When news of this film hit, I was quite excited in the expectation of
another Michael Mann film. Then, just before release here in Australia,
it gets pulled. WTF!!
Reviews essentially pulled this film apart, and the box office was
practically naught - so I can understand why distributors didn't even
bother. But, this is a Michael Mann film, so what the hell is going on
with not releasing this theatrically?
Well, I finally found out why. It is nowhere near the level of film
that we're used to from this great director. He's responsible for one of
my favourites - Heat - as well some other great films in The Last of
the Mohicans, The Insider, Ali, Collateral, Miami Vice, and to a lesser
degree Public Enemies, Manhunter and Thief. Even those last 3 are quite
good. This film, damn, it is barely good.
Sometimes I feel I am being generous by giving it 3 stars, but, if
you were to take the Michael Mann factor and expectation out of it, then
you would think it was a good flick. Well filmed, some tense action
scenes, decent story.
However, as a Mann flick, it seems to lack a great script, and well
drawn out characters. Once of key elements to Mann films is a real
fleshing out of character arcs - it's all in the dialogue. Here, that
barely resonated with me. I wanted to feel something for these
characters, inc the main guy played by Chris Hemsworth - but I just
didn't feel it. You know you're loving a film when you get caught up in
the world and the stories of the characters - and the only way to really
do that is with a good script. Sure, there are plenty of films that you
can love without there being much dialogue at all, I know that, but
even here we're not given much to feel in the way these characters
are portrayed.
For the most part, it is a good film, just disappointing that Mann
didn't pull off a great one. Maybe a revisit down the track one day
might be different.
Rating:
3 out of 5
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