Den of Thieves 2: Pantera Christian Review

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, what should I say? It can be fun to watch if you are just a fan of action and heists, but if you are looking for a little depth or meaning, then be prepared to be disappointed. This movie is absolutely flashy, loud, but the soul? Lost somewhere.

First of all let’s talk about the language. “f-word” 113 times? Like seriously? In every second sentence an abuse has been inserted as if it won’t work without dialogue. One starts getting irritated while listening to it. In an attempt to be edgy, he went a little overboard.

And then the violence. Yes, it is action-packed, but after a point everything seems repetitive-gunfights, car chases, blood splatters, boom-boom, and then it’s over. Meaning, there is thrill, but what is the moral of the story? Someone is killed, something is blown away, and in the next scene everyone is doing the same thing again. There is a cycle which is not going anywhere.

And those club scenes? Everyone is drinking, smoking cigarettes, taking drugs, like it’s all just another day in their world. There is some sexual content too, it’s mild, but it seems like it was added just for shock value. Meaning, what did the story get from this? Nothing at all.

The story of Big Nick and Donnie could have been made into a thriller if the characters were a little relatable or redeemable. But here, on one side, the cop is becoming a gangster and on the other side, there is a morally bankrupt criminal. Now whom should the audience root for? I mean, the tagline itself is “The cop goes gangster.” You get the sense that the boundaries are not clear, and that is what is bothering you.

One more thing, there is the theme of loyalty and courage, but in a very shallow way. All this is a surface-level drama that doesn’t dare to go deep. There was so much potential, but it just went towards show-off.

If you’re in the mood for a fun, no-brain action movie, go ahead and give it a watch. But if you want to see something thought-provoking or inspiring, this movie is a total miss. Not for a Christian audience at all. Philippians 4:8 says: “Think about what is true, holy and good.” This movie is the exact opposite, a dull and noisy distraction.

My suggestion? Watch movies like Courageous or War Room. You’ll get a real message along with the story. This one is just a shiny, over-the-top timepass—more show and less heart.