The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island dives right into the action almost immediately after the events of the first film. After saving the Goema Club, Jerome, Keisha, Morty, Mila and Auntie Val have settled into the sweet life of success. However, Tariq has not forgotten their duplicity and vows revenge. Soon after, the men find themselves arrested and shipped to the infamous (and newly reopened) Robben Island and they immediately begin planning their escape.
Much like last year’s delightful predecessor The Umbrella Men, Escape from Robben Island is another fun and furious romp that is bound to please audiences. Once again co-written and directed by John Barker, Robben Island manages to tap into the thrill of the heist while offering the crew new challenges to overcome. In essence, by shifting the action from robbery to prison break, Barker keeps the film feeling fresh. Embedding the storytelling with music, Robben Island reveals the soul of a culture that speaks through music and play.
However, what sets The Umbrella Men apart from other heist franchises is the way that their films are embedded with a sense of justice. Whereas most thieving protagonist steal for the thrill of the caper, Jerome and the Umbrella Men care more about their community as they face the problems embedded within the system. For example, whereas the first film focused on financial inequalities, Robben Island speaks to the broken nature of the justice system. Although they committed the robbery in the first film, their arrest in the second feels somewhat ironic. Having been double crossed in their attempt to unload their diamonds, the crew find themselves arrested under false pretenses. Comparisons to Nelson Mandela are made as these unlikely Robin Hoods end up on Robben Island with little to no hope for freedom. By making these comparisons, the film adds to its fight against the so-called justice system that imprisons men unjustly.
This isn’t just a fight for freedom. It’s a fight against oppression. And that alone has me psyched for the inevitable third caper to come.
The Umbrella Men: Escape from Robben Island is screening at TIFF ’23. For more information, click here.
