Public Enemies

Public Enemies
2009 | Michael Mann

The film focuses on the true story of Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale), bureau of investigation in the attempt to hunt down notorious American criminals; John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham), and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum) during a grand crime wave in 1930 when these criminals can enter and rob any banks as they please.

The script is based on a non-fiction book titled “Public Enemies: America’s Greatest Crime Wave and The Birth of FBI” published in 1933 by Bryan Burrough. Although with A-List Stars collaboration in this film, the director Michael Mann fails to captivate my attention throughout the film. I do not find this “True Story” interesting in anyway. I almost fell asleep while watching 143-minute film that made me feel like four hours long. However the cinematography, the scenes, the cast, and the performance can be considered as an exceptional but it just does not have “he thing” that could bind these together and make it a great film.