public enemies

i have always held a curious interest about bank robberies and stories of them. who better to tackle the cinema friendly true story of john dillinger than michael mann of 'heat' fame.

johnny depp is a very good actor, and he is in top form in this form here as the charming dillinger who loves fast cars, women, and robbing banks. the gun fights were very intense, and i liked the realistic sound of the guns, like how they echoed and sounded different when they were fired inside as opposed to outside. mann appears to do his research when it comes to these finer details that take a film to the next level.

i could tell i liked this film because throughout its entirety i was rooting for the bad guys (aka the bank robbers). i mean these were people who did some bad things. they commited crimes and routinely shot at the police, yet they were presented as likable characters (except baby face nelson) so i, along with the rest of the audience, was hoping down in my heart that dillinger would just walk away when he got the chance.

i liked this movie quite a bit. the camera angles and shots were all spot on, and i felt the two main stars, johnny depp and christian bale were directed well. some people did not like mann's choice of using high-def cameras, but i did not mind it. i prefer film, but high def camcorders do not make me like a film less.

this is a good summer flick. it's got everything going for it: a great cast, a seasoned director, good source material with plenty of action and plot development. it did run a little long, and i feel more time should have been spent with the emotional development of bale's character. those minor complaints aside, i rather enjoyed this movie. i do not think it is a masterpiece that will sweep the academy awards, but it is one of the better movies i have watched this summer, and i recommend it to any movie lover.