Watch The Thieves

The Thieves is a 2012 South Korean action-comedy film directed by Choi Dong-hoon that follows a group of skilled thieves from China, Hong Kong, and South Korea as they team up to steal a rare diamond worth millions of dollars from a casino in Macau. The movie kicks off with the introduction of each character as they all receive invitations from Macau’s most notorious crime boss, Wei Hong, to participate in a seemingly impossible heist. The initial plan is to infiltrate a highly-secured underground vault, where the precious 'Tear of the Sun' diamond is being kept, with the ultimate goal of absconding with the jewel.

Tasked with the almost-impossible mission, the all-star ensemble cast is impressive with their individual distinct skills, from expert lock-picking and pickpocketing to acrobatics and parkour skills, they all bring something unique to the table. The thieves all have different personalities and motivations, but as the movie progresses, they start to form a bond.

The main crew includes Popie (Lee Jung-jae), a charming and highly skilled thief who is in love with a woman who is not interested in him, Yenicall (Gianna Jun), a highly skilled contortionist and thief with an ambiguous past, Pepsi (Kim Hae-sook), a pickpocket who uses a group of kids to aid her in thievery, and Macau Park (Kim Yoon-seok), the team's leader.

Other notable characters include Zampano (Kim Soo-hyun), an expert safe-cracker and Popie’s protégé, Tae-woong (Kim Hye-soo), reserved and experienced thief, and Chen (Simon Yam), the Chinese member of the crew and former lover of Pepsi.

Despite initial clashes and distrust, the characters are eventually forced to work together and form a tight-knit team, with each member contributing their unique talents to the heist. The crew faces various complications over the course of the movie, including double-crossing, betrayal, and romantic distractions. Meanwhile, Hong’s scheming and Machiavellian manipulations, keep the tension high throughout the movie.

The film's pacing is excellent, the action scenes are breathtaking, and the cinematography is gorgeous. Besides the heist itself, the movie contains several thrilling sequences, including a ncredible car chase scene through the streets of Macau and a spectacular fight scene on top of the Macau Tower.

The Thieves is a sleek, stylish, and highly entertaining action-comedy, featuring an all-star Korean-Chinese cast, which skillfully blends together the heist idea with entertaining subplots, seamlessly weaving together humor, suspense, and action. The film established itself as the highest-grossing Korean movie to date, which speaks to its popularity and commercial success.

It's worth mentioning that the film stands out as a great example of the ongoing Chinese-Korean collaborations in the film industry, as it successfully blends elements of both cinematic styles; with the typical action and humor of Korean movies combined with the high aesthetic standards and the melodramatic nature of Chinese cinema.

Overall, The Thieves is a fantastic movie with excellent performances, great action scenes, and unbelievable twists and turns. The compelling characters, the impeccable pacing, and an intriguing story make this movie an absolute must-watch for action-comedy fans.

The Thieves is a 2012 action movie with a runtime of 2 hours and 16 minutes. It has received mostly positive reviews from critics and viewers, who have given it an IMDb score of 6.8 and a MetaScore of 75.