Public Enemies Blu ray movie review

The combination of John Dillinger and Michael Mann should have produced a blockbuster film. Michael Mann has consistently delivered satisfying action movie like Heat and Miami Vice. You can argue few can match Mann’s action flicks. While other directors like Bay are known for action movies as well, they can’t match the story telling and superior directing evident in Michael Mann’s movies. This is why I was very excited to watch his latest film about John Dillinger. On the surface, John Dillinger’s biography sounds like a perfect match for Michael Mann. However, that is not the case for me. While the movie undoubtedly polished and slick, it’s about 30 minutes too long too little action for my taste.

John Dillinger was a famous bank robber in the 1930s. The movie picks up with the prison escape orchestrated by John Dillinger. After the escape, he goes back to bank robbing without the fear of authorities. He openly robs bank and laughs in the face of FBI and local law enforcement agency. During all the mayhem, he manages to meet and date Billie Frechette. To bring down the outlaws, FBI turns to Melvin Purvis. He is charge of tracking down Dillinger and his gang. Purvis is directed by the J. Edgar Hoover himself to uphold FBI’s image and reputation. Most of us are familiar with John Dillinger story and know how it all ends.

Christian Bale, Johnny Depp, and Marion Cotillard round out the top notch cast. You can’t find and fault in their acting as they are all top notch actors. The movie itself is very polished and have high production look. But, the overall pace and the story didn’t hold my attention throughout the movie like other Michael Mann movies. The action sequence seemed tame compared to other movies. I know the movie is set in 1930s. However, the action scenes were rather sedate and boring for most part. Also, the story could have been shortened by 30 minutes or more. There were some scenes and story line that were not particularly relevant or needed in the film. Overall, this is my least favorite Michael Mann film. If you want good old school gangster film, watch Road to Perdition.

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	Public Enemies (Special Edition) [Blu-ray] List Price: $36.98 Sale Price: $15.98 Used From: $9.75 Average Rating: