Public Enemies (DVD)

The last time Michael Mann entered the world of driven cops n robbers, the result was Heat. The world was impressed, I was not. His spiritual follow-up, Public Enemies, is similarly gaining many rave reviews. So do I agree this time, or am I yet again, a lone voice crying in the wilderness? Public Enemies looks at the career of Depression era bank robber John Dillinger and the hunt for him by FBI Agent Melvin Purvis. Purvis, in turn is under pressure from Director J Edgar Hoover to prove the value of his newly formed agency by capturing or killing America's Most Wanted. Right from the start, Mann stunningly recreates all aspects of 1930s America: ...  Read the complete review

The objective behind Public Enemies is to discard standard cinematic convention. In doing so, Michael Mann has, artistically speaking, legitimised the HD format and, through this, brought a cutting edge project to the fore. But where other auteurs are immersing audiences through developments in computer technology, Mann is going for something altogether simpler: reality. For this reason alone, Public Enemies is commendable in its artistic accomplishment, even if literarily it lacks. What has to be borne in mind more than anything is that this is an experimental picture, and where Mann may have failed to create a compelling story, he's overwhelmingly succeeded in creating ...  Read the complete review

I have always been a great fan of gangster movies and my all time favourite is the Godfather but there is another film that is a masterpiece and just takes second place. The film is Heat, directed by Michael Mann. This film kept me glued to the screen form start to end and I can honestly say that it was perfect. No shortcomings or defects at all - just perfect. So as I trundled into the cinema, full of excitement and talking ten to the dozen with nervous anticipation, there was one big question at the back of my mind - would Mann's new film, Public Enemies be as good. I often think that films released in July and August can be pretty dire - obviously aimed for ...  Read the complete review

I am a big film fan and try to watch alot of DVD's and go to the cinema. I have wanted to watch this for ages and finally bought the DVD yesterday, I was very glad I did, what a great film! The film is set in 1933, four years into the depression and mainly in Chicago. The film is directed by Michael Mann and is based around John Dillinger a notorious bank robber played by Johny Depp, and Melvin Purvis, a hopeless cop trying to catch him, played by Christian Bale. I was hooked at the first scene of the film, a prison escape where John Dillinger helps to break his bank robbing friends out of jail. The film then goes on to follow Dillinger and his ...  Read the complete review

Michael Mann directs this gangster thriller PUBLIC ENEMIES. The film is set in 1930's Chicago and centres on Johnny Depp's character John Dillinger who is a brutal bank robber who will do anything for money. He decides to lead a gang through America to go on a crime spree. The F.B.I led by the head J Edgar Hoover played by Blly Crudup sends his best agent Melvin Purvis played by Christian Bale to find Dillinger. This takes Purvis to some of Dillinger's accomplacies like Pretty Boy Floyd played by Channing Tatum and Baby Face Nelson played by Stephen Graham to get answers though Dillinger keeps escaping. Meanwhile Dillinger tries to protect his lover played by ...  Read the complete review