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The Last Days of American Crime

Tyler Harlow

Starring: Edgar Ramírez, Michael Pitt, Anna Brewster, Sharlto Copley

Director: Olivier Megaton

Based on the Graphic Novel "Last Days of American Crime" by Rick Remender and Greg Tocchini

In the not too distant future, the world is in chaos and crime is at an all time high as the government prepares to deploy the American Peace Initiative, a signal that blocks the synapses and alters the mind to make it impossible for people to perform an act they know to be unlawful. Criminal Bricke (Edgar Ramírez), who experienced this signal when they were testing it months prior, finds out from Kevin (Michael Pitt) and Shelby (Anna Brewster) that his brother Rory's suicide while in prison was a lie to cover up the fact that the government used the signal and then beat him to death. Using Bricke's hunger for revenge to his advantage and wanting to leave a legacy of being the last crime before the signal hits, Kevin wants to steal billions from the government and make a break for the safe zone across the border in Canada. Bricke comes up with a plan to rob the vault where the out of circulation money is kept as well as where the new currency is printed. As chaos ensues and secrets are revealed that put their heist in jeopardy, will Bricke and his cohorts be able to pull off the last American crime?


Comics have always had an uncanny ability to be prescient. While the world today isn't quite what this film has pictured, there is a knowing commentary about government corruption and police brutality concerning the dangers of enabling a police state. With these very important and timely themes present, it's a shame the resulting film is a mess.


At almost two and a half hours in length, the plot is all over the place with many unimportant and unnecessary plot lines given more screen time than they ultimately deserve. The film has a very interesting world that could have made for a much more thrilling and coherent film with a decent amount of editing. An example being a very toned down Sharlto Copely's police officer storyline, which could have been cut because it doesn't yield a necessary or satisfying payoff. Also, a visit to meet Kevin's gangster father and his family leads to a very comical face-off that feels forced in so the film has another action scene. When things feel like they should be building to a crescendo, there is still over an hour left in the film. While the heist itself is well executed and features some interesting twists, it's not worth the excruciating build up.


The leads do their best. Edgar Ramirez is fantastic as the stoic and revenge-minded man with the plan. Michael Pitt is unhinged and it feels like the director was afraid to reign him in, which works for and against the film. I had never seen Anna Brewster in anything before but she does what she can with a very underserved character. Shelby is a badass hacker who unfortunately ends up being used as a damsel in distress and love interest.


I don't know what's to blame more, the direction or the script's dedication to its source material. Despite its potential relevancy, this visually uninteresting film with its all over the map pacing misses the mark despite the actors' best efforts.


Grade: C-


The Last Days of American Crime is available on Netflix

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