Public Enemies on Blu-Ray

Rating: 7/10 (6 January 2010)

Like David Fincher and Robert Rodriguez, Michael Mann has embraced HD, having utilized the format for three films. The transfer to blu-ray, a native hd format, is stunning, perfectly rendering the film's muted, contrasty cinematography. I would STRONGLY RECOMMEND investing the extra few bucks for the blu disc. It's one of the better editions out there.
The movie itself is one of the more engaging historical crime films. While taking liberties with certain facts, the central hunter/ quarry conflict propels the movie forward at a blistering pace, making the more mundane, expository passages forgivable. Similar to his other offerings, Mann's action sequences are sure-handed and tense, relying more on traditional film technique than the frenetic Paul Greengrass style. The performances are strong. Depp's portrayal of Dillinger stands out as both complex and quirky, imbuing the character with a charm that makes the audience invest in him completely.
Public Enemies stands out as the most precise and entertaining telling of the Dillinger story thus far.