Sweeping but undelivering gangster epic

Rating: 4/10 (27 April 2010)

STAR RATING: ***** Saturday Night **** Friday Night *** Friday Morning ** Sunday Night * Monday Morning
In 1930s America, John Dillenger (Johnny Depp) and his cohorts were the talk of America, with their series of audacious bank robberies and the canny skill involved taking the news by storm. So to take down a ruthless criminal, was needed an even more ruthless Federal Agent, in the shape of Purvis (Christian Bale) who lead a team of men who left no stone unturned in their increasingly desperate battle against their adversaries.
Crime movie enthusiast Michael Mann has brought a real life criminal to life in this stirring biopic and found lead star Depp a role he is well suited for. Aside from his usual trademark touches, he's notably used a different style of camera lens and scope to film this in, giving it a more cutting edge, modern day feel. In the end, though, it all comes down to whether his approach works and on this occasion, sadly it hasn't.
The film feels empty, with a lot of scope and vision, but precious little to offer in the way of genuine depth and character. There's lots going on, all of it flashy and stylish, but somehow it all stays completely uninvolving. Which is wrong, considering all the talent involved. Depp is competent as ever in the lead role, bringing the right mood and style to Dillenger, while Bale also leaves no stone unturned as his adversary, taking us into a nose dive world of 30s law enforcement in a time before things like the Miranda Rights, where suspects and informants are beaten and made to suffer real psychological torture.
And what a supporting cast, with the likes of Marienne Coultiarrd as Dillenger's lover, Stephen Dorff, Channing Tatum, Billy Crudup, Giovanni Ribisi, Stephen Lang and from the Brit talent pack, Stephen Graham doing a fine New York accent as Dillenger's sidekick Baby Face Nelson. None of it really works, though, a big dreamer of a film that aimed for greatness but punched well below it's weight. **