One of The Best Crime Noir Movies

Rating: Null/10 (25 June 2004)

It is an awesome thing when a movie is planned, a great cast assembled, using a great storyline for a backdrop, and in the end, everything comes off as it should. It is not an infrequent occurrence in Hollywood that all of these components are in place, yet disaster strikes, and the movie is a dud.

With a pairing of Pacino and DeNiro, and it coming off as well as it does, that would probably be enough for moviegoers. But add Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Dennis Haysbert, and the always interesting Tom Sizemore, and you have a cast without weakness.
Michael Mann, as he proved with Ali, knows what to do with a great cast. As he demonstrated in Last of The Mohicans, Miami Vice, and Manhunter, he has a visual flair that is unequaled in Hollywood. He's one of the few directors whose visual style identifies his films even if you don't know who's directing.
I am hoping that sometime soon, there will be a sequel using Pacino's character. It would be more than worth the wait.