City Of Angels [Special Edition]

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When I had first heard that Hollywood would be doing a big-budget remake of the 1988 German masterpiece "Wings Of Desire", I could not stop my whining and vowed that I would not go anywhere near the film. Something as sublime as "Wings" should be left alone (a second-rate sequel, "Faraway! So Close", followed in 1992). However, I have surrendered my stance and decided to give "City Of Angels" a shot. Imagine my surprise when I discovered that the film (for the most part) actually works.

"City" centers around an angel named Seth (Nicholas Cage) who spends his time wandering around Los Angeles listening to the thoughts of humans while also acting as a guide to the dying as they are about to depart this mortal coil. Yet, something is missing in Seth´s existence: he wishes to experience what humans do. When he comes across a surgeon in emotional despair named Maggie (Meg Ryan) and begins to fall in love with her, he finds the perfect excuse to "fall" from above and become human.

What makes "City Of Angels" work is the cast. Cage and Ryan work well together. Their subtle, nuanced performances are given solid support from Andre Braugher (as fellow angel Cassiel) and Dennis Franz (as a human who was once an angel). No one here overdoes their performance and this gives the film a nice sense of ease. John Seale´s gorgeous widescreen photography is also a major asset as is the combination of pop tunes and Gabriel Yared´s haunting score.

If I do have a major gripe, it would be with the last fifteen minutes, which almost sabotages everything the film has offered up to this point. Director Brad Silberling keeps a tight enough reign on his material throughout, showing "Wings Of Desire" a nice level of respect. But, alas, the film succumbs to a forced and somewhat tacky conclusion. This is really a shame, for "City Of Angels" is a lot better than I would ever had expected it to be. Having Ryan and Cage as your leads never hurts either.