# After the Sunset

*After the Sunset* is a 2004 American heist comedy directed by [Brett Ratner](https://www.edgepedia.org/brett-ratner), in which master jewel thief Max Burdett ([Pierce Brosnan](https://www.edgepedia.org/pierce-brosnan)) retires to the Bahamas with his partner Lola ([Salma Hayek](https://www.edgepedia.org/salma-hayek)), only to be pursued by FBI agent Stan Lloyd (Woody Harrelson) when the last of three famous diamonds arrives on a cruise ship docked at their island.<sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup> New Line Cinema released it wide in the United States on November 12, 2004.<sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup>

| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director / writers | Brett Ratner; screenplay by Paul Zbyszewski and Craig Rosenberg, from a story by Zbyszewski<sup>[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62959-AFTER-THE-SUNSET)</sup> |
| Principal cast | Pierce Brosnan (Max Burdett), Salma Hayek (Lola Cirillo), Woody Harrelson (Stan Lloyd), Don Cheadle (Henri Moore), Naomie Harris (Sophie)<sup>[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62959-AFTER-THE-SUNSET)</sup> |
| US release | November 12, 2004 (wide), New Line Cinema; PG-13 for sexuality, violence and language<sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup> |
| Box office | $28,328,132 domestic, $38,329,114 worldwide, against a $57,000,000 production budget<sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup> |
| Opening weekend | $11,100,392 in 2,819 theaters, ranking third; gross fell 54% in the second weekend<sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup> |
| Critical reception | 18% on the Rotten Tomatoes Tomatometer (136 reviews); Metascore 38 on Metacritic (32 reviews)<sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/after-the-sunset/)</sup> |
| Filming | October 27, 2003 to February 15, 2004, mostly in the Bahamas, with additional work in Los Angeles<sup>[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367479/locations/?item=lc0015613)</sup> |

## Spoilers

### Plot

Max Burdett and Lola Cirillo have stolen two of the three priceless Napoleon Diamonds and retire to a tropical island in the Bahamas. The third and final diamond arrives on a cruise ship docked at their island, and FBI agent Stan Lloyd, who has pursued the couple for seven years, shows up convinced Max cannot resist one more job. A local gangster, Henri Mooré ([Don Cheadle](https://www.edgepedia.org/don-cheadle)), has his own designs on the gem, and Nassau policewoman Sophie ([Naomie Harris](https://www.edgepedia.org/naomie-harris)) teams up with Stan.<sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/after-the-sunset/)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup>

The film opens with a heist in Los Angeles in which Max uses a PDA to seize remote control of an SUV carrying Stan and a jewel, then has a semi truck push the vehicle through a garage door. The story then moves to the couple's beachside cabana, where Lola wants to settle down and Max grows restless.<sup>[6](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/after-the-sunset-2004)</sup>

## Production

The production spent 45 days filming in the Bahamas, using locations including the Atlantis Hotel and Resort on [Paradise Island](https://www.edgepedia.org/paradise-island) and the Old Fort Bay Club in Nassau, and featured about 1,400 Bahamian extras.<sup>[7](https://www.bahamasnet.com/Detailed/bahamas_vacation_guides/previous_issues/welcome_nassau_archives/welcome_bahamas_nassau_2005/bahamas_in_the_spotlight_506.html)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[5](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367479/locations/?item=lc0015613)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[8](https://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/2003/10/lights-camera-action)</sup> The opening sequence, set during a Lakers game, was shot at Staples Center in Los Angeles using footage from the January 17, 2004 Lakers-Clippers game, with [Gary Payton](https://www.edgepedia.org/gary-payton), Shaquille O'Neal, and [Karl Malone](https://www.edgepedia.org/karl-malone) appearing as themselves.<sup>[9](https://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=1117)</sup>

Dante Spinotti served as cinematographer, Mark Helfrich as editor, Geoffrey Kirkland as production designer, and [Lalo Schifrin](https://www.edgepedia.org/lalo-schifrin) composed the score. The film was produced by Firm Films, Contrafilm, and Rat Entertainment.<sup>[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62959-AFTER-THE-SUNSET)</sup>

Reported running times differ by source: the [American Film Institute](https://www.edgepedia.org/american-film-institute) and The Numbers list 91 minutes, Roger Ebert's review and the BBFC cinema certificate list 97 minutes, and Rotten Tomatoes lists 1 hour 37 minutes.<sup>[3](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62959-AFTER-THE-SUNSET)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[6](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/after-the-sunset-2004)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[10](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/after-the-sunset-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mtiwmtc)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup>

## Reception

**Critical response was largely negative.** The Rotten Tomatoes critics consensus calls it "a slick but bland thriller," with 18% of 136 reviews positive; the audience Popcornmeter stood at 52%.<sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup> Metacritic assigned a Metascore of 38, categorized as generally unfavorable, based on 32 critic reviews, with 6 positive, 15 mixed, and 11 negative.<sup>[4](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/after-the-sunset/)</sup> Aggregated reviews on Cinafilm averaged 58% across 495 reviews, with audiences at 67% and critics at 49%.<sup>[11](https://www.cinafilm.com/movies/after-the-sunset-2004/)</sup>

Reviewers split sharply. Kevin Thomas of the Los Angeles Times called it "an unalloyed delight, bright and breezy escapist fare," praising the script, casting, and Ratner's light direction.<sup>[12](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-12-et-aftersunset12-story.html)</sup> Roger Ebert, reviewing for the [Chicago Sun-Times](https://www.edgepedia.org/chicago-sun-times), gave it two stars, calling the film skillfully made but unnecessary, and questioned the plausibility of the opening remote-control heist while noting that the method by which Max establishes his alibi is clever.<sup>[6](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/after-the-sunset-2004)</sup> Stephen Hunter of The Washington Post called the film "thin, insipid and unconvincing."<sup>[13](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/11/12/a-thief-not-worth-catching/75272315-d660-4c13-9d64-2b0bc0c42a4b/)</sup> Common Sense Media's Nell Minow dismissed it as having "unappealing characters and a dumb story."<sup>[1](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)</sup>

**Box office fell short of its budget.** The film opened third with $11,100,392 and New Line had hoped it would play well through the [Thanksgiving](https://www.edgepedia.org/thanksgiving) holiday, but the 54% second-weekend drop ended that prospect; worldwide gross of $38.3 million reached only 0.7 times the $57 million production budget.<sup>[2](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)</sup><sup> • </sup><sup>[14](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2004-2/after-the-sunset/)</sup> New Line had an option on Ratner to make a picture after *Rush Hour 2*, and *After the Sunset* fulfilled that contractual agreement.<sup>[14](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2004-2/after-the-sunset/)</sup>

## References

1. [After the Sunset, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/after_the_sunset)
2. [After the Sunset (2004) Box Office and Financial Information, The Numbers](https://www.the-numbers.com/movie/After-the-Sunset)
3. [After the Sunset (2004), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/62959-AFTER-THE-SUNSET)
4. [After the Sunset Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/after-the-sunset/)
5. [After the Sunset (2004) Filming & production, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0367479/locations/?item=lc0015613)
6. ['Sunset' sheds no new light on heist genre, Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times](https://www.rogerebert.com/reviews/after-the-sunset-2004)
7. [Bahamas in the Spotlight, Bahamasnet](https://www.bahamasnet.com/Detailed/bahamas_vacation_guides/previous_issues/welcome_nassau_archives/welcome_bahamas_nassau_2005/bahamas_in_the_spotlight_506.html)
8. [Lights, Camera, Action!, BahamasB2B News](https://www.bahamasb2b.com/news/2003/10/lights-camera-action)
9. [On-set report from Pierce Brosnan's latest film 'After The Sunset', MI6-HQ](https://www.mi6-hq.com/news/index.php?itemid=1117)
10. [After The Sunset, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/after-the-sunset-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc00mtiwmtc)
11. [After the Sunset (2004) Reviews, Cinafilm](https://www.cinafilm.com/movies/after-the-sunset-2004/)
12. [Diamonds are forever in 'Sunset', Kevin Thomas, Los Angeles Times](https://www.latimes.com/archives/la-xpm-2004-nov-12-et-aftersunset12-story.html)
13. [A Thief Not Worth Catching, Stephen Hunter, The Washington Post](https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/2004/11/12/a-thief-not-worth-catching/75272315-d660-4c13-9d64-2b0bc0c42a4b/)
14. [After The Sunset (2004) Bomb Report](https://bombreport.com/yearly-breakdowns/2004-2/after-the-sunset/)

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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Crime, thriller, and mystery films (individual works) › 2000–2004 films › Released 2003 to 2004*

*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*

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