Great visual movie, strong performances

Rating: Null/10 (9 June 2003)

Interesting juxtaposition in this movie: The bad guy (DeNiro) is cool and calculating, the good guy (Pacino) is wound up tighter than a spring. Good performances for both of them. Pacino, in particular, does a great job taking you back and forth between the humanity of civilian life, and the brutality of life on the mean streets. Good supporting cast. The LA shootout scene may be one of the greatest gunfights in movie history. If you have a chance to watch it in a theatre or with a home theater sound system, the sound editing is wonderful.
It's a dark movie, and fairly riveting.