Critic Reviews
Public Enemies (2009) Rank 4 Reviews
Expert Review Summary
based on (197) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
Poor
0
(0)
Reviews by Score:
Star Tribune
In "Public Enemies," two threats to law and order loom over Depression-era America. One is John Dillinger, a gallant bank robber, and his gang. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Star Tribune
FHM [UK] (Paul Salfen)
An on-the-spot, VIP ushering into the gangster movie hall of fame. It’s a real movie, one which you’ll be proud to say you paid to see. Eat that, Optimus. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at FHM [UK] (Paul Salfen)
Movie Retriever
Public Enemies is a natural culmination of the great career of Michael Mann. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Movie Retriever
Film Threat
This is the purest of American narratives, and this, indeed, is one of our finest storytellers. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Film Threat
Channel 4 Film (Richard Luck)
Mann's best film since Heat is arguably the best movie anyone's made since Heat. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Channel 4 Film (Richard Luck)
EmanuelLevy.com
As such, "Public Enemies" emerges as a top contender for the Best Picture Oscar, particularly now that the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has decided to enlarge the number of nominees from five to ten films. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at EmanuelLevy.com
Reeling Reviews
In addition to Spinotti's work, which was Oscar caliber for Mann's "The Insider," production design and art direction, Jeffrey Fordand Paul Rubell's editing, costuming, hair and makeup and Elliot Goldenthal's original music all cohere to make "Public Enem ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Reeling Reviews
The Scorecard Review (Jeff Bayer)
Public Enemies isn't my No. 1 of the year, but it's close. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at The Scorecard Review (Jeff Bayer)
IGN Movies UK
is the infamous, Robin Hood-like gangster John Dillinger, who terrorised Depression-era America with a spate of high profile bank robberies. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at IGN Movies UK
Bryant Frazer's Deep Focus (Bryant Frazer)
Herald Sun (Australia) (Leigh Paatsch)
Over 140 minutes that genuinely fly by, Mann crafts a highly atmospheric and emotion-charged movie experience that is sure to be remembered as a touchstone release of 2009. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Herald Sun (Australia) (Leigh Paatsch)
Capital Times (Madison, WI) (Rob Thomas)
Public Enemies has a wealth of depth and texture, packing in a lot of key moments in Dillinger's career but never seeming rushed or ungainly. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Capital Times (Madison, WI) (Rob Thomas)
Movieweb
I love the fact that Public Enemies is not salacious. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Movieweb
Christianitytoday.com
Depp, so good at being the chameleon, is also great at playing it straight. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Christianitytoday.com
Salt Lake Tribune (Sean Means)
Deseret News
The engrossing film is a cut above those other films, and it certainly holds its own with better, recent summer releases such as "Star Trek" and "Up. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Deseret News
Chicago Sun-Times (Roger Ebert)
Rolling Stone
It's movie dynamite! ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Rolling Stone
Go Memphis (John Beifuss)
"Public Enemies" is both mesmerizing and disappointing. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Go Memphis (John Beifuss)
Miami Herald
The movie, along with Depp's tricky, elusive performance, leaves you feeling as if you had met him in the flesh. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Miami Herald
Shadows on the Wall
And the film gurgles with several resonant themes, from the evolution of crime (bank-robbers to inter-state mobs) to the way cops spend more chasing robbers than the robbers actually steal. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Shadows on the Wall
Aisle Seat
Public Enemies depicts many of the seminal moments in Dillinger's history - his robberies, his tenuous connections to Frank Nitti and other organized crime syndicates, his eventual downfall - and it does these things well. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Aisle Seat
About.com
Dillinger and his cohorts knew they weren't long for this world, living a lifestyle that all but guaranteed a short lifespan. But it was ultimately Dillinger's love of Hollywood and the movies that did him in. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at About.com
Austin Chronicle (--)
You can't tear your eyes off her, any more than you can Mann's flawed but still engrossing picture. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Austin Chronicle (--)
The Baltimore Sun
Public Enemies provides a welcome shock to the system. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at The Baltimore Sun
Chicago Sun-Times
This is a very good film, with Depp and Bale performances of brutal clarity. I'm trying to understand why it is not quite a great film. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Chicago Sun-Times
Denver Post
"Public Enemies" is as elegant and muscular a film as one could hope for in a summer of flash and noise. ...read the complete Public Enemies movie review at Denver Post
User Reviews
User Review Summary
based on (2) reviews
Click on the numbers to the right of the graph to see reviews of that rating
Excellent
4
(0)
Very Good
3
(0)
Fair
1
(0)
by gd2525 on July 17, 2009
The film is decent for what is advertised, Johnny Depp as a criminal and Christian Bale hunting him down. However, the overall film is hurt by director Michael Mann's constant use of a shakey camera making some scenes really incoherent. The acting ...
User Comments
del.icio.us
Digg
StumbleUpon
Yahoo! My Web
Facebook
Google Bookmarks
ma.gnolia
Newsvine
reddit
Windows Live
