Public Enemies
Blown away - Mick Jordan
John Dillenger was a big film-buff who liked to perform dramatic leaps over bank counters in the manner of his hero Douglas Fairbanks. So it would probably please him no end that practically every twenty years or so Hollywood turns out another film biography of this notorious bank-robber. This is at least the fifth telling of the Dillinger story and each film progressively rehabilitates the character. Here he comes across as witty and charismatic (how could he otherwise when played by Johnny Depp) far from the murdering psychopath that apparently was portrayed in the very early versions – when those who finally caught him were still alive. While there is not a great deal of plot in 'Public Enemies' there is a great deal going on. John(Johnny) breaks in and out of prison, robs some banks, falls in love and goes on the run. He is portrayed as a good old-fashioned kind of criminal whose time is running out and whose methods are becoming out-dated in the rapidly developing mafia era. Crime is becoming big business and the small-time sole traders are being squeezed out - and turned in. All this is told at pretty much break-neck speed, despite the two and a half hours running time. Director Michael Mann has long been a proponent of style over substance and while there is plenty of substance to this film it's the style that takes you over. Every shot, every second is painstakingly constructed, every element perfected right down to the selection of clips from “Manhattan Melodrama” the Clark Gable film that Dillinger went out to see one fateful night. In fact Mann seems to be working from the premise that everyone knows how the story ends (they certainly do if they've seen the damn trailer!) and so he really takes his time over the climactic scenes, laying it all on like tragic opera. It's superbly done and one to watch on repeat when the DVD comes out.
Review published on the 15 July 2009 14:33
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Only ok. - Crazy
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Not enough meat in the sandwich - pandabat
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31 October 2009 12:24
boering - pjj1990
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31 August 2009 13:34
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17 August 2009 21:44
come on...! - hey-man666
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11 August 2009 16:04
Not so fast... - wenttothemovieoncemorely
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09 August 2009 18:43
It's still rubbish - Wenttothemovieoncemore
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06 August 2009 20:04
I'm Breaking The Rules Here... - Paul
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04 August 2009 15:27
Mike Sheridan - Worst Film Reviewer Ever - wenttothecinemaonce
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03 August 2009 18:28
Two and a half hours of nothing - Keith R
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29 July 2009 22:29
Can I give it 3 and a half stars!? - leanne
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29 July 2009 15:50
Putrid Enemies - kelleherqueen
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26 July 2009 00:06
Excellent Film making - Keith C
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23 July 2009 17:13
Public Enemies - Patrick
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19 July 2009 23:03
A disgrace to Cinema - Swat1902
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17 July 2009 12:18
Awesome...awesome...awesome - CarrieD
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16 July 2009 23:06
disappointing - Eve
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15 July 2009 16:54
Absolutley Brilliant - jennith
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15 July 2009 08:40
A good film that even non gangster film fans can enjoy - Cyberx_94
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14 July 2009 13:15
one to watch - starter
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14 July 2009 00:27
Decent crime flick but could have been better. - Steven Seagull
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11 July 2009 19:19
Less 'Heat', more lukewarm - Patrick McLaren
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10 July 2009 13:17
Twam - Mike Sheridan
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10 July 2009 11:22
Probably the worst movie I have ever seen - twam2009
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10 July 2009 10:31
Enjoyed it - stu112
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09 July 2009 14:48
Excellent-and ruined by the wobblecam! - Slick
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09 July 2009 05:11
Disappointed - Kay
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08 July 2009 21:43
.... - angel
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08 July 2009 12:02
O.K. - LMRKMAN
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08 July 2009 08:20
Michael Mann's latest fails to deliver Heat - Jason O' Mahony
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07 July 2009 15:47
Not for those who loved Transformers - barry
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06 July 2009 15:22
garbage - the dude
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06 July 2009 14:58
flop - Christina
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06 July 2009 10:40
Worth seeing but there's been better - reeldeal
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06 July 2009 01:07
Film of the year by a mile - barry
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05 July 2009 14:51
Hugely disappointing - Deanie
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05 July 2009 12:30
A Decent Drama - Siobhan L
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04 July 2009 23:34
Stunning true story beautifully told. - simonconnolly
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01 July 2009 04:49
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