Miami Vice
Director: Michael Mann
Rated: MA15+
Now screening


After a fellow agent is killed during a drug sting, Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) are called in as replacements. Their job is to infiltrate a Columbian drugs cartel, and to bring down its leader, Montoya (Luis Tosar). Their ice cool demeanours are shaken as their personal lives get in the way of doing their duty. As the drugs shake-down gathers momentum, it's up to the crime busting pair to combine their talents to destroy the stranglehold of corruption, without destroying themselves first.

This is based on the smash hit show from the 1980s that became the definition of pop culture coolness. The latest songs and clothes were all wrapped around stories of drug barons and evildoers, which made stars of the leads. Director Michael Mann cut his teeth during the show's first season, helping shape a new way of TV production. The superficial styles are missing from this film, replaced by an urban grittiness that was only alluded to on TV. Not bound by TV restrictions, Mann has delivered an uncompromising vision of the Miami vice squad, creating a more believable movie.

By filming with digital cameras, Mann has been able to increase the tension and immediacy of the duo's mission. The realism this brings draws the audience deeper into the drugs world and how the stakes become higher for all concerned. The brutality and toughness of the action scenes in the story come to the fore in ways more shocking than anything seen on TV. Farrell and Foxx both create a genuine believability needed for this filmic re-dux. Both actors have clearly thrown themselves into their roles, and their energetic performances are one of the many standouts the film displays.

The criticism directed towards this film has mostly been by people who loved the original show and pillared Mann for ignoring its urban coolness. Mann has delivered a film that stays true to the essence of the show, finally showing the violence and double dealings that takes place. One gets the feeling that 'Miami Vice' 2006 style is the one Mann wished he had made 20 years before. The pulse pounding stunts and armoury are still in evidence, with the cinematography showing off some stunning vistas.

Whilst the film does have some faults - the subplot involving a romance between Sonny and a drug dealer's wife being one - overall the film delivers a very gritty spectacle. Fans who cherish the kitsch factor of the TV show may be disappointed by this straight forward adaptation. For the rest, the pleasure of seeing Mann displaying a bold vision in doing something different will be worth it.

Patrick Moore