Let me start with a confession: I never have seen the TV show and don't care to. Michael Mann's film version of "Miami Vice" borrows the name and locale and nothing else. I'm OK with that. Instead of being a cheese ball homage/update a la "Charlie's Angels" or "Starsky and Hutch", Mann brings the best crime film in years, essentially blowing away the last decade of the genre since "Heat" (in my opinion, one of the best films ever made).
Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell star as Tubbs and Crockett, Miami-Dade detectives. I wouldn't even dream of revealing the plot, but let's just say it has something to do with drugs and that all the acting is top-notch, especially from Farrell, Gong Li, and Elizabeth Rodriguez. Despite Foxx and Farrell getting top billing, the real star is Michael Mann himself: writing, directing, and producing. He is up to his usual tricks here, dropping the audience smack into the middle of the action with hardly any exposition and absolutely zero pauses for us to catch our collective breath. If the characters don't need it, we don't need it.
Mann is a stickler for realism, from the weapons and tactics down to the precision use of location. Using outstanding cinematography by Dion Beebe ("Collateral"), the film evokes a mood that feels incredibly real - a dark and sinister metropolis, a far cry from the much-imitated pastels of the television original. The direction is precise and clear, even during the most chaotic of shootouts (and yes, "Miami Vice" does have quite a few). The action is rough, and gritty, with violence exploding in sudden, graphic bursts. The intensity is overwhelming, making one feel part of the shootouts. I'm surprised no one ducked. (Just a side note - the violence is incredibly, incredibly graphic at times. Do not bring your children.)
To sum up, if you're looking for the TV show, rent the DVDs. The first season is out. If you're looking for a brainless, easy-to-follow action flick, you just missed "Tokyo Drift". But if you're looking for one of the most intense, riveting films I've seen in years, look no further than "Miami Vice".
Jamie Foxx and Colin Farrell star as Tubbs and Crockett, Miami-Dade detectives. I wouldn't even dream of revealing the plot, but let's just say it has something to do with drugs and that all the acting is top-notch, especially from Farrell, Gong Li, and Elizabeth Rodriguez. Despite Foxx and Farrell getting top billing, the real star is Michael Mann himself: writing, directing, and producing. He is up to his usual tricks here, dropping the audience smack into the middle of the action with hardly any exposition and absolutely zero pauses for us to catch our collective breath. If the characters don't need it, we don't need it.
Mann is a stickler for realism, from the weapons and tactics down to the precision use of location. Using outstanding cinematography by Dion Beebe ("Collateral"), the film evokes a mood that feels incredibly real - a dark and sinister metropolis, a far cry from the much-imitated pastels of the television original. The direction is precise and clear, even during the most chaotic of shootouts (and yes, "Miami Vice" does have quite a few). The action is rough, and gritty, with violence exploding in sudden, graphic bursts. The intensity is overwhelming, making one feel part of the shootouts. I'm surprised no one ducked. (Just a side note - the violence is incredibly, incredibly graphic at times. Do not bring your children.)
To sum up, if you're looking for the TV show, rent the DVDs. The first season is out. If you're looking for a brainless, easy-to-follow action flick, you just missed "Tokyo Drift". But if you're looking for one of the most intense, riveting films I've seen in years, look no further than "Miami Vice".