Fifty and formidable - Pierce Brosnan is ageing as gracefully as his Bond predecessor, the sexy Sean Connery. It's not fair how some men can go so handsomely grey. Even as a gem thief in After The Sunset, the man will have you rooting for him.

With those piercing blue eyes that appear to be in a perennial lazy squint, Pierce Brosnan is always the debonair charmer. Secret agent or thief, in tux or beach shorts, he exudes star quality.

This won't be the first time that audiences will see a less than heroic Brosnan. His maiden thief role was in the Thomas Crown Affair, which he produced and starred in with Renee Russo. Always edgily haughty and aristocratic, even as a villain, he's suave.

Cocooned on Paradise Island in the Caribbean in a seafront beach home, our master thief is enjoying the fruits of his criminal labour, but still itching for some action, and held back only by his more sensible counterpart Lola. The best thieves don't retire, not when there's something irresistible waiting, namely the Napolean diamonds that once adorned Napolean's sword hilt.

Regarded as three of the largest flawless diamonds in the world, the Napoleon gems are the target of Max 'The King of Alibis' Burdett and Lola Cirillo who  already snatched the second of the diamonds and are on their way to an early 'retirement'.

Approached by a local gangster eyeing the Napolean diamonds, which just happen to be on a luxury cruise ship berthed on the island, Max has to decide whether to go for it. Comic relief is provided by Max sending all kinds of temptations to Stan, the agent dogging his footsteps, in an effort to shake him off.

The focus is more on the characters than the actual action as Max and the pursuing Stan, redefine the workings of a love-hate relationship against an undercurrent of suspicion and ulterior motives all involving the precious third Napoleon diamond.
 
Sizzling more Salma

His partner-in-crime is Latin actress Salma Hayek. In an interview with L.A. Confidential magazine, he describes the movie and his co-star, Its fast moving and hopefully entertaining and funny. And I think Salma is one of the most beautiful women in film today. Her Latin blood, my Irish blood, I think it's a nice cocktail.

Hayek's first film after her directorial effort (Frieda), for which she was nominated for a Best Actress Oscar, her character shows how beauty and brains are a girl's best friends.  The hot Latina is busy-busy. Having wrapped up production on Ask the Dust with Colin Farrell in South Africa, she is headed for Mexico for an upcoming project with friend Penelope Cruz.

Her take on the movie? Its definitely got adventure. Its a heist movie, its sexy and it makes you want to go on vacation. Its going to be one of those movies that everybody will like and have a good time with.

Director Brett Ratner concurs, I love caper films. There are so many great films in this genre, but what makes After the Sunset different is that its a heist movie that has a  combination of great relationships, heart and comedy. Filming for the movie was a breeze. Ratner and Woody Harrelson who plays policemen Stan, are long time pals, often caught roughing it out like schoolboys during filming, while Hayek and the Cheers alum also go back a long way. Don Cheadle as a cigar-chomping shady Detroit gangster living in the Caribbean, rounds out the main cast.

Hayek relates with glee in her interview with L.A. Confidential, the day they had to do a scene that required Brosnan to turn around and kiss her. After completing several takes, Ratner sneaked into bed beside Brosnan, taking Salma's place and scared his leading man screaming, off the bed. Except for Brosnan, they are all for the idea that audiences get to see this hilarious moment when the DVD edition is released!

Is it any wonder so many want to be movie stars? The cast managed to squeeze in some leisure time on the beautiful sun drenched islands of the Bahamas. Hayek, an avid diver since the age of 12, used every opportunity to fin away in the sea while Brosnan brought his whole family on location for sailing and fishing fun in the sun.
Catch Brosnan and gang when the heist begins in theatres this December 2nd.