the FBI has been looking for her for some time. When he was caught, Mac made a deal to help the agency arrest Gin. However, the aging thief has another plan: to let her go. Mac slips Gin a gun and she holds Mac hostage, threatening to shoot him if the agents follow her. She boards a train and the FBI heads to the next station. Gin jumps trains mid-station and arrives back at Pudu. She tells Mac that she needs him for another job and they both board a train.
, Savoy Hotel London
, Lloyd's of London
, Borough Market
, London, Duart Castle
on the Isle of Mull
in Scotland
, Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland
, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
(with other filming completed at Pinewood Studios), and the Bukit Jalil LRT station
However, the signage at this station that was used for the movie was Pudu LRT station
instead of Bukit Jalil.
The film opened to mixed or average reviews as described by Metacritic. Rotten Tomatoes
lists the film as receiving only 38% positive reviews. Critics focused on a scene where Zeta-Jones worms around a net of laser beams. The camera lingers on her buttocks through much of the scene.
Another similar scene takes place when she is actually worming around the real laser beams to steal the mask, including some close-ups of her buttocks. The videos of this scene have been viewed much on YouTube, with some of them having her move in slow-motion and going backwards.
Critic Scott Weinberg
said "OK, if you own a TV then you've seen that scene. You know the one. It's when Catherine Zeta-Jones squirms her beautiful rear down onto the floor to avoid a laser alarm system. It's shown on the commercial, the preview and in the movie itself like 7 times. The challenge is this: Build a movie around it." The laser scene was choreographed by Paul Harris
, who also choreographed the wand-to-wand combat sequences in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
.
Other critics such as The New York Times, New York Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, Variety, and Desson Howe/Thomson of the Washington Post praised the film.
The film was a box office
success, grossing over $87 million in the US.
The film was screened out of competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival
.
Complaints arose that the film depicted Malaysia as a backward country. The controversy arose from one scene in particular, where a shanty town
in Malacca
was superimposed over a tilt shot of the then recently constructed Petronas Twin Towers
.
Heist film
A heist film is a film that has an intricate plot woven around a group of people trying to steal something. Versions with dominant or prominent comic elements are often called caper movies. They could be described as the analogues of caper stories in film history...
directed by Jon Amiel
Jon Amiel
Jon Amiel is an English film director who has since the early 1980s worked in film and television in both the UK and the US.-Early life:...
and starring Sean Connery
Sean Connery
Sir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
and Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
.
Plot
Virginia "Gin" Baker (Catherine Zeta-JonesCatherine Zeta-Jones
Catherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
) is an investigator
Insurance Investigations
Insurance investigations are usually conducted to investigate matters pertaining to insurance claims that are suspicious or otherwise in doubt for some reason. Investigators in this field have differing specialities and backgrounds...
for Waverly Insurance. Robert "Mac" MacDougal (Connery) is an international art thief. A priceless Rembrandt painting is stolen from an office one night. Gin is sent to investigate Mac as the chief suspect. She tries to entrap him with a proposition, claiming that she is a thief herself. She promises that she will help him steal a priceless Chinese
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
mask
Mask
A mask is an article normally worn on the face, typically for protection, disguise, performance or entertainment. Masks have been used since antiquity for both ceremonial and practical purposes...
from the well-guarded Bedford Palace. They travel to Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
and plan the complicated theft at Mac's hideout: an isolated castle
Castle
A castle is a type of fortified structure built in Europe and the Middle East during the Middle Ages by European nobility. Scholars debate the scope of the word castle, but usually consider it to be the private fortified residence of a lord or noble...
. While Mac is busy making final preparations, Gin contacts her boss, Hector Cruz (Will Patton
Will Patton
William Rankin "Will" Patton is an American actor.-Life and career:Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University...
), and informs him of Mac's whereabouts. Little does she know that the island is bugged, allowing Mac to eavesdrop on their conversation.
After they complete the theft, Mac accuses Gin of planning to sell the mask to a buyer in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
and then turn him in. Gin convinces him that her insurance agency job is a cover, and that she has planned an even bigger heist in Kuala Lumpur: $8 billion from the International Clearance Bank in the Petronas Towers. Despite the presence of Cruz and other security
Royal Malaysian Police
The Royal Malaysia Police is a part of the security forces structure in Malaysia. The force is a centralised organization with responsibilities ranging from traffic control to intelligence gathering. Its headquarters is located at Bukit Aman, Kuala Lumpur. The police force is led by an...
watching the building the theft takes place in the final seconds of the new millennium countdown. Gin pulls the plug on her laptop prematurely and sets off alarms. They narrowly escape the computer vault and are forced to cross the lights hung from the bottom of the bridge linking the two towers. Following a death-defying escape when the cable breaks, Gin and Mac make their way to a ventilation shaft, where Mac explains "plan B." Using a micro-parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
they were going to escape down the shaft. Gin lost her parachute earlier in the escape, so Mac gives her his. He tells her to meet him the next morning at the Pudu train station
Pudu LRT station
Pudu LRT station is an elevated rapid transit station situated in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The station serves a single line that forms part of a common Ampang Line route shared by both the Ampang-Sentul Timur line and Sri Petaling-Sentul Timur line...
.
Gin arrives at the station
Ampang Line
The Ampang Line is one of the two lines in Kuala Lumpur Rail Transit System network operated by RapidKL Rail network. The other rail network is the Kelana Jaya Line....
waiting for Mac. He shows up late with Cruz and the FBI. He explains that the FBI has been looking for her for some time. When he was caught, Mac made a deal to help the agency arrest Gin. However, the aging thief has another plan: to let her go. Mac slips Gin a gun and she holds Mac hostage, threatening to shoot him if the agents follow her. She boards a train and the FBI heads to the next station. Gin jumps trains mid-station and arrives back at Pudu. She tells Mac that she needs him for another job and they both board a train.
Cast
- Sean ConnerySean ConnerySir Thomas Sean Connery , better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy Award, two BAFTA Awards and three Golden Globes Sir Thomas Sean Connery (born 25 August 1930), better known as Sean Connery, is a Scottish actor and producer who has won an Academy...
as Robert MacDougal - Catherine Zeta-JonesCatherine Zeta-JonesCatherine Zeta-Jones, CBE, is a British actress. She began her career on stage at an early age. After starring in a number of United Kingdom and United States television films and small roles in films, she came to prominence with roles in Hollywood movies such as the 1998 action film The Mask of...
as Virginia "Gin" Baker - Will PattonWill PattonWilliam Rankin "Will" Patton is an American actor.-Life and career:Patton was born in Charleston, South Carolina, the eldest of three children. His father is Bill Patton, a playwright and acting/directing instructor who was a Lutheran minister and served as a chaplain at Duke University...
as Hector Cruz - Ving RhamesVing RhamesIrving Rameses "Ving" Rhames is an American actor best known for his work in Bringing Out the Dead, Pulp Fiction, Baby Boy, Don King: Only in America, and the Mission: Impossible film series.-Early life and education:...
as Aaron Thibadeaux - Maury ChaykinMaury ChaykinMaury Alan Chaykin was an American-born Canadian actor. Best known for his portrayal of detective Nero Wolfe, he was also known for his work as a character actor in many films and on television programs.-Personal life:...
as Conrad Greene - Kevin McNallyKevin McNallyKevin McNally is an English actor who has worked in theatre and radio extensively as well as in film and television.-Life and career:...
as Haas - Terry O'NeillTerry O'NeillTerry O'Neill may refer to:* Terry O'Neill , American attorney, professor and activist for social justice, president of NOW* Terry O'Neill , Australian rules footballer* Terry O'Neill , British martial artist and actor...
as Quinn
Filming locations
Filming locations for the film include Blenheim PalaceBlenheim Palace
Blenheim Palace is a monumental country house situated in Woodstock, Oxfordshire, England, residence of the dukes of Marlborough. It is the only non-royal non-episcopal country house in England to hold the title of palace. The palace, one of England's largest houses, was built between...
, Savoy Hotel London
Savoy Hotel
The Savoy Hotel is a hotel located on the Strand, in the City of Westminster in central London. Built by impresario Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from his Gilbert and Sullivan operas, the hotel opened on 6 August 1889. It was the first in the Savoy group of hotels and restaurants owned by...
, Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's of London
Lloyd's, also known as Lloyd's of London, is a British insurance and reinsurance market. It serves as a partially mutualised marketplace where multiple financial backers, underwriters, or members, whether individuals or corporations, come together to pool and spread risk...
, Borough Market
Borough Market
Borough Market is a wholesale and retail food market in Southwark, London, England. It is one of the largest food markets in London, and sells a large variety of foods from all over the world.-Information and History:...
, London, Duart Castle
Duart Castle
Duart Castle or Caisteal Dhubhairt in Scottish Gaelic is a castle on the Isle of Mull, off the west coast of Scotland, within the council area of Argyll and Bute...
on the Isle of Mull
Isle of Mull
The Isle of Mull or simply Mull is the second largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland in the council area of Argyll and Bute....
in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, Eilean Donan Castle in Scotland
Scotland
Scotland is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. Occupying the northern third of the island of Great Britain, it shares a border with England to the south and is bounded by the North Sea to the east, the Atlantic Ocean to the north and west, and the North Channel and Irish Sea to the...
, the Petronas Towers in Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur
Kuala Lumpur is the capital and the second largest city in Malaysia by population. The city proper, making up an area of , has a population of 1.4 million as of 2010. Greater Kuala Lumpur, also known as the Klang Valley, is an urban agglomeration of 7.2 million...
(with other filming completed at Pinewood Studios), and the Bukit Jalil LRT station
Bukit Jalil LRT station
Bukit Jalil LRT station is an LRT station in Bukit Jalil, a suburb about 20 km south of Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia.It is operated under the Sri Petaling Line . This station is used by many sports fans due to its proximity to the National Sports Complex...
However, the signage at this station that was used for the movie was Pudu LRT station
Pudu LRT station
Pudu LRT station is an elevated rapid transit station situated in Pudu, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The station serves a single line that forms part of a common Ampang Line route shared by both the Ampang-Sentul Timur line and Sri Petaling-Sentul Timur line...
instead of Bukit Jalil.
Critical reception
Rotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
lists the film as receiving only 38% positive reviews. Critics focused on a scene where Zeta-Jones worms around a net of laser beams. The camera lingers on her buttocks through much of the scene.
Another similar scene takes place when she is actually worming around the real laser beams to steal the mask, including some close-ups of her buttocks. The videos of this scene have been viewed much on YouTube, with some of them having her move in slow-motion and going backwards.
Critic Scott Weinberg
Scott Weinberg
Scott Glenn Weinberg is an American attorney best known for defending high-profile criminal cases in the state of Michigan.-Career:Scott Weinberg began his career as a U.S. Treasury Bond Trader at the Chicago Board of Trade in 1989...
said "OK, if you own a TV then you've seen that scene. You know the one. It's when Catherine Zeta-Jones squirms her beautiful rear down onto the floor to avoid a laser alarm system. It's shown on the commercial, the preview and in the movie itself like 7 times. The challenge is this: Build a movie around it." The laser scene was choreographed by Paul Harris
Paul Harris (choreographer)
Paul Harris is an English choreographer, dance teacher and movement director in film, television and theatre. His notable works include the famous laser scenes for Catherine Zeta-Jones in the movie Entrapment, the BAFTA Award-winning Bleak House and the wand fight sequences in Harry Potter and the...
, who also choreographed the wand-to-wand combat sequences in Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (film)
Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix is a 2007 fantasy film directed by David Yates and based on the novel of the same name by J. K. Rowling. It is the fifth instalment in the Harry Potter film series, written by Michael Goldenberg and produced by David Heyman and David Barron...
.
Other critics such as The New York Times, New York Magazine, the Chicago Sun-Times, Variety, and Desson Howe/Thomson of the Washington Post praised the film.
The film was a box office
Box office
A box office is a place where tickets are sold to the public for admission to an event. Patrons may perform the transaction at a countertop, through an unblocked hole through a wall or window, or at a wicket....
success, grossing over $87 million in the US.
The film was screened out of competition at the 1999 Cannes Film Festival
1999 Cannes Film Festival
The 52nd Cannes Film Festival was held on May 12-23, 1999. The Palme d'Or went to the French-Belgian film Rosetta by Jean-Pierre and Luc Dardenne.-Jury:* David Cronenberg * André Téchiné * Barbara Hendricks...
.
Malaysian reaction
Complaints arose that the film depicted Malaysia as a backward country. The controversy arose from one scene in particular, where a shanty townShanty town
A shanty town is a slum settlement of impoverished people who live in improvised dwellings made from scrap materials: often plywood, corrugated metal and sheets of plastic...
in Malacca
Malacca
Malacca , dubbed The Historic State or Negeri Bersejarah among locals) is the third smallest Malaysian state, after Perlis and Penang. It is located in the southern region of the Malay Peninsula, on the Straits of Malacca. It borders Negeri Sembilan to the north and the state of Johor to the south...
was superimposed over a tilt shot of the then recently constructed Petronas Twin Towers
Petronas Twin Towers
The Petronas Towers are skyscrapers and twin towers in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia...
.