This is what happens when great directors fall prey to Hollywood. Why did Herzog even make this? Abel Ferrara's 1992 version of Bad Lieutenant was much more engaging, more well-acted, and definitely more brutal. Dealing with superstars like Cage or Kilmer is not Herzog territory (what was Kilmer even doing here?). Herzog has tried to make this boring cop movie interesting by inserting delusional images of crocodiles and iguanas (going along with his obsession with nature), but the story of a dirty cop with a conscience is not the place to play such art-house games. A useless effort gone awry.
(PS: It's official: any movie with Eva Mendes is bad.)
Mo says:
LOL at Eva Mendes comment.
ReplyDeleteI'm usually skeptic of any Nick Cage movie too.
You're not the first person I've heard who tries to avoid Cage; but I don't have much of a problem with him. The way I look at it, as Pacino is excellent only to play gangster roles (I know, "Scent of a Woman" is an exception), Cage is great only to play depressed low-lifes. He's pretty good at that.
ReplyDelete...and Nicolas Cage can ruin even the best of films, why does anyone like him?
ReplyDeleteStill, he's great as Mr. Pathetic. Remember: "Leaving Las Vegas", "Moonstruck", "Lord of War", "Red Rock West", "8 mm", "The Weather Man", "Knowing", ... the list goes on. Who could have pulled off so much grief with such expertise?
ReplyDelete