The old saying that less is more is proven true in Barry Levinson's latest project, "Bandits." The action-comedy could have easily been a delightful romp thanks to its A-list cast and well-written script, but poor editing causes "Bandits" to be just another hum-ho movie.
Very loosely based on the true story of two bank robbers in the '70s, "Bandits" focuses on two escaped convicts (Bruce Willis and Billy Bob Thornton) who quickly become the most successful bank robbers in history thanks to a simple plan no one ever thought of. Rather than walking into a bank armed and taking hostages, these two kidnap the bank's owner the night before and rob the bank the next morning with his (or her) assistance. However, they soon discover that even the most perfect plan has its holes when a willing hostage (Cate Blanchett) comes between the two partners in crime.
For a movie that runs a tad over two hours in length, "Bandits" severely lacks in substance. A good half-hour of the film could have easily been removed without effecting the story, not to mention it would have helped the film move at a more tolerable pace. After all, the movie is an action-comedy-- not many films in either genre develop slowly. Never-the-less, Levinson litters the film with excessive scenes that neither develops the plot nor entertains his audience. One scene in particular, which features Blanchett's character singing drastically off key by a bonfire, is the perfect example of five minutes that could have ended up on the cutting room floor without upsetting audiences one bit. For not only is the 'joke' predictable (actually seeing actresses sing on key is more of a surprise these days than showcasing those who can't hit a single note), the scene neither strengthens nor weakens the sub-plot between her and the two convicts, and therefore is just a complete waste of the audience's time.
Another weakness in "Bandits" is with Willis' and Blanchett's characters. Both characters severely lack any depth or charm, and if it wasn't for the fact that two well-respected actors were playing the parts one would wonder what the other characters saw in them that makes them so irresistible. Having two talented actors like Bruce Willis and Cate Blanchett stuck in dead-end roles is both sad and useless, and why MGM spent so much money to get them remains a mystery since these characters could have easily been played by anybody.
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