* Unrated directors cut *

Better than the theatrical release I saw at the cinema and disliked immensely.

I recall disliking it because it had none of the immense charm and style of the original show. The directors cut fixes some of the style issues but there's no saving the charm.

This isn't without its positives. It has a lot of the Mann style and that's fantastic. It's a no nonsense approach to direction and it has a crazy amount of location shooting that mean it must have been an absolutely huge budget.

But there are significant problems.

The casting isn't great. A lot of dodgy acting and overly-earnest characters don't give the film much heart. The best character was the Lieutenant and he wasn't a barrel of laughs. I think Farrell was miscast and the mullet was a distractingly poor decision.

Moreover we have the Collateral issue again - digital cameras with no filter that make everything look like a home video. It comes and goes depending on shots and it really pulls you in and out. My only saving grace is that this tech wasn't viable when Mann made Heat so I am incredibly grateful he never ruined one of the finest films ever made!

In conclusion, the unrated cut is better. It lifts a poor movie into a decent watch but nothing to rave about.


7/10