Spoilers ahead!

We can all attest to the fact that in the city, morality isn’t so black and white. Often people find themselves with many motivators, or maybe we struggle with this ourselves. It isn’t always easy to prioritize what is most important to us, but Triple 9 is a fine example of one “criminal’s” struggle to maintain his values. In this film it becomes clear that the line between “good guy” and “bad guy” is not so clearly defined; corruption runs rampant and values are challenged in this urban crime drama.
 

The film tells the stories of a whole group of criminals: corrupt cops, seasoned professionals, and a newbie looking to make a quick buck (played by Aaron Paul). The Russian mafia blackmails them into submission by killing off their allies one-by-one, and holding captive the kid-son protagonist Chiewtel Ejiofor (although for criminals, the mafia seemed to take very good care of him…)
 

Eventually, the team agrees to the task of robbing a bank, and takes advantage of the cop’s inside connections to pull it off. Prior to the heist, the criminals cause the death of one of the “good guy” cops (played by Casey Affleck), inciting a code 999 in which the local police stop what they’re doing to come to his rescue. This leaves the bank empty of authority and in a perfect state for the robbery. The film also stars Kate Winslet as part of the Russian mafia, Woody Harrelson as a detective, and Norman Reedus as an original member of the team.

Some of the film’s strengths include its intense and attention-grabbing opening and strong cast. Also worth mentioning is the handful of unexpected and laughable moments thanks to Harrelson. However, the film doesn’t really give you what you expect from it; the great cast makes an avid movie-goer hopeful, but the plot never “thickens” and appears superficial, leaving you unsatisfied and wanting more. If you enjoy routine crime thrillers or are die-hard fans of any of the leading actors, check it out. Otherwise, you won’t want to go racing to the theater for this one.