The Vault ending explained: Who is the traitor?

As a film enthusiast who has seen more movies than I care to count, I must say that The Vault is a thrilling addition to the heist genre. Having watched countless Spanish films and being well-versed in the world of heists, I can confidently say that The Vault stands out with its unique plot twists and international cast.

Intriguingly enough, I’ve found that heist films such as “The Vault” never cease to surprise with their intricate plotlines. Yet, what truly caught me off guard was the enigmatic tale unfolding behind its cinematic debut.

In a shift from his frequent preference for horror films, director Jaume Balagueró took on the challenge of directing “The Vault,” a Spanish thriller boasting an unexpectedly diverse cast that includes Freddie Highmore, Liam Cunningham, and Famke Janssen. Originally scheduled to debut in late 2020, the release of “The Vault” was postponed to November 12, 2021, as a consequence of the global health crisis that we choose not to name.

Upon its initial release, Balagueró’s movie started strong, raking in €1.2 million during its opening weekend, marking the highest Spanish box office debut of the year thus far.

However, The Vault’s most significant triumph would come on Netflix, providing a broader viewership an opportunity to witness Highmore’s impressive performance and unravel the final, intriguing plot twist.

Read on to have the ending of The Vault broken down.

The Vault ending explained: Who is the traitor?

At the 2010 FIFA World Cup in Spain, a graduate named Thom (Highmore) becomes part of a band of thieves. Their goal is to burglarize a Spanish bank vault and recover some ancient treasure, which could lead them to an even larger fortune elsewhere. Thom’s skills in engineering will turn out to be crucial, particularly when it comes to deciphering the title-bearing vault, a centuries-old technological masterpiece.

And yes, that World Cup setting will turn out to be somewhat relevant. Trust us.

The team, gathered by a mysterious treasure hunter named Walter, have made all necessary preparations such as securing the keys and obtaining the fingerprints needed to access the vault. However, once they enter, even the slightest shift in weight will trigger an immediate flood within the chamber, posing a grave danger for any intruders reckless enough to attempt a break-in.

In the spirit of a cinephile, I’d rephrase it like this: Just like the intricate heist machine depicted in Money Heist season 3, the Bank of Spain boasts a similar gadget in real life. However, our fictional character Thom finds himself in a pickle, as he has to come up with a clever strategy to temporarily disable this mechanism to ensure everyone’s survival—a task that the thrilling world of cinema hasn’t yet provided him an answer for.

Thankfully, the solution comes to him in a cocktail glass, as so many answers often do.

On an evening spent with accomplice Lorraine (Àstrid Bergès-Frisbey), Thom notices a nitrogen mixture being prepared. He deduces that liquid nitrogen could be utilized to freeze the scale in the vault, making weight changes irrelevant. This allows the gang to confidently break into the vault, successfully obtaining the coins they required. However, no robbery is flawless, and here, the issue arises when the nitrogen thaws sooner than Thom anticipated.

Immediately, alarms blare and the compartment starts filling with water – far from an optimal situation. This event was something the group had hoped to avoid entirely, but the nitrogen did manage to provide them with a brief reprieve.

The Vault ending explained: Who is the traitor?

It’s just James (Sam Riley) who can swiftly make it to safety due to his military background. Hooray! However, he later unveils himself as a previous MI6 agent and ends up double-crossing everyone for the monarchy.

Under duress, James makes off with what he thinks are authentic coins. In order to stay alive, Thom subsequently requests that Simon (Luis Tosar) position the nitrogen tanks beneath the scale to deceive it and restart the device.

In the heat of a World Cup matchup between Spain and some other team, I emerge from hidden vents alongside Lorraine, only to find ourselves swept up in a sea of jubilant spectators. However, our exit has caught the attention of Gustavo Medina, the bank’s head of security, who issues orders for his men to take us down. Yet, they hesitate, knowing that an innocent bystander might get caught in the crossfire.

In a spontaneous instant, Thom and Lorraine exchange a passionate kiss, then quickly disappear among the enthusiastic spectators as Spain scores a goal.

Why are they so happy when they’ve lost the coins they’ve been hunting for all this time?

When James returns to Margaret (Famke Janssen) with his report, it becomes clear that the coins he took were counterfeit. Walter had arranged for the coins to be switched earlier on, anticipating that James would betray them, so now our beloved characters finally possess the genuine coins.

In simpler terms, Walter discovered that the treasure they’d been searching for all along was actually just a map indicating where Sir Francis Drake had hidden a larger reward in the Bank of London. This discovery sets the stage for a grand sequel focusing on British history enthusiasts.

Contrary to what might have occurred, the Vault series only consists of a single film at present. Despite potential opportunities for expansion, particularly given its newfound presence on Netflix UK, it’s quite surprising, isn’t it?

You can now watch The Vault on Netflix! Subscribe for as low as £4.99 per month. Besides Netflix, it’s also accessible on Sky Glass and Virgin Media Stream platforms.

2024-09-06 13:34

The Vault ending explained: Who is the traitor?

Read More