Product: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [Blu-ray] (2009)
Rating: 3.0
Pretty Good.......I suppose
I didn't really know what to expect when I popped this into my DVD player. The reviews on the original theatrical release were all over the place. Add to that the New Orleans setting as opposed to the New York setting. Werner Herzog as opposed to Abel Ferrara. Nick Cage as opposed to Harvey Keitel. I suppose it's amazing this ever got made to begin with.That being said I approached it with an open mind and I'm still not certain what to think. It wasn't bad by any means but it was weird. It rather follows the original in that you have a cop gone bad who has problems with drugs and gambling and uses his position to shake down bad guys to help feed his bad habits. But here you see that Cage is good guy down deep. He saves a trapped prisoner from drowning in a cell in the aftermath of Katrina and seems genuinely wanting to solve a mass execution style murder. He also has an "escort" girlfriend to whom he supplies drugs but who he also defends when trouble knocks.Anyway........the hole gets deeper and deeper and you know things are going to come to a nasty head as he struggles to develop a scheme to right the entire mess. I can't spoil what happens but let it be said this takes one of the most peculiar turns I've ever seen in a movie. And what happens seems to be real and not just Cage's pipe dream.I guess this threw me to the point having to ask myself what Herzog was trying to say. I'm certain there must be some subtext I missed or something, but it seemed to revolve around Kharma, (I suppose).Anyway.....All the aspects of the film are professional. The acting is good (though I do wish Eva Mendez had a bit more to do) and all the cinematography, edittng, music score, etc., are all good. And though it is 2 hours long, I didn't find myself looking at my watch so there's something to be said on that note.So.....I suppose I'm on the fence but leaning to the "liking it" side. Maybe it shouldn't be the top of your rental list, but don't be afraid of it either. Maybe it hasn't given up all it's charms yet and one or two more viewings might help me "get it."