Product: Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans [Blu-ray] (2009)
Rating: 3.0
falls well short of original
I wanted to like this movie more. I am a fan of Eva Mendes, and Nicholas Cage seems to have more unactualized potential of any actor working.The original was a gritty, nonstop brutal and gripping portrayal of the despair of a man who is way too far down the wrong path. The acting is good enough, but the story lacks inspiration and therefore believability. Cage and Mendes are captivating when the writing allows. For example, the scenes where Cage strongarms the john in the hotel room, or the young users in the parking lot, fall flat because Cage and the writers can't put together believable storytelling. Cage shines in scenes where he really lets loose, like in the pharmacy scene or his car ride scene with his new business partners, and exhibits his eccentric force.Xzibit is as good as ever, and Val Kilmer reaffirms that the level of his talent is such that he will shine in any role. Kilmer seems to be like Ray Liotta, in that their apparent drive to work seems to land them in movies that are beneath them, but then again, that's not uncommon - Dennis Hopper, Christopher Walken.This movie is little more than a moderately interesting and propagandized indictment of police authority, and unfortunately, the original was much better with a better lead performance and more memorable scenes.