MOVIE REVIEW
PUBLIC ENEMIES
Whoever said crime doesn't pay was in the wrong business. With this technological world making instant stars of some unsavoury Australian gangs, this market for murder has seen a multitude of commercial opportunities. Perhaps the general populace has a morbid fascination as their daily lives are dissected with ghoulish relish. Equally fascinated is Michael Mann who is no stranger to gangster films, although his latest directorial effort sees the genre take a backward step with an insipid and lifeless production.
In 1933, John Dillinger (the always interesting Johnny Depp) is public enemy No. 1. Robbing banks and escaping jail with monotonous regularity, his exploits earn the admiration of Chicago masses. Pursuing him with zeal is FBI agent Melvin Purvis (a stoic Christian Bale) whose determination in capturing this crook is all consuming. With his girlfriend Billie (appealing Marion Cotillard), Dillinger attempts to straddle the twin notions of fame and fortune by any forceful means.
Sadly devoid of any true character motivation or colour, Public Enemies rests on a chase-capture-breakout formula. Hardly any surprise given the very slight story. The sense of disappointment regarding the lack of cinematic innovation from Mann is palatable. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the decision to shoot on shaky digital camera. If film-making is all about the right choices, then Mann has made the mistake in rejecting the more classical film style the story demands. Whilst it worked wonderfully for his much maligned film version of Miami Vice, this Untouchables-like film is so drab and beige as to bleed dry any ounce of required
tension.
You can't blame the performers as their one dimensional characters give them nothing with which to work. The grafting of the clichéd 'mobster/agent with a heart of gold' is no help either as Depp and Bale are much stronger actors than that. Watching them resort to 'trenchcoat and machine gun' acting does a dis-service to them - they are always watchable during slower moments. The production design is pleasing to view. The film style ensures that the viewer always remembers they're watching a film more than an engrossing story.
Public Enemies is a very uninspiring caper from a director who has done better. Hopefully its lacklustre reception sees him re-charge his batteries as his skills warrants a return to the more intense stories for which he is known.
Movie Review
Rating 4 / 10
Movie Review
by Patrick Moore
If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Public Enemies
Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.
Public Enemies official Homepage click here.
Sadly devoid of any true character motivation or colour, Public Enemies rests on a chase-capture-breakout formula. Hardly any surprise given the very slight story. The sense of disappointment regarding the lack of cinematic innovation from Mann is palatable. Nowhere is this more obvious than in the decision to shoot on shaky digital camera. If film-making is all about the right choices, then Mann has made the mistake in rejecting the more classical film style the story demands. Whilst it worked wonderfully for his much maligned film version of Miami Vice, this Untouchables-like film is so drab and beige as to bleed dry any ounce of required
tension.
You can't blame the performers as their one dimensional characters give them nothing with which to work. The grafting of the clichéd 'mobster/agent with a heart of gold' is no help either as Depp and Bale are much stronger actors than that. Watching them resort to 'trenchcoat and machine gun' acting does a dis-service to them - they are always watchable during slower moments. The production design is pleasing to view. The film style ensures that the viewer always remembers they're watching a film more than an engrossing story.
Public Enemies is a very uninspiring caper from a director who has done better. Hopefully its lacklustre reception sees him re-charge his batteries as his skills warrants a return to the more intense stories for which he is known.
Movie Review
Rating 4 / 10
Movie Review
by Patrick Moore
If you have any comments to make about this Movie Review, then please use the comment box, titling your comments with Movie Review Public Enemies
Patrick Moore's Movie Review is an alternative look at current movie releases in Australia.
No comments:
Post a Comment