iReview: Public Enemies
http://www.publicenemies.net/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Dillinger
Now Playing: On Demand/DVD/Bluray
Opinion: Entertained.
Review: If you know or have any interest in (the original) gangster era this IS a movie to add to your viewing list. This movie fallows the story of John Dillinger and his gang so closely, during the time that the FBI took over his case up to Dillinger's assassination (and YES it was an assassination), that the movie could easily be a true to life documentary.

I personally am an avid follower/researcher of the gangster era and found this movie mostly accurate and entertaining. Someone really paid close attention to the research and even covertly added the proper props to this effect. Examples: An FDIC window decal seen during the First National Bank robbery but not seen during bank robberies prior as the FDIC wasn't enacted till January 1, 1934 and the robbery was on January 15, 1934. Also, the seeming out of place camera shot of the Detective dime novel during the scene inside the Hotel Congress lobby that was ultimately instrumental in leading to the arrest of the Dillinger gang in Tucson,AZ.

Not that it matter whom played the role but throughout the movie I totally forgot that Dillinger was being played by Johnny Depp. To me that is the epitome of a great actor. Being seen as the part and not the actor playing the part. As intended (because he claims to be a character actor) equally Christian Bale wore the skin of his charter so well, I forgot Bale and focused on the more prevalent Agent Pervis. Though I will have to add, Depp had one easy (but very important) thing going for him. John Dillinger was reported as being overly confident, arrogant even. By the common man he was seen as a Robin Hood, celebrity and to some a real life hero; an anti-hero that was a hero. Depp fits the mold in these aspects already, so it wasn't too far of a stretch for Depp to become Dillinger.

I only have one complaint about the whole movie... CGI gun shot wounds are LAME! No matter how talented the artist or how well done the graphics are, it STILL looks fake. Other than that the movie was seamless in effect, costume and setting.

To a pleasant surprise... and I always seem to find this out after the fact when the credits are rolling, this was a Michael Mann film. I remember during one of the opening scenes the camera, bouncing around as if it were part of the action going on, then a closeup pan that went out of focus. I first thought, "whoa! that was odd", then corrected myself, thinking "but totally appropriate for the scene". Excellent call to keep it in the final cut.

It's the little things I guess.

I found that the overall film was very well done.