Miami Vice Diced

Ok, I'm here to gripe and whine about another remake. Again, I wanted to get out and see a movie. And again there wasn't much to choose from. I had no desire to see My Super Ex-Girlfriend, Lady in the Water, or John Tucker Must Die.

So, I went to see Miami Vice. I loved the original TV series that this movie was based on. Back then, Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas played Miami vice detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. And those two actors had chemistry. The original Miami Vice wasn't the average run-of-the-cop show. These cops had stylish clothes, beautiful expensive cars, and cigarette boats. (Cigarette boats are shaped like cigarette boxes and go very fast.) The TV show was the essence of cool.

And the odd thing back then and now is that I've never cared about stylish clothing, expensive cars, and fast boats. But somehow, I was entertained and intrigued by the TV show and the world it revealed.

And then we come to this new Miami Vice movie based on the TV series. Like most people, I usually love or hate a movie. It's that simple. But I half loved and half hated this new movie version of Miami Vice.

First of all, I continue to be impressed by Jamie Foxx's acting ability. I loved him in the movie Ray. And in this movie, I liked his take on Detective Ricardo Tubbs. I bought into it. He successfully presented Tubbs in a modern light. And it's too bad Foxx's role was limited to being a sidekick.

On the other hand, Colin Farrell just didn't get the job done as Detective Sonny Crockett. Sonny's character can be described in one word: cool. This character was cool when working undercover, making drug deals, or shooting it out with the bad guys. Farrell just came across as being a pretty boy instead of being a world weary detective. Farrell just wasn't suave enough for the character he tried to portray. It would be like Jerry Seinfeld trying to be Cary Grant. I think it was too much of a stretch for Farrell.

The director of this movie, Michael Mann, has entertained me time after time. So, he knows his stuff. But this movie appears to be a product of his boredom. And I can understand this but his boredom doesn't translate into a great movie. Mann didn't want to do the old Miami Vice again but a more gritty, dark Miami Vice. But that's where he runs into trouble. In this movie, he has produced just another cop movie that isn't anything special. What made the TV series special is that it had special ingredients that, like chili powder, gave the series an extra punch. But these ingredients are taken out in this movie, which leaves a bland mixture that's not all that appealing.

The movie Miami Vice had the familiar plot of good cops vs bad guys and that was ok until the mian characters make a fatal, dumb mistake. And the mistake was too dumb and obvious for it to be believable.

If you are a big fan of Miami Vice, wait until the DVD comes out. With gas prices being high, it's not worth a drive to the movie theater.

This movie is rated R and is very violent.