Miami Vice: Could it have been better or was it fine?

[Sebastos]

I don't know, I watched it for the first time a few nights ago, and totally didn't expect it to be the way it was. Where was the action? It seems all it was about was Crockett and Tubbs having love interests and to much talking. It was just a typical Michael Mann film to me, imo. A crime thriller for adults. I'm not saying it was bad, it was ok in some parts, but some moments I felt like the movie was just dragging.

It was ok, but could have been a lot more enjoyable.

What did you guys think about it?

 

[SolidSnakeMGS]

Loved the look and feel of the film, as Mann is a master of atmosphere. Some of the shots were amazing, as were the locations.

Thought the story wasn't bad, but the dialogue and story elements were weak and lacking. I thought oft-despised Farrell captured Sonny's dark edge well but Foxx sleepwalked through the role, as if he doesn't even have to try anymore.

I watch the film from time to time, but mostly to look at the film itself, the cinematography and beauty of the locations.

If there is a next one, we need to see a stronger, larger scale story and better interaction between Crockett and Tubbs.

Not to criticize your poll, but you needed an extra choice or two. I would have said I enjoyed it somewhat but saw room for improvement.

 

[ShaneHelms]

Could have been better.

 

[KenK]

The pacing and the runtime were big factors against it. And as much as I like Gong Li, I couldn't understand half her dialog, and the interaction between her character and Sonny suffers for it.

What I loved about it, though, was the subtlety and capturing the essence of the original show. The musical cues here and there that were reminiscent of the original theme song, the overall grittiness of it, and the interactions with the rest of the cops. I liked that Jamie as Tubbs was a little more deadpan and downplayed, as opposed to Phillip Michael Thomas' portrayl. Not to mention you could never know when he was actually saying "Crockett" or "Crackah"!

I definitely liked the approach of shooting with the digital cameras and handhelds.

 

[Triadkd]

I saw the original cut of this film and it was much better than the thearatical, and directors cut. Im still not sure how I feel about the released version. It has all the hallmarks of mann's previous films, but not enough of vice's. I wouldnt have minded if mann had taken the more common action movie route. I think mann should have stayed in miami, and not have had C&T flying all over the world. These guys seemed more like CIA than Miami PD. I also would given the vice squad a bit more to do.

 

[Movies205]

Loved the look and feel of the film, as Mann is a master of atmosphere. Some of the shots were amazing, as were the locations.

Thought the story wasn't bad, but the dialogue and story elements were weak and lacking. I thought oft-despised Farrell captured Sonny's dark edge well but Foxx sleepwalked through the role, as if he doesn't even have to try anymore.

I watch the film from time to time, but mostly to look at the film itself, the cinematography and beauty of the locations.

If there is a next one, we need to see a stronger, larger scale story and better interaction between Crockett and Tubbs.

Not to criticize your poll, but you needed an extra choice or two. I would have said I enjoyed it somewhat but saw room for improvement.

This sums up my feelings except for one crutial point that being the story. It wasn't so much that the story was lacking, it simply put there was no real story, and it seems intentionally so. The film in many ways reminded me of hte French Connection, in that it's more about the nuts and bolts of being a cop than about actual characters, and for that reason I love the film since it just oozes with cool, however there's no real conflict so it becomes monotonous.

I posted this back when it came out, and I think it needs mentioning again:

The female antagonist(Gong Li) was quite laughable in this film. She begins by saying "I am a buesiness woman" and then she has sex with everyone in the movie, quite funny indeed.

 

[Warhammer]

I agree with SolidSnake (couldn't have said it better, myself) and Movies.
I did buy the Director's Cut, btw.

 

[Lord Blackbolt]

I didn't like the movie much. I'm not a fan of the look of the movie. It worked with Collateral, but not Maimi Vice. I love Mann films....but MV should have been a Micheal Bay movie. The Show was once called the MTV cops......Bay does MTV type of action and editing.

I was a big fan of the old show. It didn't feel like the show.

 

[Joker]

I liked it, but it could have been alot better. The extreme violence worked very well, and the whole look was great, but the thing that was really lacking was characterization...I didnt know or care about these guys even at the end of the movie...

 

[xwolverine2]

i hated it.

 

[KenK]

I didn't like the movie much. I'm not a fan of the look of the movie. It worked with Collateral, but not Maimi Vice. I love Mann films....but MV should have been a Micheal Bay movie. The Show was once called the MTV cops......Bay does MTV type of action and editing.

Bay's already done a Miami Vice movie, it's called Bad Boys.

 

[I SEE SPIDEY]

I disliked the extra shakey camera work and hope that Mann doesn't make all of his films like that. I thought that Ferrell looked and sounded ridiculous, and I don't dislike him like others seem to. Jamie Foxx was just acting like the sassy token black guy, "saying things like lets do it." Whenever movies have black characters acting like sterotype in the trailers I think twice before seeing it in theaters, I'm looking at you Transformers. Anywho I didn't care for the so-called love stories between either of the characters and the story was boring and cliched... but the movie seemed to to think that it wasn't. It seemed like a movie in search of a tone, did it want to be gritty or like the show? Only Mann knows. I say it was so-so movie that should have been lighter and fun and should have had more interaction between the two leads.

I see why it tanked at the boxoffice.

 

[DorkyFresh]

i loved the way Michael Mann made Miami Vice feel...the grittiness and realness of it all, but i thought the movie dragged. the action that was in there was awesome, but i was nearly about to fall asleep until they went to rescue Jamie Foxx's girl. i felt they needed to cut back on the love scenes and inject a lil' more action.

 

[Warhammer]

I didn't like the movie much. I'm not a fan of the look of the movie. It worked with Collateral, but not Maimi Vice. I love Mann films....but MV should have been a Micheal Bay movie. The Show was once called the MTV cops......Bay does MTV type of action and editing.

I was a big fan of the old show. It didn't feel like the show.

Well, to be fair, Mann was executive producer of the original show.
Mann just needs to bring his A-game and know what he is doing for the possible sequel (yes, it may happen).

 

[Movies205]

Well, to be fair, Mann was executive producer of the original show.
Mann just needs to bring his A-game and know what he is doing for the possible sequel (yes, it may happen).

To be honest I feel that this is an unfair characterization of Mann's directorial efforts in the first one. Since it seems intentionally flawed, I like Miami Vice the way it is, it's like I said very French Connection, and it was interesting to see a movie where things go right for the main characters without any cliche plot conventions albeit it leads to a bit monotonous plot, the small details and the charasima of Fox and Farrel keep it moving. However if they go with a MV2, I hope they take the FC2 route and focus on character this time around.

 

[Hush]

I didnt like it cause it seemed like a really high budget porno. Overall I liked the look in some ways but it just doesnt hold a candle to Heat and Collateral.

 

[kamillon66]

It could've been better but Gong li was so hot

 

[Sebastos]

i loved the way Michael Mann made Miami Vice feel...the grittiness and realness of it all, but i thought the movie dragged. the action that was in there was awesome, but i was nearly about to fall asleep until they went to rescue Jamie Foxx's girl. i felt they needed to cut back on the love scenes and inject a lil' more action.

That's exactly what I mean. It's only until they went to rescure Tubbs' girl that I felt it became interesting again. The love scenes really hurt the movie.