If you fancy a night in watching a DVD, then take a look at the selection available at Island Libraries. At just £1 per night, they’re a great bargain. Ed
From the first moment of encountering a Michael Mann movie called ‘Collateral’ some years ago, I half-thought that the positive reviews I heard and read before its release must surely have been some mistake.
The story seemed so interesting and that was the hook that I and many people bit on.
As ‘Collateral’ finally ended, I felt stumped and realised that I had been duped.
There was not one redeeming feature or point the movie had made and the interesting story lasted one scene.
The magnet of Johnny Depp wearing a hat and what surely could have been a slightly interesting tale about John Dillinger set in Chicago of 1933, never really emerges.
Instead, after a promising start to a movie that appears professional enough, a five minute intro simply cuts to a remaining two hours and nine minutes of very little indeed and for some, the case of being magnetised by the consummate and unique appearance of Johnny Depp in a 30’s suit might well be enough.
Personally writing, either the hollowness of the script and vacuous direction is given free reign and there are no redeeming features even for a viewer who is fascinated by the fashion and style of the 1930’s.
Whether there is a subliminal message that Mann is making that is so subtle, it is immediately lost in the colossal budget or perhaps he thought nothing could compete with the hair-cuts on offer, I am undecided.
Michael Mann also directed the movie ‘Miami Vice’ and obviously lays out the argument through the expense of movie-making but it also seems that he directs at too high a speed, not really getting an audience involved, so when a character is killed; no one really reacts and the viewer hardly even notices.
A great shame really, that as a director with such talent in his movies he has yet to understand actors and acting, interesting dialogue or even the ability to use music effectively.
Sadly, ‘Public Enemies’ is a case of ‘Don’t believe the hype’.
