Miami
Vice marks Michael Mann's first foray into big screen television adaptations.
It was bound to happen sooner or later. Gone from this Miami Vice of course, are
the pastel jackets, no socks and Jan Hammer's theme music. They're traded in for
hyper kinetic violence and a sleeker, up-to-date look at contemporary drug dealing.
If you're looking for a non stop action piece though, you may walk out of this
movie disappointed.
In
this take of the famed 80's TV show, Colin Farrell is James "Sonny"
Crockett and Jamie Foxx is Ricardo Tubbs, Miami Vice partners who infiltrate a
major narcotics operation. It's a dirty, dangerous job but someone's got to do
it. While attempting to make their hefty bust, Crockett and Tubbs come face to
face with nasty drug dealers, corrupt bureaucrats, and a gang of white supremacists.
Sonny even begins fraternizing with the enemy when a deal broker for a big time
drug dealer (Gong Li) begins to tickle his . . . Crocket.
Michael
Man normally excels with this type of film. In terms of tone, Miami Vice most
resembles the taut and ultra cool Collateral, a terrific crime thriller in which
a murderous Tom Cruise takes cab driver Jamie Foxx's on a ride through hell. There
are also elements of Mann's masterful Heat.
Miami
Vice drips with the same sort of stylized bravado that beats within most of Mann's
films. There's stunning shoot outs, an undeniable swagger, and a sleek, uncompromising
visual quality. Sadly, though, there isn't a whole hell of a lot of character
here. As we join Crockett and Tubbs, they're already well established as partners.
Their credo is clear -they'd do anything for each other. Furthermore, they're
hell bent on keeping the world safe from drugs and crime. Danger runs high on
a daily basis for these two men. They're constantly in harm's way.
Unfortunately
though, this Miami Vice never really delves into anything aside from the job they
do. It's about the job rather than the men doing the job, and I never really found
myself caring about these guys. We only get minute glimpses into who these men
really are and that bothered me. In Collateral, there's an interesting dynamic
to Cruise's hit-man Vincent and Foxx's cab driver Max. We really get to see what
makes these guys tick as individuals. The same could be said for DeNiro's Neal
McCauley and Pacinos' Vincent Hanna in Heat. Crocket and Tubbs are tough, to be
sure, but we don't really know who they are. It is established early on in the
film that Tubbs has a lady in his life and that this will, no doubt, provide some
sort of peril during the climax. Crockett also engages in a relationship, but
it's superficial and incredibly underdeveloped and I didn't buy into it at all.
Both relationships feel like gimmicky plot-devises, and as it turns out, they
are.
Farrell looks
the part. He's toned and ready to kick ass. However, he struggles mighty hard
to hide that thick Irish accent of his, and as a result, sometimes his speaking
voice sounds a little silly. And by the way, I could have done without that cheesy,
Village People style mustache. Foxx fares better, but he doesn't get as much screen
time as Farrell. Still, he makes the most of his role. He has a swagger, toughness,
and sense of humor that keep the dreary proceedings a tad lighter. Look no further
than a scene early on in the film in which he playfully teases his significant
other during an intense romantic moment.
As
a unit, Farrell and Foxx are believable together. They're the type of partners
who finish each other sentences and they always appear to know what the other
is thinking. There isn't anything too memorable about the rest of the cast.
The villains in particular, don't bring anything very interesting or original
to the table. They're just sort of there doing the villain thing.
Having
said all of this, there's a certain realism and restraint to Miami Vice. The shoot
outs are extremely effective and the drug running sequences feel technically accurate
(not that I've ever been involved in a drug transport). I wish Mann would have
taken out both romance scenarios - particularly Crockett's. The removal of these
scenarios would have made for a much tighter pace. I also could have done without
the ridiculous, unconvincing ending. Perhaps, Mann wanted a little light at the
end of the tunnel, but for me the final moments of the film rang completely false
and sort of sold the whole picture out. What's more, the Audioslave songs that
play throughout the movie are intrusive. I like Audioslave, but these particular
songs don't mesh with the film at all.
Miami
Vice isn't Mann's strongest work, but it isn't a total flop either. Mann certainly
has a meticulous eye for detail and he still knows how to shoot the hell out of
a picture. This movie lacks the hippness of the show upon which it was based,
but it certainly looks as good.
