Movie Review: Public Enemies

Movie: Public Enemies
Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale
Directed By: Michael Mann

Johnny Depp is everywhere again.

With the San Diego Comic Con starting up, it took the appearance of Mr. Depp to send fans into a frenzy. The guy's got a lot of talent and an impressive resume of film work, and his upcoming film with director Tim Burton, Alice In Wonderland, already has people talking. I wonder how that film will turn out... his Mad Hatter looks like a good candidate for the next Batman film by Christopher Nolan, hehe.

I saw Johnny's latest flick last night, Public Enemies - a crime movie that pairs him alongside with none other than Batman himself, Christian Bale. Set during The Great Depression, Depp plays the role of the legendary criminal, John Dillenger, who was notorious back in the 1930's for robbing banks and evading the law by all means. Crime was the talk of the town of that period and the FBI was just making its bones... a perfect setup for Director/ Producer Michael Mann, who knows his movie stuff and directed many other action flicks such as Heat and Miami Vice.

Honestly going into this movie, I didn't know much about the history of Crime back in 1933, but this film really takes you back into that era, where people cared less about their lives and tried to enjoy the moment, full of jazz music and noir elements that somehow get you into the mood of things. Depp's portrayal of Dillenger exemplifies this lifestyle, and he has that flamboyant, carefree attitude which attracts the wrong attention and publicity, enough to piss off any federal lawman and state cop who want his hide so badly. As for Christian Bale... I'm totally impressed with his role. The man who has been praised for his acting ability has once again transformed his voice into a convincing accent common of people that time. I read up on the person he plays, Melvin Purvis, and with the exception of his height, I think Mr. Bale did an outstanding job portraying the man who led the manhunt for Public Enemy No.1 - John Dillenger. He had a lot of gun fights and action scenes in this movie too, which is a stark contrast to his no gun/ kill rule as Batman, hehe.

I'll have to abide by the old rule about movies like these: Even if it is based on true events, the film is a dramatization at best. Some inconsistencies may appear or contradict the actual details written in the books, and historians will debate over what transpires in the movie as fact or fiction. However, to the filmmakers credit, they did what they could to recapture that period, and did a bang up job telling this story to viewers who don't know squat about who Dillenger, his cohorts like Baby Face Nelson, Red Hamilton, and other known crime personalities were. Ironically, the gang's exploits also led to the rise of the Federal Bureau of Investigation, which was created by J. Edgar Hoover and saw the incorporation of methodical, modern ways to catch criminals effectively. As we see the rise of the interstate G-men, we also witness what great lengths the law would go just to catch these criminals and prosecute them... by any means necessary.

Overall, I found Public Enemies to be a decent Crime film. Johnny Depp and Christian Bale once again prove their worth, and the roles they play here are nothing short of the excellence they inspire to others. I'll admit, I found the ending typical and it could've been better, but that's how it happened in history and I guess they wanted to end things on a simple note. My recommendation? It's good for a single viewing if you have time to hit the cinemas.

Score - 4/5