Masterplan (2026) Review!!

Synopsis – A master thief enlists two strangers for a Louvre heist targeting the Mona Lisa, then reveals they’re his children and siblings who must cooperate to pull off history’s greatest art theft.

My Take – The fun of any great heist film lies in watching a meticulously crafted plan unfold, with every moving piece eventually clicking into place. Unfortunately, recent entries in the genre have struggled to recapture that magic, often relying on star-studded casts rather than genuinely clever robberies.

While we wait for the next Ocean’s adventure, with both a prequel and sequel reportedly in development, Prime Video‘s latest caper arrives hoping to fill that void. On paper, the ingredients are certainly there: crime, comedy, tangled relationships, and a gloriously far-fetched premise that never concerns itself with plausibility. Yet despite featuring the expected heist hijinks and a late-game twist designed to catch audiences off guard, the film never quite distinguishes itself from the countless streaming originals that have come before it.

Directed by Thomas Vincent (Role Play), who co-wrote the screenplay with David Wolstencroft from a story by Giacomo Durzi, Alessandro Fabbri, Alberto Vignati, Wolstencroft and Vincent, the film possesses all the elements of an entertaining heist comedy but struggles to balance them. Character arcs, relationships and plot threads are introduced only to feel underdeveloped, while the film’s supposedly surprising twists become apparent almost from the outset.

As lightweight viewing, it passes the time well enough. However, anyone hoping for a genuinely clever robbery, engaging character dynamics, or consistently sharp humor may come away disappointed. The Mona Lisa may be priceless, but this caper settles for being merely serviceable, leaving little of lasting value behind.

The story follows Jay (Victor Belmondo), a French explosives expert, and Chiara (Simona Tabasco), an Italian cybercrime specialist, two skilled criminals pursuing their separate lives of illicit activity. Their paths unexpectedly collide when they are recruited by veteran thief Roger (Stanley Tucci) for an ambitious plot to steal the Mona Lisa.

However, Roger’s interest in their talents is only part of the equation, as Jay and Chiara soon discover they are his estranged children. As preparations for the heist intensify, the pair must navigate not only the challenges of working together but also the emotional complexities of newfound siblinghood and a father they never knew.

This setup creates the basis for a comedy of errors, with the siblings’ vastly different upbringings and clashing personalities generating much of the film’s conflict. Roger’s sudden arrival in their lives also raises intriguing questions about trust, responsibility, and whether his desire to reconnect with his children is genuine or merely convenient given the heist he is orchestrating. Embracing absurdity at every turn, the film makes little effort to ground itself in reality, instead relying heavily on audiences’ willingness to suspend disbelief.

To its credit, the French and Italian locations are visually appealing, the brisk editing keeps the momentum moving, and the production is polished enough to make the caper consistently watchable. At a lean 110 minutes, it rarely feels overlong. Unfortunately, style can only take a film so far when the screenplay repeatedly resorts to shortcuts and underdeveloped ideas.

The biggest issue is how superficially the film approaches its most interesting dramatic material. Jay and Chiara are handed a DNA test that completely reshapes their understanding of who they are, yet they accept the revelation with barely a second thought. Beyond occasionally referring to one another as siblings, there is little exploration of the emotional upheaval such a discovery should create.

The narrative presents potentially rich themes of family, identity, and abandonment, but never commits to examining them in any meaningful depth. With both a high-stakes art heist and a fractured family reunion at its core, the film has enough compelling material to sustain a far more engaging story.

Instead, it skims the surface of both, resulting in a crime comedy whose emotional intentions often feel unclear. While a third-act twist injects some much-needed energy, the finale quickly spirals into outright nonsense, piling increasingly farcical twists onto an already shaky foundation. By the time it reaches its conclusion, even the film’s attempts at emotional resolution feel unearned, leaving little impact beyond the fleeting distraction of the ride itself.

Performance wise, the film’s biggest asset is Stanley Tucci, who remains effortlessly watchable even when the material around him struggles. He brings just the right amount of charm and mischief to Roger, making the veteran thief far more engaging than the screenplay deserves. Tucci‘s presence lends a degree of gravitas and credibility to a story that frequently asks audiences to overlook its shortcomings.

Simona Tabasco proves an equally energetic screen presence, giving Chiara the confidence and charisma needed to hold her own amid the chaos, while Victor Belmondo is well-cast as Jay, capturing both the character’s ambition and youthful overconfidence. On the whole, ‘Masterplan‘ is a slick but shallow caper whose charm can’t mask its lack of substance.