Saw Public Enemies and it just didn't measure up. I am blaming it all on Christian Bale because I am not a fan anyway!
The movie, for those who don't know, is the story of John Dillenger and some of his friends in 1933. Johnny Depp is, of course, Dillenger. Christian Bale plays the man out to get Dillenger, Melvin Purvis. Bale plays Purvis like a cardboard cut-out who recites his lines with about as much passion as a lifeless doll. You might say I didn't like his acting!
Depp makes Dillenger into a guy you would have liked to have known. He was loyal to his friends and the woman he falls in love with, Billie. As the movie progresses, Dillenger loses friend after friend and even Billie is arrested. The look on Depp's face when he sees the "G-Men" arrest Billie is riveting...you totally buy that he loves her and is tortured by the fact that he can't save her. To attempt to get info out of Billie on where Dillenger is hiding, one of the big, mean G-Men slaps her and punches her (even hitting her with a huge phone book). It is really hard to watch him beat on her with her handcuffed to a chair. However, those movie folks really know how to make a fake slap look incredibly real! I was hoping that Dillenger would have a moment with the big, men G-Man before he was gunned down to "discuss" the beating of his girl...he didn't.
Couple of things I liked...the way the movie was shot. Michael Mann did a good job with that part. I wish there had been more action sequences...I assumed there would be...but the rest was good. I also liked the way that Mann framed most of the scenes with Billie and Dillenger. With everyone else, the shots were wide, with Billie and Dillenger the shots were close to give that feeling of intimacy. It really had to work because they didn't get a lot of on screen time together and Mann had to establish this emotional relationship...he got that part right. I also liked how Mann would wash the color out to black and white at times...as if he was slipping right into the past.
Things I didn't like...Bale...obviously! OK...he probably played Purvis like he was suppose to but he was so wooden. Maybe he thought he had to be so that Depp seemed more charasmatic. Who knows what he was thinking. The movie was also slow in parts. I wanted them to move things along but I guess the boring stuff had to be there to link to the more exciting parts...I am giving Mann a bit of a pass here because I still think it could have been much better. Another thing was the lack of a musical score in much of the movie. If you watch the trailer, you feel the emotion just from the music used. The movie had little music and I think it would have benefited greatly from a good muscial score. Also, they shoot a lot of guns but hardly ever hit anything. I would think G-Men and gangsters would have been better shots...just saying...
So, what brings down Dillenger in the end? A Romanian. There is a woman Dillenger knows that is Romanian. Purvis gets to her and gives her the option of helping him find Dillenger or he will have her shipped back to Romania in about 48 hours. The woman doesn't want to give up Dillenger but Romania must have been a much more terrible option. So, she let's Purvis know that they are going to the movies and tells him what she will be wearing as a sign.
I am going to give this one a B...hate to do that to Depp but it just wasn't that good.
This Summer has been a bit of a bust. I had high hopes for many movies and haven't hit "the one" yet. Closest to hitting it big was Star Trek (and no, I am not going to talk about Spock again!). Summer isn't over so maybe there is a really good one waiting in the wings...I can only hope!
Until next time...
No comments:
Post a Comment