Review of Miami Vice (2006) by Nora P — 05 Dec 2010

Easily, the most underrated movie of 2006. A lot of people hated this movie, claiming that they couldn't follow the plot or that it was boring, when really, they're in denial over the fact that they have ADD.

Instead of becoming another "Lethal Weapon" or a "Bad Boys", Michael Mann stuck to his guns and delivered a dark, gritty, and smart crime drama, as only he can do it. As much as I love the 80's TV series, Mann was right not to turn it into a rehash of it, with the pastel suits, the Jan Hammer music, and flammingos. This is not your father's Miami Vice, for this version runs along the lines of Mann's "Heat" and "Collateral". But if you're really a fan of the show, you'd realize that Mann indeed paid homage to the series he didn't create, but nurchered as executive producer. The theme of Crockett letting a woman get the better of him and Tubbs acting as his conscience; the fact that the movie itself is a big-screen remake of the Season One episode, "Smuggler's Blues" (Trudy's trailer park rescue should have been an easy giveaway); and of course, a shootout that happens at the end of almost every episode.

Add that, along with fantastic cinematography and fine performances from the cast...I'm not saying it's a perfect film, but there's NO possible way anyone could hate it, unless they WEREN'T-PAYING-ATTENTION!!! That's what I don't understand about the American film audience: they complain about the lack of good movies, but when a good movie like "Vice" comes along, it gets ignored, while a terrible one is embraced. "Vice" was better than at least 80% of everything released commericially, last year and most people STILL hated it. Not a good look, people!