Darkmatters Review - Public Enemies

Public Enemies (15)

Dir. Michael Mann

Reviewed by Matt Adcock (with good friends J and G)

ONE WORD SUMMATION: Crimtastic

“I like baseball, movies, good clothes, fast cars... and you. What else you need to know?
My name is John Dillinger and if you ask me what I want? – I’ll tell you - everything.
Right now.”

Public Enemies see Johnny Depp playing the infamous criminal Dillinger in Michael ‘Heat’ Mann’s love letter to the 1930s one man Chicago crimewave. This is without doubt 2009’s classiest, coolest and most engaging action thriller – a perfect storm of quality cast, attention to detail and stylish visual flair.

Depp is perfect in the lead role bringing the FBI’s most wanted man to believable life dripping with dangerous charisma and cool swagger. This is a guy who believes in himself, who isn’t afraid to take on the system – mostly through the liberal application of audacious bank robberies. Exciting gun fights, chases and heists ensue as the authorities do everything they can to try and contain him.

Christian ‘Terminator Salvation’ Bale plays FBI Agent Melvin Purvis, the man tasked by J. Edgar Hoover to bring Dillinger down and a wildcard in the mix here is vicious psycho ‘Baby Face Nelson’ (a convincingly unhinged Stephen Graham). Nelson doesn’t subscribe to Dillinger’s gentlemanly conduct in keeping his criminal activities to the liberation of money from major banks whilst keeping the body count to a minimum.
And the path of true robbery runs even less straight when Dillinger loses his head and his heart to Billie Frechette (Marion ‘La vie en Rose’ Cotillard).



Public Enemies is a fantastic film which rewards viewers with a captivating story, it’s hard not to find yourself rooting for the bank robbing pose as they repeatedly stick it to the man. The timing of the film couldn’t be better either with banks being at a potential all time low in the affections of most people.
Standing head and shoulders above the very average blockbusters we’ve had so far this summer, it is refreshing to find a film that you’ll want to think about afterwards and want to see again.
Director Mann has shown that he can deliver superb period action thrills to match his modern day classics Heat and Miami Vice. For me Public Enemies has crashed straight into my list of ‘best ever crime films’ to stand beside others like Goodfellas, The Godfather and Miller’s Crossing – denying yourself the chance to see this on the big screen would be a crime!

Darkmatters final rating of: ööööööööö (9 – Public Enemies will blow you away!)

Darkmatters quick reference guide:

Action 8
Style 9
Babes 7
Comedy 6
Horror 6
Spiritual Enlightenment 7