America's Most Wanted: Michael Mann's PUBLIC ENEMIES reviewed by Dean Winkelspecht on Blu-ray and DVD

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—> See Links to our BD & DVD Reviews (below)

America's Most Wanted

"An impressive film of great formal skill, one that inescapably has a brooding dark-night-of-the-soul quality about it... The beauty and skill of the filmmaking keep you tightly in its grasp."
—Kenneth Turan (Los Angeles Times)

"Michael Mann's PUBLIC ENEMIES is a grave and beautiful work of art... It revisits with meticulous detail and convulsions of violence a short, frantic period in the life and bank-robbing times of John Dillinger."
—Manohla Dargis (The New York Times)

"Marvelously detailed and meticulously crafted, an elegant evocation of Depression-era America and its fascination with crime."
—(Wall Street Journal)

"This Johnny Depp performance is something else... This is a very good film, with Depp and Bale performances of brutal clarity."
—Roger Ebert (Chicago Sun-Times)

PUBLIC ENEMIES — on Blu-ray & DVD »
(Now available - released December 8)

Johnny Depp stars as the charismatic and elusive bank robber, John Dillinger, marked by the FBI as America's first Public Enemy. Academy Award winner Marion Cotillard plays Billie Frechette, the only woman capable of capturing his heart. Hunted relentlessly by top FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), Dillinger engages in an escalating game of cat and mouse that culminates in an explosive legendary showdown.

Michael Mann's Public Enemies recently arrived (Dec 8) on Blu-ray ($36.98) and DVD ($34.98) from Universal Studios Home Entertainment. Each Special Edition includes a Digital Copy of the film. Also on standard DVD ($29.98).

Public Enemies is a 2009 American crime film co-written and directed by Michael Mann. Set during the Great Depression, it focuses on the true story of FBI agent Melvin Purvis's attempt to stop criminals John Dillinger, Baby Face Nelson, and Pretty Boy Floyd.

The film is an adaptation of Bryan Burrough's non-fiction book "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933–34". Christian Bale plays FBI agent Purvis, Johnny Depp plays Dillinger, Marion Cotillard plays Dillinger's girlfriend Billie Frechette, Stephen Graham plays Nelson, and Channing Tatum plays Floyd.

Director Michael Mann decided to shoot the movie in HD format instead of using the traditional 35 mm film.

BONUS FEATURES include:
Blu-ray Special Edition
Disc One:
• Feature Commentary with director Michael Mann
• Larger than Life: Adversaries
• Michael Mann: Making Public Enemies
• Last of the Legendary Outlaws
• On Dillinger's Trail: The Real Locations
• Criminal Technology
• Gangster Movie Challenge
• U Control - Interactive Timeline
• U Control - Picture in Picture
• BD Live - Gangster Movie Challenge
• BD Live - My Chat
• BD Live - My Movie Commentary
• BD Live - My Scenes Sharing
• D-Box Motion Control
• iPhone and iPod Touch APP: Virtual Remote & Keyboard: control and communicate with ease!
• Mobile-to-Go: add exclusive bonus features to your device to enjoy anywhere, anytime!
Disc Two:
• Bonus DIGITAL COPY of Public Enemies (expires 12/31/2010)

DVD Special Edition
Disc One:
• Larger Than Life: Adversaries
• Feature Commentary with director Michael Mann
Disc Two:
• Michael Mann: Making Public Enemies
• Last of the Legendary Outlaws
• On Dilliger's Trail: The Real Locations
• Criminal Technology
• Bonus DIGITAL COPY of Public Enemies (expires 12/31/2010)

No one could stop Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone — from his girlfriend Billie Frechette to an American public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Great Depression.

PUBLIC ENEMIES — Explore further:
—> Blu-ray Review by Dean Winkelspecht »
EXCERPT: Teaming up with talented actors Johnny Depp and Christian Bale for the telling of the John Dillinger story and investigation sounded like a dream team. Due to a busy schedule and not enough days in the week I was unable to make it to the theaters to see "Public Enemies" and my anticipation grew. Did Mann live up to my high expectations?

With Johnny Depp as notorious gangster John Dillinger and Christian Bale putting aside the Batsuit to portray FBI Investigator Melvin Purvis, "Public Enemies" instantly has a solid cast. Relative newcomers Channing Tatum ("G.I. Joe") and Emilie de Ravin ("Lost") are part of an ensemble cast of supporting actors that includes Giovanni Ribisi, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Leelee Sobieski and Rory Cochrane. Depp and Bale are both fantastic in their lead roles and while Bale is a great deal taller than the historical figure nicknamed "Little Mel," Bale continues to mold himself as one of the 'good guys' of cinema to audiences who may be completely unaware of his legendary tirades off camera. Johnny Depp is one of the truly great character actors and has so much charisma that he is perhaps too good as Dillinger.

"Public Enemies" is based upon the historical book "Public Enemies: America's Greatest Crime Wave and the Birth of the FBI, 1933-34" by Bryan Burrough. The screenplay by Ronan Bennett, Ann Biderman and Mann takes a few substantial liberties in re-arranging timelines and altering actual events from the non-fictional account of Dillinger, Pretty Boy Floyd and Baby Face Nelson to create a more dramatic story, but many details in the film are accurate and the picture itself is an impressive look at Depression Era crime. "Public Enemies" becomes a combination of Michael Mann filmmaking and historical account that is more fictional than historical and the final product walks the line between the two as it contains some very well done action scenes and a few long and dull history lessons that slow the pace.

I would have preferred to see the film stay truer to Burrough's novel and a more accurate historical depiction of all those involved, but that would have required an additional hour of length to the film. The only other issue I have with the historical story is that Mann prefers to make Dillinger a folk hero because of his charisma and looks and his "Robin Hood" of the Great Depression persona is completely lost by the filmmakers.

I enjoyed "Public Enemies," but I was mildly disappointed by the film. "Heat" with De Niro and Pacino is one of my favorite films and I was hoping that "Public Enemies" would be this decade's equivalent to that exciting masterpiece. That film was pure excitement from beginning to end and had a great deal of depth. The big shoot out scene in "Heat" is one of the greatest, if not the greatest, ever depicted on the big screen. Sadly, "Public Enemies" lacks the intensity of "Heat" and there are no large memorable scenes from the film. Depp and Bale is a powerhouse combination, but it too lacks the strength delivered by De Niro and Pacino. There isn't a comparison between the two, but while "Public Enemies" does not find Mann regaining his stride; he still tells a good crime story.

I was expecting more from the teaming of writer/director/producer Michael Mann the acting tandem of Johnny Depp and Christian Bale. Unfortunately, Mann tries to walk the line between action and historical drama and "Public Enemies" is a bit uneven through its long running time. It is still a good film, but "Public Enemies" is not an instant classic and likely will never be considered as such. The Blu-ray release is a technically competent film that looks and sounds great. Mann typically creates impressive looking and sounding pictures and his attention to detail does pay off in this film as the Great Depression is brought back to life. The bonus items are good inclusions and the overall package is worth owning.

(Click thru the Link above for the full review)

For DVD Interest, click here...
—> DVD Review by Dean Winkelspecht »
EXCERPT: Walking the line between fact and fiction keeps "Public Enemies" from joining "Heat" as a modern classic by director Mann. The film is entertaining and involving, but it slows down substantially a few times to include historical information on the characters and takes away from Mann's ability to deliver a great gunfight. The gunfights themselves are good and the bank robbery scenes are impressive, but the uneven pacing of the film doesn't allow "Public Enemies" to maintain its stride. With Mann trying to both entertain and inform, "Public Enemies" is a long film that attempts to do a lot, but ultimately misses out on doing anything remarkably well. It's a good film, but in trying to mix fact and fiction, "Public Enemies" lacks what it takes to be great. Johnny Depp is one of the truly great character actors and has so much charisma that he is perhaps too good as Dillinger.

(Click thru the Link above for the full review)

—> Visit the film's Official Site »
(from Universal Studios)

—> View the Theatrical Trialer (w/HD) »
(from Apple.com Trailers website)

"Director Michael Mann mounts a technically proficient, visually enthralling crime drama anchored by the low-key but captivating performance of Johnny Depp." —Claudia Puig (USA Today)

Rated R for gangster violence and some language

Film Synopsis:
America's Most Wanted
A film inspired by one of the country's
most captivating and infamous outlaws —
John Dillinger — and the FBI agent who pursued him. It's an escalating game of cat and mouse that culminates in an explosive, legendary showdown.

From award-winning director Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral) comes the film inspired by one of the country's most captivating and infamous outlaws — John Dillinger. Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean series) stars as the charismatic and elusive bank robber marked by the FBI as America's first "Public Enemy Number One." Academy Award® winner Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) plays Billie Frechette, the only woman capable of capturing his heart. Hunted relentlessly by top FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight), Dillinger engages in an escalating game of outrunning and outgunning the FBI, culminating in an explosive, legendary showdown. "It's a landmark crime saga" (Peter Travers, Rolling Stone).

Johnny Depp and Christian Bale emerge from two of the biggest blockbuster series of all time (Pirates of the Caribbean and Batman, respectively) to star in this crime drama from HEAT director Michael Mann. Depp stars as charismatic 1930s gangster John Dillinger, whose notorious bank robberies have turned him into a celebrity during the Depression era. The rise in crime has J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup) desperate to have his newly created FBI take down gangsters such as Dillinger, "Pretty Boy" Floyd (Channing Tatum), and "Baby Face" Nelson (Stephen Graham). Enter Agent Melvin Purvis (Bale), an ambitious crimefighter sent to Chicago to capture Dillinger and his gang. The criminal has evaded the law before, but he is drawn to the Second City by the beautiful Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard).

Though PUBLIC ENEMIES boasts big names, it feels more like an arthouse offering than a typical gangster picture. With its intimately shot violence and 1930s setting, the film is more BONNIE AND CLYDE than GOODFELLAS. Mann and director of photography Dante Spinotti alternate between hand-held, high-quality digital cameras and more traditional film stock, giving this crime drama a carefully composed, thoroughly modern look. But the casting of the leads is vintage Hollywood: Depp could be the modern incarnation of silent star Rudolph Valentino, and Cotillard's wide-eyed beauty—and talent—would fit right in with the starlets of the golden age. Everyone else, including Bale, fades into the background, but it's hard to complain when Depp and Cotillard give such magnetic performances.

No one could stop John Dillinger and his gang. No jail could hold him. His charm and audacious jailbreaks endeared him to almost everyone — from his girlfriend Billie Frechette to a public who had no sympathy for the banks that had plunged the country into the Great Depression. But while the adventures of Dillinger' gang — later including Baby Face Nelson and Alvin Karpis — thrilled many, J. Edgar Hoover made Dillinger the first Public Enemy Number One and sent in Melvin Purvis, the dashing "Clark Gable of the FBI."

However, Dillinger and his gang outwitted and outgunned Purvis' men in wild chases and shootouts. Only after importing a crew of Western ex-lawmen (newly baptized as agents) and orchestrating epic betrayals — from the infamous "Lady in Red" to the Chicago crime boss Frank Nitti — were Purvis, the FBI and their new crew of gunfighters able to close in on Dillinger.

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