Starring:
Colin Farrell, Jamie Foxx, Gong Li, Naomie Harris, Ciarán Hinds, Justin Theroux, Elizabeth Rodriguez, Domenick Lombardozzi and Barry Shabaka Henley

Writer/Director:
Michael Mann

Running Time:
134 mins

Out to buy on DVD 27/11/06 (Region 2) 05/12/06 (Region 1)

• Colin Farrell finally lives up to his potential
• Brilliantly photographed
• Realistic portrayal of the criminal world
• Intelligent storyline
• Miami Vice as Michael Mann wanted it to be

• No Jan Hammer Theme tune
• Could be a little too intense for some

"Let's take it to the limit, one last time"

When the family of one of their informants is killed, Miami-Dade vice detectives Sonny Crockett (Farrell) and Ricardo Tubbs (Foxx) and their team are drawn into a Federal investigation. Because FBI Agent Fujima (Hinds) case has fallen apart and all of their connections lost, Crockett and Tubbs are given the task of infiltrating the South American drug cartel to discover who leaked that the information about the FBI case. As they get deeper into the criminal organisation and Crocket gets closer to Isabella, the headman's (Tosar) second in command, they realise that the organisation is bigger than the FBI ever imagined.

Adaptations of old television shows have become the stable of Hollywood creativity over the last few years but this new version of an old classic is different, this is 'Miami Vice'.

When it was announced that acclaimed director Michael Mann was going to revisit the series he executive produced in the 1980s, fans of the hard hitting cop show rejoiced. This was one of the few TV shows of the era that could be adapted for a modern audience without making it into a parody of the original hit series. Since the series ended in 1989, Michael Mann has become one of the most respected and critically acclaimed directors working in cinema today. With commercial and critical hits like 'Manhunter', 'Collateral', 'The Insider', 'Ali' and 'The Last of the Mohicans', Mann took everything he learned from his time on Miami Vice to produce one of the best crime thrillers of the 90s, 'Heat'.

Now he has come full circle and returned to the series that made his name, taking everything that he has learned over the years and applying it to the new version of 'Miami Vice'. Gone are the neon lights, the pastel coloured suits and the alligator as a pet to be replaced by gritty realism. Still keeping the extravagance needed to keep up the drug dealing cover, Michael Mann takes the essence of what made the show so successful and brings it up to date for the new millennium audience.

Don't expect huge visual effects sequences bombarding you throughout its running time. This is a film that slowly builds towards a gripping and explosive conclusion, concentrating on character and plot throughout. The violence only serves to advance the plot, a necessity to solve a problem or to save a life. It is never glorified or showcased as Michael Mann and his creative take you into the thick of the action. Don't expect any slow motion or computer controlled panning shots around our heroes but instead he utilises the camera as a witness to the events, taking us into the case with Crockett and Tubbs allowing us to stand at their sides throughout. This increases the realism of the movie tenfold and means that the film pulls no punches at all.

Following in the footsteps of an already established, successful franchise with actors that are firm favourites in the roles was always going to be difficult but Michael Mann has chosen two real stars to replace Don Johnson and Philip Michael Thomas as Crockett and Tubbs. Stepping into the role of James 'Sonny' Crockett is Colin Farrell who finally gets the chance to life up to this next big thing billing. After his breakout role in 2000 in 'Tigerland', the Irish actor has worked with some great directors such as Steven Spielberg (Minority Report), Terrance Malick (The New World) and Oliver Stone (Alexander) both none of these films or performances have gave him the chance to recapture the same energy that got him noticed in the first place but Michael Mann finally gives him the chance to show what he can do. Confident, slightly cocky, aggressive but fiercely loyal, Sonny Crockett is a more gritty version of the man made famous by Don Johnston but this adaptation is riddled with realism. The same can be said of Jamie Foxx's performance as Ricardo Tubbs. The Oscar winning actor is no stranger to working with Michael Man having appeared in 'Collateral' and 'Ali' and the actor brings everything he has to role, proving again that he is one of the best actors of his generation.

As well as the two leading men, you have good supporting performances from an impressive ensemble. Asian superstar Gong Li continues to make inroads into Hollywood with another fine performance as Crockett's love interest Isabella. John Ortiz and Luis Tosar play despicable villains that are very easy to hate. British actress Naomie Harris also continues to make a splash in Hollywood with another fine performance. There are also noticeable smaller roles filled by Ciarán Hinds as FBI Agent Fujima, Barry Shabaka Henley as Lt. Martin Castillo and Justin Theroux, Elizabeth Rodriguez and Domenick Lombardozzi as Crockett and Tubbs' team.

'Miami Vice' is an example of how a television series should be adapted to the silver screen. Michael Mann has taken the essence show he oversaw in the 80s and made it relevant to a modern audience in the new millennium. This is gritty, no holds barred realism that many other action dramas struggle to recreate. Fans of the show could be slightly disappointed by this change of approach but this is a film that doesn't really pander to the 80s series but make it as if it was how he'd approach the project now, if it were new. Hopefully this won't be the last time we see Crockett and Tubbs.