That's because director John Badham, whose career careens from the seminal Saturday Night Fever to the senseless Drop Zone, is a hack. The visuals here verge on mediocrity, especially in the washed-out outdoor sunlit shots. More critically, the knee-jerk political references in Patrick Sheane Duncan's script are so superficial they will anger anyone from any part of the political spectrum. Depp is emerging as a star of courage, depth and surprising maturity. Depp does it with such elegant believability that you suspend disbelief and share his anguish.
None is more suited to the job than one of cinema's favorite psychos.
In person, Walken is a splendid and charming fellow. On screen, he is the devil incarnate.