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Movies / Upcoming / Public Enemies
Public Enemies

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Public Enemies (2009)

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66 %
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Reviews Counted: 201

Fresh: 132

Rotten:69

Average Rating: 6.3/10

Consensus: Michael Mann's latest is a competent and technically impressive gangster flick with charismatic lead performances, but some may find the film lacks truly compelling drama.

Rated: R [See Full Rating] for gangster violence and some language

Genre: Dramas

Theatrical Release:Jul 1, 2009 Wide

Box Office: $40,141,080

Synopsis: 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's Michael... 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's Michael Mann. Depp stars as legendary gangster John Dillinger, while Bale plays FBI agent Melvin Purvis. [More]

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke

Starring: Johnny Depp, Christian Bale, Marion Cotillard, Jason Clarke, Rory Cochrane, Billy Crudup, Stephen Dorff, Stephen Lang, John Ortiz, Giovanni Ribisi, David Wenham, John Michael Bolger, Bill Camp, Matt Craven, Emilie de Ravin, Don Frye, Spencer Garrett, Shawn Hatosy, Peter Gerety, Stephen Graham

Director: Michael Mann

Director: Michael Mann
Screenwriter: Ronan Bennett, Michael Mann, Ann Biderman
Producer: Kevin Misher, Michael Mann
Composer: Elliot Goldenthal
Studio: Universal Pictures

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Reviews for Public Enemies

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1 - 20 (sorted by date)
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Mann draws a sprawling cast together with a myriad of period details that give an authentic sheen, without letting the audience get confused in the sea of historic information.

Full Review Source: Salt Lake Tribune | comment Comment
07/10/09
Sean Means
Salt Lake Tribune

Sensational and turbulent, the relationship between John Dillinger and Melvin Purvis sold newspapers and attracted newsreel audiences. It was good for business.

Full Review Source: PopMatters | comment Comment
07/10/09
Cynthia Fuchs
PopMatters

In this era where we all hate banks (as Mojo Nixon once sang) does Hollywood really want to put out a film that glorifies bank robbers? Obviously yes.

Full Review Source: Eclipse Magazine | comment 1 Comment
07/10/09
Michelle Alexandria
Eclipse Magazine

Though faithful to Bryan Burrough's painstakingly researched book, Michael Mann's 'Public Enemies' offers more an abstract impression of Dillinger than a fully satisfying portrait.

Full Review Source: San Francisco Examiner | comment Comment
07/09/09
Rossiter Drake
San Francisco Examiner
N/R

Click to read the article

Full Review Source: Observer [UK] | comment Comment
07/09/09
Philip French
Observer [UK]

Some sloppy storytelling prevents Public Enemies from reaching greatness anyway, but what hampers the movie is Mann's decision to shoot in high definition video. The movie just looks cheap.

Full Review Source: Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL) | comment 1 Comment
07/08/09
Jeffrey Westhoff
Northwest Herald (Crystal Lake, IL)

A strangely distant, quasi-demythification of the tale of John Dillinger that keeps threatening to turn into a truly fine movie without ever quite pulling it off.

Full Review Source: Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC) | comment Comment
07/08/09
Ken Hanke
Mountain Xpress (Asheville, NC)

Public Enemies wears it well.

Full Review Source: Clothes on Film | comment Comment
07/08/09
Chris Laverty
Clothes on Film

Johnny Depp does his best but the script gives him no possible way to present a fully fleshed out character

Full Review Source: jackiekcooper.com | comment Comment
07/07/09
Jackie K. Cooper
jackiekcooper.com

Public Enemies traffics in the accumulation of detail at the expense of a big picture.

Full Review Source: MovieMartyr.com | comment Comment
07/06/09
Jeremy Heilman
MovieMartyr.com

A decent look at Dillinger, then, but by no means the masterpiece it could have been.

Full Review Source: IGN Movies AU | comment Comment
07/06/09
James O'Connor
IGN Movies AU

In a film that somewhat disapoints, casting is top rate.

Full Review Source: ReviewExpress.com | comment 1 Comment
07/06/09
Diana Saenger
ReviewExpress.com

I do think this is a film worth seeing, so obviously, I say see it.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment 1 Comment
07/06/09
Ben Mankiewicz
At the Movies

Some strong performances, but I expected more from this great director and stellar cast.

Full Review Source: At the Movies | comment Comment
07/06/09
Ben Lyons
At the Movies

Public Enemies isn't my No. 1 of the year, but it's close. Even more powerful than Depp is the way Mann controls this film's look and feel.

Full Review Source: The Scorecard Review | comment Comment
07/06/09
Jeff Bayer
The Scorecard Review

...Johnny Depp and Christian Bale playing cops and robbers in fedoras and pinstripe suits.

Full Review Source: Sacramento News & Review | comment Comment
07/06/09
Jim Lane
Sacramento News & Review

The great theme of 'Public Enemies' is the inevitability and finality of death.

Full Review Source: Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN) | comment Comment
07/06/09
John Beifuss
Commercial Appeal (Memphis, TN)

It was tough to get caught in those days. These FBI guys couldn't catch an STD from Brett Michaels.

Full Review Source: MovieJuice! | comment 3 Comments
07/05/09
Mark Ramsey
MovieJuice!

The narrative has a few holes, but on the whole this will please fans of the genre and those looking for an accessible document of John Dillinger's life.

Full Review Source: FromTheBalcony | comment 1 Comment
07/05/09
Bill Clark
FromTheBalcony

Describes as well as any other recent film the adage 'Live fast, die young, and leave a handsome body.'

Full Review Source: Compuserve | comment Comment
07/04/09
Harvey S. Karten
Compuserve
 
 
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Latest News for Public Enemies

July 03, 2009: An action-heavy thriller so consistently barebones and lacking in any truly subversive thrust, and with mere peripheral vision of the historical moment, that the guns and clothes have more personality than the people. Opens in new window
More...

July 03, 2009: An action-heavy thriller so consistently barebones and lacking in any truly subversive thrust, and with mere peripheral vision of the historical moment, that the guns and clothes have more personality than the people. Opens in new window
More...

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Hollywood is hoping to score two $40M+ grossers over the Independence Day holiday frame for the first time ever. With Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen still raking in large... More...

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