Miami Vice
2006, Universal Studios
A
Michael Mann’s Miami Vice is…totally badass.
Wait! Don’t leave. Ignore all those bad memories of horrible synth and Don Johnson’s pastel jackets. Mann has reinvented this motherfucker. Yes, there are speedboats; yes, Colin Farrell looks like Scott Stapp in a certain light- but these are the only drawbacks. (If you think speedboats and Scott Stapp are awesome, well, more fun for you!)
For an action movie, Miami Vice has everything. The camera work is brilliant and brings the beautiful scenery to life. It has an intelligent, tight script that forces viewers to pay attention and anticipate the shattering climax. Miami Vice actually has characters to care about- an attribute nearly unheard-of in this genre.
This is an intelligent person’s action movie- not for the Seagal set. I know. You thought they didn’t exist. Look again.
Took me two tries to watch this movie to the end. The first 45 minutes drag a little, but on second watch I forced myself to look through it to the end. Quite good overall but def Mann’s poorest film to date.