'Miami Vice'

I haven't put my thoughts on a movie here for a while. I saw the two big summer movies 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2' which was way too long and 'Superman Returns'. I enjoyed the latter and was impressed with Brandon Routh as Superman but not with Kate Bosworth as a rather limp Lois Lane. My biggest problem with the film was that it presupposes that the audience is well aware of the history of the films that came before. I'm not so sure it takes into consideration new viewers who might not have seen a Superman film before in their lives.

BUT I'm not here to talk about 'Superman Returns', no instead I want to talk about 'Miami Vice' directed by Michael Mann. There aren't many films where I go because of the director. In fact there aren't that many directors who are well known enough that they precede their films. There's Scorsese and Spielberg but how many people know who directed 'Pirates of the Caribbean 2' without looking it up?

A little like "Superman Returns' presupposed that the audience would know about the characters from its previous incarnations 'Miami Vice' introduces to Crockett and Tubbs. Yep, those guys again, some of you might remember the TV show...

What I felt was lacking here was Mann's meticulous storytelling this time round any sort of backstory or even procedural practise of grounding Crockett and Tubbs as members of a Police force are bypassed as we are thrown straight into the action. You don't actually grow to care particulary for either Tubbs or Crockett because you never really find out what motivates them. In 'Heat' De Niro plays the leader of a crew that pulls of heists, they're criminals! But down to the writing and DeNiro himself you actually give a damn about him.

Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx are good as the duo and the supporting performances are good although Gong Li was a little hard to understand at times. The experiments in HD cinematography continue here that started with 'Collateral' and there are some beaytifully photgraphed scenes. Gunfire also has a very distinct sound in a Micahel Mann film and this is the case again here.

I think we as an audience should also have been treated to some of the glamour and bling of Miami in a tourist way to show the reasons for the escalation of drugs and the need for the lavish lifestyles.

There is also alot of facial hair going on in the film! Full beards, taches, goatess...

I read one review unfortunately I forgot where that pointed out Michael Mann's films are always about very serious men doing very serious jobs with little humour. I'd have to agree, I'm not sure why exactly the film doesn't quite work but I've given a couple of reasons above. Feel free to disagree or point out things if you do see it.

'Miami Vice' it all washes over you but pardon the expression doesn't truly grab you by the balls. It's almost like Mann is painting by numbers, its a good movie but not a great movie.