A surprising masterpiece

Rating: 6/10 (10 August 2009)

Michael Mann is, regardless of personal opinion, one of the greatest directors ever when it comes to action films. His notion of pace, narrative, and perspective are top notch, and Heat, Miami Vice prove this without a doubt. Now, Public enemies, his greatest film since Heat, comes to prove something that the pacino/deniro confrontation had left in the air: his subtle but certain analysis of the idea of the "hero" versus the "anti-hero". Let's be clear: Mann creates tough, aggressive, larger than life characters, but, at the same times, gives them a great sense of humanity. But let's focus on the film: Public enemies is a precious work of art, a fast-paced, epic movie not only about Dillinger, but also about the other great robbers of its time (the so called "public enemies", that gave origin to the film's name) and the clash between them and the law (represented, mainly, by Christopher Nolan's character). The result is a gangster movie, with a powerful love story fueling the narrative into a very compelling and powerful outcome. Deep's performance is simply off the charts, Oscar worthy, and his supporting cast is exceptional (Marion Cotillard and Nolan being the best proof of that). That, along with remarkable action sequences, extraordinary shootouts, brilliant photography, original ambiance, and masterful directing, makes Public enemies the best movie of the year so far. If you liked Heat, you'll love this. If you didn't, go see it anyway: it's just a brilliant piece of cinema. Not everyone will like it, but if you allow yourself to be taken in by the story, you'll probably love it. All in all, a masterpiece of modern cinema.