Film Analysis and Comparison - 'Inside Man' (Directed by Spike Lee)

'Inside Man' (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WRxsmqercg) is an (action) crime thriller directed by Spike Lee (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spike_Lee), The film features a bank heist that almost takes up the entirety of the film's two hour and nine minute running time. A group of criminals take control of an incredibly wealthy bank and make all workers and civilians inside submit into becoming hostages which play a crucial part in the plot's development. Throughout the film we follow the coinciding stories of a skilled detective by the name of Keith Fraizer (played by Denzel Washington (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Denzel_Washington)) and Dalton Russel (played by Clive Owen (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clive_Owen) the criminal mastermind behind the entire bank robbery. Despite the film's 'thriller' aspects, the entire plot is truly a battle of wits, which usually always works out for Dalton who always seems to be ten steps ahead. The constant irritation of always playing into the enemies hands eventually gets to Denzel, as it does the audience also, we feel frustrated as the viewer(s) that we only know as much as the detective and are therefor just as in the dark about Dalton's ultimate scheme.
What this film does well is show the silent conflict held between a criminal force and the law, it almost feels as though the bank itself has become its own miniature country which then threatens the security of America which covers all of its borders, if anything the plot shows that dealing with a hostage situation is more diplomatic than violent (,however strategic entry and recovery of the hostages does become a seemingly viable option near the end of the film).
The number of comparisons i can make between this film and on of Spike Lee's classics, 'Do the Right Thing' are slim due to the differing natures and plot points of each film, however mentions of race and the struggles of being stereotyped are made during the course of 'inside man' thus sticking to Spike Lee's usual technique of conveying the concept(s) of race as a social topic within his films. What I found especially interesting is how Spike Lee uses race a way of subtly influencing the overall plot of the film (i,e, using the differences and racial associations of languages as a way of staunching the detective's progress in the case).
(Ultimately I found the film to be an enjoyable experience that kept me interested with its constant yet limited revealing of information as the plot developed, the ending was obviously well thought out and definitely not what i had expected however it did not leave the impact I was hoping for as there were moments in the film which i felt were a little too predictable thus loosening the film's grip on my attention at times).