The Dean of Cinema

No Law. No Rules. No Order. A case involving drug lords and murder in South Florida takes a personal turn for undercover detectives Sonny Crockett and Ricardo Tubbs. Unorthodox Crockett gets involved romantically with the Chinese-Cuban wife of a trafficker of arms and drugs, while Tubbs deals with an assault on those he loves.

With the news that Joseph Kosinski is moving forward with his film Miami Vice ’85 starring Michael B. Jordan and Austin Butler, I was inspired to rewatch the 2006 film for the first time in a while. I’ve always enjoyed the film but somehow a rewatch never happened until today.

Michael Mann wrote and directed this gritty update to the slick 80s series that he produced starring Colin Farrell and Jamie Foxx in the Don Johnson and Phillip Michael Thomas roles of Crockett and Tubbs. While the film still features Ferraris, fast boats and the glamorous Miami nightlife, it brings the series into the early 2000s by trading out the pastel suits for clothing that blends in more, and giving the film a much more “run and gun” style cinematography that was so popular in that era. (Thanks Jason Bourne!) A little less colorful than its 80s counterpart, Miami Vice still features the gorgeous tropical views of south Florida. The scenes at night are low lit and boosted by allowing more light into the sensor which adds a layer of grain to the scenes to give it a rougher look to match the vibe of the underworld Crockett and Tubbs find themselves moving through. Mann and cinematographer Dion Beebe’s use of the entire frame brings out the best views in their tropical locations. Beebe cut his teeth working with Mann on his highly successful film Collateral, also starring Jamie Foxx alongside an unhinged Tom Cruise. Beebe brings that same unpolished look to the world of organized crime in Miami Vice. They bring you right up close to the action with drops of blood remaining on the lens throughout the shot to immerse you in everything going on and make you feel like you’re witnessing things first-hand.

Miami Vice is anchored by strong performances from Farrell and Foxx. The perfect casting for this version of Crockett and Tubbs. They work well off each other and have impeccable chemistry. The entire film hinges on the believability of their friendship and partnership and they nail it. Gong Li plays Isabella, the brains behind the finance side of Arcángel de Jesús Montoya’s international drug and arms trafficking operation. She begins a dangerous liaison with Crockett that threatens the entire operation and their safety. Li is wonderful in the role and a delight to watch in her scenes with Farrell. John Ortiz is delightfully evil as José Yero. He’s a slimy character that you can’t wait to see get his comeuppance. Naomie Harris gives a wonderful performances as Detective Trudy Joplin and her chemistry with Jamie Foxx is off the charts. Elizabeth Rodriguez, Justin Theroux and Domenick Lombardozzi round out the Vice crew. Their camaraderie and rapport makes it feel like the crew has been at this a while together. They know how each other moves and thinks. Luis Tosar is menacing as Montoya who was clearly being set up to be seen again.

Miami Vice is a well-crafted ride with plenty moments of suspense, action, romance and everything you would expect from Mann. The climactic shootout at the end doesn’t reach quite the same heights and intensity as Mann’s work in Heat, but damn the gun sound effects are just as superb. No one films shootouts like Michael Mann. It’s chaotic, messy and anything can happen at any time. It’s a fast paced, fun, and exhilarating ride from start to finish. I wish we got more adventures with Crockett and Tubbs and a definitive ending to Montoya. But it’s still a fun watch every time.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2