Den of Thieves 2: Pantera: The Perfect Film To Start Out 2025! [REVIEW]

It’s been seven years since Christian Gudegast’s Den of Thieves hit theaters, introducing the world to Gerard Butler’s “Big Nick” O’Brien. In the film, Butler’s character is a Los Angeles cop who becomes obsessed with stopping a gang of bank robbers. His infatuation effectively ruins his personal relationships a la Heat. In fact, Den of Thieves wanted to be Michael Mann’s classic so badly that it prevented the film from finding its own voice. Now, Gudegast and Butler have reunited for the sequel, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, and it’s a surprising step up. The new movie doesn’t cling to Mann’s signature style, freeing it to be more fun. 

One of the best parts of the 2018 film was its twist ending, which revealed O’Shea Jackson Jr.’s Donnie Wilson was the secret brains behind the entire bank robbery operation. Donnie ultimately gets away, and Pantera takes his game of cat and mouse with Nick to Europe. Now that the audience knows what Donnie is capable of, he’s a much more interesting character to watch. The first film portrays him as a sniveling sidekick, whereas the sequel allows him to be a multi-lingual, smooth-talking badass. While Jackson Jr. isn’t exactly a master of accents, he oozes charm, which blends well with Butler’s grumpy magnetism. 

In Den of Thieves 2: Pantera, Donnie gets mixed up with the Panther mafia as they plot to rob the world’s biggest diamond exchange. When Nick closes in on Donnie, the duo realizes they have more in common than they thought. Nick decides to team up with his former enemy for a payday even he can’t resist. Gudegast, who wrote and directed both films, discovered something incredibly special in his follow-up: Butler and Jackson Jr.’s chemistry. Pantera shines brightest when the two characters hang out together. One of the film’s best scenes shows them bonding after a night of partying, and it endears the audience to them. It was hard to care who lived or died in Den of Thieves, but Pantera will have viewers rooting for Nick and Donnie.

In addition to having stronger character relationships, Pantera deserves some love for its action sequences. Ultimately, moviegoers are showing up to a Den of Thieves sequel for a good heist, and this film delivers. While it’s not exactly reinventing the wheel, Pantera will take its audience along for an enjoyable ride. The big robbery is filled with tension, action, and surprises. If you like watching burly men kick ass and steal valuables, you won’t be disappointed. 

Unfortunately, the movie loses major steam by having too many endings. Think Lord of the Rings: Return of the King, but unearned. A runtime of 2 hours and 10 minutes could easily be smooth, but Pantera’s momentum comes to a screeching halt in the third act. Without spoiling anything, one character will give you whiplash with their ever-changing decisions. Meanwhile, new layers are added to the story out of left field. After such an entertaining journey, the ending will leave viewers a bit frustrated. However, that dissatisfaction will be mixed with a hankering for a third installment. 

Watching Butler and Jackson Jr.’s characters bond despite being on opposite sides of the law is reminiscent of the Fast and the Furious movies. If Lionsgate doesn’t wait another seven years between films, Den of Thieves has the potential to become a franchise, preferably one that gets bigger and more ridiculous along the way. If Butler and Jackson Jr. end up planning an outer space heist In Den of Thieves 9, I will be seated. In the meantime, Den of Thieves 2: Pantera is an amusing addition to the “dudes rock” collection. 

Den of Thieves 2: Pantera premieres in theaters January 10.