Anoche se celebró la premiere, en Los Angeles, de la nueva película de Michael Mann, Miami Vice. Y se da la curiosa circunstancia de que el director, como sabéis, ejerció como productor de aquella famosa serie televisiva ochentera, Corrupción en Miami, que ha servido como base del film y es y será bien recordada por el vestuario kitsch de Don Johnson.

Leo las primeras críticas en Rottentomatoes y me encuentro con lo que, más o menos, podía esperar: un suntuoso y excitante envoltorio formal y un fondo algo rutinario, que parece flojear un tanto en la caracterización de los personajes y no logra sostener del todo una duración tan larga (2 horas y 26 minutos).

Atención a Gong Li (espléndida, dicen) y al papel secundario de Luis Tosar interpretando (de manera excelente, según las primeras críticas) al malvado Luis Montoya. Parece que Mann le ha tomado gusto a lo de contratar actores españoles en roles de villano.

Habida cuenta de los magníficos resultados de sus dos thrillers urbanos previos, Heat y Collateral, espero con ganas su estreno en España (8 de septiembre). Mann es uno de mis autores de referencia cuando decide explorar, con su particular toque de cine negro y la fuerza y elegancia de su cámara, la ferocidad de las junglas de asfalto y de las almas que por allí pululan en conflicto, de hecho.

Evidentemente, hay que verla. ¿Volverá la épica de Heat?

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A triumph of style over substance, “Miami Vice”, Michael Mann’s noir-crime drama based on his popular TV series, is B-level narrative wrapped in a visually sumptuous and exciting A-level package. Indeed, the movie discloses a huge gap between the quality of the text and writing (also by Mann) and the quality of the filmmaking and craftsmanship. A companion piece to Mann’s “Heat” and “Collateral,” though not as impressive or intriguing as either, “Miami Vice” provides Mann the opportunity to further explore the noir domain, of which he has become the most prominent advocate in American cinema. Unfortunately, the big-screen adaptation of the TV series “Miami Vice”, which ran for five years under Mann’s tight supervision, is a high-concept (though not popcorn) movie, marred by routine storyline of drugs and guns, and characterizations that leave a lot to be desired. As such, “Miami Vice” the movie demonstrates the dilemma that Mann, like Scorsese, has been facing: Finding the right material to which he can apply his considerable skills. (…)

Emanuel Levy

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There are many different reasons people fall in love with movies. Sometimes it’s because of a cleverly constructed story that draws you in. Sometimes it’s because you recognize something of yourself in the film, or in a character, and that recognition creates an attachment for you. Sometimes it’s a simple visceral reaction to action scenes or to a well-choreographed set piece or the soundtrack or a particular movie star. With Michael Mann films, I find that what typically nails me to my chair on the first viewing is mood, pure and simple, and MIAMI VICE holds to that pattern perfectly. This is a smart, adult, demanding motion picture that may well be the most artistically successful translation from a TV show to the bigscreen. (…)

Moriarty – Ain’t it Cool News