A particular moment in the trailer for “How to Rob a Bank” recalls one of the most disturbing public executions in recent years.
Luigi Mangione currently faces charges for the killing of a healthcare CEO, shot from behind in broad daylight. The murder left a dark mark on the national conscience, partly because a significant number of Americans publicly expressed support for the alleged shooter.
The cultural moment even inspired a stage musical dedicated to the suspect.
Now, Hollywood appears to be moving beyond mere reference, channeling a Democratic Socialists of America-style critique of capitalism through its latest heist feature.
Scheduled for a September 4 release, the film centers on a group of social media influencers who operate as modern-day Robin Hoods, taking from the wealthy to support the underprivileged. According to the promotional material, the group enjoys online fame and a reputation for compassion, though their goodwill evaporates when their targets represent what the film portrays as a flawed capitalist structure.
Once that line is crossed, the group drops any pretense of restraint.
Director David Leitch has assembled a notable cast, including Nicholas Hoult, Pete Davidson, Zoë Kravitz, and John C. Reilly, with the latter playing a formidable FBI agent tasked with bringing the criminals to justice.
The trailer’s messaging aligns closely with the platform of the Democratic Socialists of America, a faction within the Democratic Party that has expressed skepticism toward both law enforcement and free-market economics. Critics point out that this same political wing has been notably silent regarding instances of significant government mismanagement occurring under Democratic leadership.
It would come as little surprise if New York City politician Zohran Mamdani secured a ticket for the opening weekend.
The sequence evoking the Mangione case shows Hoult’s character aiming a firearm directly at the FBI agent played by Reilly.
While lying on the ground, Reilly’s character pleads, “Whoa, whoa, whoa… I don’t think you’re a murderer.”
Hoult responds, “No, I’m not. Banks are. And when they kill someone you love, they don’t get a bullet. They get a bonus.”
The thematic messaging is far from subtle, and additional dialogue throughout the trailer reinforces the point.
Kravitz’s character, a hacker reluctantly assisting the investigation, observes of the robbers: “They’re making a point. The system is corrupt.”
Leitch has never positioned himself as a politically driven filmmaker. His filmography, including “Deadpool 2” and “The Fall Guy,” demonstrates a preference for high-energy action and sharp humor. Even “Bullet Train” asked audiences to sympathize with a team of endearing assassins, led by Brad Pitt.
The tonal approach is clearly Leitch’s signature.
Questions remain regarding whether “How to Rob a Bank” will deliver the same ideological leanings suggested by its marketing materials. It remains to be seen whether moviegoers, particularly those attentive to upcoming midterm elections, will embrace this narrative or dismiss it as simplistic anti-capitalist propaganda.
Audiences will have their answer when the film arrives in theaters on September 4.
