That's regrettable, since the raw material was genuinely explosive. You're the critic in our At the Movies forum. Murders of minor characters are slotted in at random, like musical numbers. Director Duke has epic ambitions without the talent or budget to match.
Every scene is directed at the same crude pitch.
Characters are cut from familiar cloth. One possible exception is sainted prosecutor Thomas E. Dewey, whose admirers will get a jolt. Laurence Fishburne, one of America's most visceral actors, gambles unsuccessfully by basing his characterization on grim understatement and a regretful air. The writing and directing aren't strong enough to sustain this concept - Bumpy seems apologetic even during his deadly rages. By default, our interest shifts to Fishburne's flashier co-stars.