'Bye, bye, blackbird'

Rating: Null/10 (8 October 2010)

By no means does Michael Mann rank among my favourite directors but, for quite some time, I have been awaiting the release of 'Public Enemies' because the subject matter about one of the most infamous criminals in American history and the appealing cast. However, having now seen the result, 'Public Enemies' disappoints. It's not a bad movie by any means but, given the source material, it could have been so much better had it been crafted by the hands of directors like Sam Mendes or the Coen Brothers.
Mann's film is above average at best, that too in parts. First of all, his storytelling does not involve the audience. The viewer feels like a complete outsider who is detached from the characters. Mann puts more focus on action than on characters. I found the background score uninteresting and intrusive rather than contributing to the scene. Several scenes could have been more effective without background music. But, the songs work and they contribute brilliantly to the art direction which definitely captures the feel and look of the time period. The cinematography is very ordinary. The editing needed some working. I found the pace to be slow at times while the characters lacked development.
Johnny Depp does the best he can with what he's got. He captures the charm, slickness and determination of an infamous criminal. Had the character been better developed, his performance would have been outstanding. Christian Bale is restrained and he does a decent job but he's overshadowed by Depp. Luminous Marion Cotillard is spellbinding and she delivers the best performance in the movie. She shares an excellent chemistry with Depp. For me the highlights of the film were the scenes they shared. Of the talented supprting cast Branka Katic and Stephen Lang stand out while most of the others are wasted.
I think Mann is better suited for lighter action movies. The action sequences in 'Public Enemies' are brilliantly executed. But, if you're going to make a movie about someone, character and story development should come first. Even though much of what I've said sounds negative, I don't mean to trash the film. It is watchable even if it's not something I'd include in my DVD collection.