Public Enemies

Watched With: Mr & Mrs Porno @ The Cathay (28/07)
Snacks: Green Tea
Genre: Crime / Drama

"We're here for the bank's money, not yours."

The year is 1933 and it is the Great Depression.

The FBI was still known only as the BI and J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) wants expansion and progess for his agency.
So he enlists the services of his top agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale) to apprehend America's Public Enemy Number 1 - the bank robber John Dillinger (Johnny Depp)

Dillinger and his gang were only interested in robbing the money of the banks and not the people. Kind of like a Robin Hood if you will.
And everytime her got caught, somehow or rather Dillinger still managed to escape the long arm of the law.
He even has time to fall in love with beauty Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard).

So who will win the battle of wits and tommy guns?

Much of this movie was based on historical fact and based on my research most of it is pretty accurate although some parts were exaggerated for the movie and some parts were even added in for dramatic effect.

And as usual, Michael Mann is a purist and will only tell the story as it is written just as seen in his previous movies like Heat, Collateral and Miami Vice.
But I guess that is where this movie fails somewhat.
Because like all other Michael Mann movies, once he sets the tone of the movie at the beginning then that's the way it's going to be for the whole show.
This means that the movie does tend to drag on a bit during certain parts even though the story is progressing and reaching its climax.

I know I love gangster movies and this is a gangster movie.
But I wish it could have been more Crime movie than Drama. But still a good insight nonetheless. I guess the actors save it in the end.

Final Verdict: