There was a time when a Joel Schumacher film was big news. The American director can count St. Elmo's Fire, The Lost Boys and A Time to Kill amongst his successes. His last film of any note was 2003's Veronica Guerin. The few films he's made since then have made little, if any, impression.

With A-listers Nicolas Cage and Nicole Kidman involved in this new thriller, this is definitely Schumacher's attempt to stage a box office comeback.

They say that money can't buy you happiness, but if you've got enough of it, you can buy a damn fine home to live in. That's what the Miller's did. Wife Sarah (Kidman) designed it, and hubby Kyle (Cage) paid for their beautiful waterfront home, where they all live with their teenage daughter Avery (Liana Liberato).

Kyle is a very busy businessman, dealing in very expensive (is there any other kind?) diamonds. His eye is most definitely on the prize of making money for his family. The irony of course, is that he's working so hard, he's neglecting his wife and daughter.

Avery asks her mom if she can go to a party. She says no. She then asks her dad. He says no. So she sneaks out at night and goes anyway.

Then there's a knock at the door, so Kyle uses his hi-tech intercom to find out who it is. It's the police; apparently there has been a spate of robberies in the area and they'd like to come in and check things out in their home. So Kyle lets them in. But as it turns out, they're not cops at all, they're robbers. With guns and everything. And they want the really expensive diamonds that Kyle has in his family safe.

But Kyle seems reluctant to give them up. Not that he's a selfish man, but it's his understanding that he can use the diamonds as leverage; if he gives them up like that, chances are this band of thugs will just kill them both anyway. And after the robbers have discovered that Avery isn't at home, at least she's safe. Oh wait, who's that coming into the house...?

With the whole family now unfortunately re-united, Kyle has to use his wits to try and keep them all alive for as long as possible. But as events unfold, the notion of keeping his family safe becomes increasingly difficult.

What can I tell you, I didn't get the memo that this was 'Come to Work as a Baddie' day.

Although far from original, the film's premise is at least an interesting one. It's just a shame it's let down by its preposterous execution. Schumacher makes the mistake of relying too much on the back story of the assailants to propel the story. The script focuses on events that led up to this point, to justify their actions. Sadly their stories are so ridiculous, they simply do more harm than good to the main story playing out.

There's also the issue of how well informed they are about the Millers. This gives us an indication that the group are a well-oiled machine that does its homework. But once inside the Miller's home, they become quite possibly the most inept robbers ever. The flashbacks are supposedly justification for their moronic-ness, but they really don't wash.

Then on the other side you have Nic Cage's character. With no notion of his past, Kyle appears to know how to exactly behave in this particular scenario, as if it's a situation he's found himself in on an almost daily basis. Even with very large guns being waved in his face, he knows all the right things to do and say. Which is all pretty convenient.

Cage gives the character his all, as you would expect, but all his hard work is for nothing due to the structure of the story regarding his intruders.

And as far as Kidman is concerned, she is far too talented to waste her time in a role that is completely beneath her.

Neither of them are really helped by the fact that none of the Miller family are that likeable, from beginning to end. They clearly have more money than sense, and the script offers nothing in the way of having an audience warm to them in any way. Which makes it really difficult to root for them from the off. So when guns are pointed all over the place, it's difficult to care who actually takes a bullet.

Still, Schumacher directs at a frantic pace in places, serving as a reminder of what he's actually capable of. Sadly these few scenes will be the only things that this rather tired and generic thriller will be remembered for. Considering all the talent involved, this was a waste of time for all concerned. Let's just hope, for Schumacher at least, that there is coming back from this.