Rating of
3/4
Overrated, Overhyped; Good but Not Great
Franz Patrick - wrote on 06/14/08
It's a pretty strong movie but it's not as strong as most people claim. I thought it was a bit too long due to approximately ten scenes that show Frank Lucas as an influential and powerful businessman. Two or three would have been enough. Greatness comes when Russell Crowe (Detective Richie Roberts) and Denzel Washington's (Frank Lucas) characters get closer and closer. One can just feel the tension of the situation and the grittiness of the film becomes alive every time a clue is presented to Russell that will eventually lead to Washington. That said, at times I felt that film is trying too hard to be epic--somewhere along the lines of "The Godfather"--or badass, to the point where it kind of glamourized the drug world. This is definitely one of the most overhyped films of 2007 because although it delivered, half of it was hit and miss. I think the main problem lies in its running time. If it was shorter, it would have been more focused and more engaging. I say get rid of the first hour and focus on how Detective Richie Roberts got his hands on Frank Lucas. It's good but it could have been a lot better.
