Kevin Hart looks like a true action star as he and a group of fellow A-list actors attempt to steal a plane mid-flight in Netflix’s upcoming heist comedy, Lift. The film marks Hart’s latest collaboration with the streamer after he inked a four-film deal with the platform in 2021.
Netflix’s deal with Hart is hardly surprising considering the success his films have brought to the platform. While critical reception varies, his films always succeed in garnering Netflix views. Fatherhood was reportedly streamed in 61 million households upon its release, while Me Time and The Man from Toronto racked up close to 60 million streaming hours on their opening weekends despite being largely panned by critics. Even some of Hart’s older films, such as Ride Along, have made their way to Netflix’s top 10 charts recently.
Hart’s comedic and acting talents have made him a household name, and any film with him attached is bound to spark some interest. However, his latest Netflix film also has a star-studded ensemble cast and wild heist premise to make it even more intriguing. Here’s everything we know about Lift so far.
Netflix drops the first action-packed trailer for Lift
Netflix dropped Lift‘s first official trailer on November 5, teasing the wild and action-packed premise of the film. Lift is slated to premiere exclusively on the platform on January 12, 2024. However, the film was delayed once already from August 2023 to January 2024 due to the SAG-AFTRA strike. If studios fail to negotiate fairly with SAG-AFTRA and the strike continues through next year, there is a possibility of another delay. Given its cast, this is one film Netflix will rely heavily on promotions for help to succeed.
Lift‘s first trailer looks like a lot of fun and suggests this may be more of a genuine heist/action film rather than a comedy. There are some humorous moments, but most of the trailer is devoted to the chaos that arises when Hart’s character is blackmailed into trying to steal a plane from 40,000 feet in the air. His international team of thieves and money launderers are up to the task, though. In the trailer, Hart looks like a true action star during fight scenes on an out-of-control plane that is hurtling toward the ground. The visuals look appealing, too, suggesting this could be a fairly realistic heist film. Like Fatherhood, this may be a Hart film that viewers will need to take seriously with the trailer’s hints of action, an unpredictable premise, strong performances, and light humor.
Kevin Hart leads a star-studded cast in Lift
As mentioned above, Hart plays the lead role in Lift as Cyrus Whitaker, a master thief with a criminal record. Starring opposite Hart is Loki star Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Abby Gladwell, Whitaker’s ex-girlfriend and an Interpol agent forced to strike a deal with Whitaker and his criminal team to aid the organization. Meanwhile, Vincent D’Onofrio, best known in recent years for portraying Kingpin in the MCU, also stars in Lift as Denton, a master of disguise who works for Hart.
Úrsula Corberó portrays another member of Hart’s group, Camila, a professional getaway driver. Corberó has experience in the heist subgenre as she previously starred in the TV series Money Heist. Also joining the film as part of Hart’s crew is Spy Kids: Armageddon‘s Billy Magnussen as Magnus, the team’s safecracker. MCU star Jacob Batalon plays N8, a mysterious “digital performer” in Lift. Meanwhile, The Da Vinci Code star Jean Reno is Lars Jorgenson, a man with a track record of financial crimes, who owns the gold on the plane Whitaker is trying to steal. Avatar‘s Sam Worthington will also appear in Lift as Dennis Huxley, Abby’s boss.
Rounding out the cast in undisclosed roles are Paul Anderson, Viveik Kalra, Kim Yoon-ji, and Burn Gorman.
Lift‘s premise is familiar but with a unique twist
The official synopsis for Lift reads:
An international heist crew, led by Cyrus Whitaker (Kevin Hart), race to lift $500 million in gold from a passenger plane at 40,000 feet. Directed by F. Gary Gray and starring Kevin Hart, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Vincent D’Onofrio, Úrsula Corberó, Billy Magnussen, Viveik Kalra, Yun Jee Kim, and Sam Worthington. Lift lands on Netflix, January 12.
The premise is a bit similar to Money Plane but with a far bigger budget and vision. Additionally, it’s reminiscent of recent films like Bullet Train and The Last Voyage of the Demeter, as films taking place on transportation vehicles seem to be all the rage lately. However, Lift is also a bit more unique in that the crew is looking not just to rob a plane but actually to steal the entire plane from the sky. How this will be pulled off remains to be seen. It will also be interesting to see why Interpol wants that gold stolen by Whitaker’s team and who the good guys really are in this film. Ultimately, Lift‘s premise is vaguely familiar, but it comes with a unique twist to intrigue audiences.
(featured image: Netflix)
Published: Nov 6, 2023 12:50 pm