Rating of
3/4
Intense
Franz Patrick - wrote on 10/09/08
It’s so exciting to watch Al Pacino and Robert De Niro being in the same movie let alone the same scenes. Even though this film is almost three hours long, there are more moments of brilliance that made me not want to blink in fear of missing a crucial piece of information. There are three stand out scenes in this picture: Pacino and De Niro’s diner scene, the bank robbery showdown, and the silent but epic final duel between the two leads. Those scenes made my heart beat so fast, I thought I was watching “The Departed” for the first time. I also admired the cinematography: the use of color and images to convey or highlight the unsaid is spot-on. The use of the film’s score is never distracting because it is used at the right time. Michael Mann’s direction is impressive in every level because he keeps us guessing by telling a familiar story in a different approach. The supporting actors such as Val Kilmer, Jon Voight and Amy Brenneman are very strong and crucial to the bigger picture. But the downside that I can’t ignore is the fact that there were more than ten scenes that I thought could’ve been edited out. This could’ve been a two-hour film and still be a great movie. If it didn’t take too much of its time setting things up, I think this movie could’ve been leaner, meaner, and more exciting. Still, it is a very good movie and definitely one of the best directed crime-thrillers I’ve seen.
