Based on the vintage television show, Miami Vice, our story tells of undercover Miami-Dade Police Detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Fox) and their operations in the seedy underground in Miami. With their support unit, Crockett and Tubbs investigate a drug smuggling ring, whose ruthless connections include a sadistic cadre of skinheads whose MO is a brutal death to those who cross them. Things go sideways when Crockett falls for the cartel banker (Gong Li) and their mark finds out they're cops.
Sleek and sexy with hot and exotic locations: gotta be Michael Mann. The details are all in: Crockett's hair, mustache, racing boat and Tubbs' ultra-slick coolness. And the different story locations are fleshed out with local flair, especially notable is the trash-heap that is the middle of the night in the down-town Haitian village. Mr. Mann knows how to find a beautiful locale for shooting and enhancing realism. Also beautiful, brilliant and well-done is the photography for each location, distinguishing each locale from each other allowing the audience an easy recall as to where the story's sitting for each leg of the story.
The minimalist tenor, including the score and music selections, pulls at the nerves in a slow methodical manner. And the realistic action scenes are conducted in a raw, efficient fashion; true to Mann's preparation and study into his subject. Also the performances by Farrell and Fox are, on the whole, comprehensive and real and well-prepared, including Farrell's hairstyle. These assists bring an audience to fully engage and are, as always, well done in a Mann film.
While love connections between characters complicate and layer the plot. The one between the banker and Crockett seems a bit borderline. Part of me likes its presence because of the conflict between Crockett's sense of duty and his growing feelings for her, something Colin Farrell portrays very well here; but a larger bit of me feels this love connection isn't necessary as we already have one with Tubbs' Trudy, it’s a strong one which leaves our team desperate, shooting our plot into the climax of the film with clinical precision. It's the only thing that's unsettling during this time around. But, then again, it's a sleek and sexy premise and the setting is fast and hot; love connections nearly always follow these things, so Crockett's connection is practically inevitable.
As an overall picture, this film is elegantly penned, performed, shot and edited. It's a film I can watch over and over several times. I'm very comfortable engaging emotionally and physically, as this film’s very easy on the senses. Very masterfully done.
****
IN: Gong Li
OUT: Colin Farrell
Coming Soon: Minority Report
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