quote:

Originally posted by Lord Vaalic:
McCaully had no good in him. He was a cold hearted bastard, who stole and killed without hesitation or remorse. He had no higher moral purpose for any of it.

He was damn good at what he did, and was a great villain, but there wasnt anything good or redeeming about his charactor. He destroyed everyone around him and didnt give a damn

Yup, he was a straight-up criminal, a killer; he knew the game and how it needed to be played. He can be admired for being meticulous, calculating and not reckless but, he struggled with emotion and connection. His interest in Eady cracked his armor but, he didn't know how to handle such strange feelings. Everyone in his crew were career criminals, all having served time thus, they were experienced with the system they were up against.
Guys like Cheritto was arguably the most colorful but, he knew his place in the group and also had a family which he provided for. Shirherlis had a gambling problem and a rocky relationship with his wife who also had a criminal. Trejo we don't get much background other than he's the team's driver and also has a significant other.

You see McCauley's true colors when he looks at Eady and chooses to walk away. Any doubt over whether he has changed or is anything but calculated are eliminated when he does exactly what he says earlier in the film. After that point, I think the audience is supposed to want him to fail. I don't think it's as obvious before then.

I never knew this was based on a real story...

I guess this was common knowledge, but I never knew it.

I will never forget this and many of you will remember.

This was pre internet revolution this film. Net was there but you know what I mean. So trailers, were on the TV. No flat screen either. CRT. So they start running the trailer and I'm like Bobby D and Al in the same film? Cops vs. bad guys. Trailers hyped up the duel between them. Man I was so stoked.

So I'm harping on it and my best friend at the time is down to go. We go opening night because I do not want to wait. Mid film, when Hanna is at that port and says "Do you want to know what the guys are looking at? Us, the LAPD" then they show McCauley taking pics with a long lense. Music gets tense, and you can tell, not only is the film moving to the next act, you felt this shit is on. I was in amazement and my interest doubled. That kind of film mid film, like seeing the Matrix the first time, you're even more excited. I knew right then it was one of the best films I had ever seen.

We finish the film, credits roll, it's time to go. We get up to leave I'm all in a holy shit frame of mind. Did you see that? Fuck! My friend says, and I'll never, ever, forget it. "It was sooooo long". He had nothing positive to say, only that it was entirely too long. Never went to the "picture show" as my Grandad used to call it when taking me as a kid, ever again with him.

Acting, directing, casting, cinematography, literally every single part of a film was mastered. After that I expected much more out of Mann but it never materialized. I did think Miami Vice was severely underrated and Mann did a masterful job with it. It was very Heat-ish with the night scenes, the gun firing sequences, etc. It was not Heat but it was pretty damn good, and 100X better than I thought it would be.

Then there are films such as Den of Thieves, that came out 23 years after Heat, trying to recreate it in a new format. I enjoyed it because Den of Thieves borrowed or was heavily inspired by Heat.

One touch of realism I've wondered about is when the cop gets hit center mass with a 5.56 and his eyes go blood shot instantly as he falls.

Always thought that was spooky real, but does it happen like that?

quote:

Originally posted by Prefontaine:
Acting, directing, casting, cinematography, literally every single part of a film was mastered. After that I expected much more out of Mann but it never materialized. I did think Miami Vice was severely underrated and Mann did a masterful job with it.

You didn't like Collateral?

Mann had a run of films where music/sound, camera work, lighting and non-dialogue sequences were all very similar; a rather signature look: Heat, The Insider, Collateral and Miami Vice.

Despite all the Mann hallmarks, Vice was saddled with a poor script and a questionable cast, arguably Mann's most disappointing work.