Here is a completely implausable thriller that belongs to the B movie A list cast genre and is a whole hell of a lot of fun.

It is Schumacher’s best film since Falling Down which makes it his third best film behind Lost Boys. It includes two great action film showcases that I was sure he was no longer capable of, the superior one involves the lead character Kyle losing his glasses during an important and chaotic moment.

Kyle (Nick Cage) lives in a mansion but typical of the times, is swimming in debt. He is dispassionate to his wife (Nic Kidman) because his lack of money makes him feel like less than a man. His home is invaded by crooks who have been tailing him a bit and assumed he was rich. This is a man with a wife and daughter who can’t afford a home invasion but try telling that to crooks.

Cage’s (in his best performance since Red Rock West) character is a born salesman who is able to talk crooks into stays of execution while given them nothing. This all happens in fairly ingenious ways. The crooks are an odd lot (do they want jewelery, money or even a kidney?), they are fleshed out quite well here, and seem to survive on delusions, one even thinks he is in love with the wife. They want an American dream as much as Cage.

Side trips include a huge wooded back yard, a rich kid party (a scene that provides solid proof that the director did not have to fuck up his verison of Twelve). The weak links (that cost this film a star) are a few too many implausablities and a drawn out ended that could have gone gloriously into self sacrifice.