Netflix fans keep watching 'underrated' sequel to 'masterpiece' crime thriller

Netflix viewers keep watching the 'underrated' sequel to a 'masterpiece' crime thriller that was dubbed 'one of the best heist movies ever made'.

Inside Man: Most Wanted is a recent addition to the streaming behemoth's catalogue and has quickly climbed the ranks of most-watched titles. As it stands, the film is sitting pretty in second place among the top 10 films for UK subscribers.

This places it snugly between two other fresh releases, trailing just behind the German thriller Exterritorial, but swiftly outpacing Tom Hardy's adrenaline-fuelled action drama Havoc, which now holds third place.

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The film, originally launched in 2019, is the successor to the 2006 hit Inside Man. The original boasted a star-studded cast including Clive Owen, Jodie Foster and Denzel Washington, under the direction of Spike Lee.

Fans have taken to the web to express their adoration for the first film, with one viewer gushing: "One of the the best heist movies ever made in cinema history - story is superb and the ending is unpredictable.", reports .

Rumours of a sequel began circulating not long after the original's release. It was suggested that screenwriter Russell Gewirtz would be back to craft the follow-up, with Lee also returning to the director's chair. Washington, Owen, Foster and Chiwetel Ejiofor were all reportedly set to reprise their roles.

However, by 2011, all those plans were shelved, and the project for Inside Man 2 was cancelled. Instead, fans got Inside Man: Most Wanted, a direct-to-video project released eight years later.

Although set in the same universe as the original, with a portrait of Washington's character visible in the trailer, none of the original cast or crew returned.

Most Wanted takes place five years after the events of the original Inside Man. The plot is familiar, as Ariella Barash and her group of robbers execute a well-planned money heist, holding tourists hostage. The NYPD and FBI task forces must collaborate in a race against time to rescue innocent lives.

Unfortunately, this follow-up did not receive the same acclaim as the original. While Inside Man achieved an 86% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, the sequel has a 69% popcorn meter score from fan-submitted reviews.

Despite this, the film has garnered some praise from fans who have shared their views online. One person stated: "This film is one of a kind where you want to just sit down and think and get hooked to what will happen next. Absolutely fantastic!"

Another fan added: "Fun movie, intense at times, lots of twists, enjoyable characters, thoroughly enjoyed it. It's underrated."

Meanwhile, one viewer disagreed: "The original inside man was incredibly well written acted and directed and a heist movie masterpiece. This was just pure blasphemy and totally unnecessary if you haven't seen the original, watch that instead, of you have seen the original don't taint your memory of a great movie."

Fortunately for curious cinephiles who want to discover why the initial film garnered so much acclaim, the original 'Inside Man' is available on Netflix for viewing. It's also up for grabs at no cost on Tubi.

Inside Man and Inside Man: Most Wanted are streaming on Netflix.