Directed by James March, King of Thieves is a 2018 British crime film inspired by true events. The screenplay, penned by Joe Penhall, Duncan Campbell, and Mark Seal, brings to life the notorious Hatton Garden safe deposit burglary - a heist carried out over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend in April 2015 by a band of seasoned elderly criminals.

The film boasts a star-studded cast including Michael Caine, Tom Courtenay, Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis, Charlie Cox, Jim Broadbent, Paul Whitehouse and Ray Winstone. It tells the tale of a group of retired crooks (and one youthful alarms expert) who plan and execute a daring robbery in London's jewellery quarter during the Easter Bank Holiday weekend.

However, their final hurrah quickly descends into chaos as greed takes hold.

Despite its stellar cast and gripping real-life story, King of Thieves failed to make a significant impact either commercially or critically.

Box Office Mojo reports that the film only managed to rake in $7,518 domestically in the United States and Canada, with just $3,502 earned during its opening weekend. Globally, the film grossed approximately $11.5 million at the box office, reports .

Most of the film's scenes were shot in central London and around Margate in Kent, showcasing spots such as the Wig and Pen Pub, the Nayland Rock Hotel, Harbour Arm, the vicinity outside Turner Contemporary, and Margate railway station. Dover's Abbott's Cliff also features prominently in the scene where Michael Caine's character Brian Reader is seen on a train to Margate.

Despite the picturesque locations, the film only garnered a 31 per cent rating on Rotten Tomatoes, failing to stir significant acclaim or excitement. Critics and audiences alike expressed their disenchantment with the portrayal of the storyline, with one saying: "The Hatton Gardens heist was a ballsy operation. You can't say the same about King of Thieves."

One reviewer lamented the lack of "cinematic swag" saying: "King of Thieves really should have delivered way more cinematic swag than it does."

Another shared their impression of an incongruous tone: "Torn between jaunty genre hijinks and a bleaker streak of realism, it's a strangely stiff, lethargic account of a cracking tale."

A particularly scathing reviewer criticised the movie's single joke about the age of the criminals: "There is one joke in King of Thieves, and it's that the thieves are old. That's it-that's the whole movie," Another critic opined: "Marsh had his hands on some very fancy jewels. What he didn't have, sadly, was the script to make them gleam."

Disappointed cinema-goers also chimed in, with one mentioning: "Passes the time but little else. Tries hard to be both a comedy and a thriller but doesn't really succeed at either. For such a daring burglary, this could have surely been done a lot better."

One audience review likened the film to the chaotic nature of the heist it portrays, saying: "Based on a real account of a robbery in London and featuring a superb all British cast. Very much like the botched heist, the plot here is in shambles all over the place."

Another viewer expressed their letdown, adding: "It's poorly written. The heist isn't that exciting. The humour isn't funny."

A different viewer was puzzled by the film's tone, adding: "Not a gripping tale. At times the audience were laughing - was this supposed to be a comedy? ? ? Difficult to remember the names of the robbers...who was who?".

This viewer also critiqued the film's depth, saying: "Undoubtedly the royalty of British male actors but the story was weak. It could have been much better if there was character and story development of the Police activity pitted against the perpetrators. Shame - not worth a look."