Product: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [Blu-ray] (2009)
Rating: 5.0
Cage is as Edgy as Ever in this Over-the Top Cop Thriller
Nicholas Cage is not one for subtle roles. He is great at playing the anti-hero. His good-cop-gone-bad character fits his screen persona perfectly. Eva Mendes leads a large cast of supporting characters who really make this an unforgettable movie in a genre that has been overdone lately. The Cage character is truly up against ALL odds, from drug dealers and mobsters to his boss, the D.A. and himself. The storyline is interesting and doesn't get lost despite the many detours it takes as Cage sinks further and further into the dark quicksand of his own making. Who will kill him first? Everyone wants to, and are all determined to take their best shot. There is a lot of dark comic relief thrown in to keep the movie-goer on their toes, and off balance, as Cage torques up his badness and shows no one any respect. This is an excellent movie, well-executed and full of unexpected quirkiness.I am at a loss to explain some of the negative reviews, especially those complaining of camera-work, etc. This movie is of no less quality than any other Hollywood movie. Sure, it lacks computer generated critters, exploding death stars and robot killers from the future ---but then this is not Aliens, Star Wars of T2. I will leave it at that, just to be nice. I think most intelligent movie fans will be able to see what is going on with those low reviews and dismiss them for what they are.Explanation of my five stars: I give one star each for Writing, Continuity, Acting, Concept/Plot, and Execution. This movie does them all very well. I do not rate movies based on my likes/dislikes, because that is not -in my opinion- a fair way to rate a movie. For instance, I rated Morning Glory five stars though it was a love story and I am no fan of same. But I considered the elements of the movie that would make it Good or Bad.WRITING: is the story easy-to-follow, believable (even if I must suspend belief there are some that are TOO silly to believe), unpredictable, complex, interesting?CONTINUITY: is the movie constructed in a way that all technical elements, camera work, wardrobe, make-up, location, effects make sense?ACTING: are the actors into the roles or just mouthing lines to earn their paychecks?CONCEPT/PLOT: is this a plausible concept that could happen in real life, OR is it constructed in a way that it is plausible given a required suspension of belief?EXECUTION: did the movie deliver expected emotion response(s), that is, horror, shock, happiness, sadness, hope, etc., depending on the genre and Concept/Plot?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Thanks for reading my review. My goal is to help you get the most value for your hard-earned money and avoid an unpleasant customer experience. ROB