Today’s quick review: Dick Tracy. Ace detective Dick Tracy (Warren Beatty) is hot on the trail of Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino), the one mobster he can’t seem to catch. As Caprice tightens his grip on the city’s criminal underworld, Tracy tries to convince Breathless Mahoney (Madonna), a lounge singer at Caprice’s club, to testify against him. But the investigation soon begins to jeopardize his relationship with Tess Trueheart (Glenne Headly).
Dick Tracy is a stylized crime adventure movie based on the classic comic strip. Dick Tracy combines a unique visual style with a classic adventure story, aiming to recapture the appeal of early- to mid-20th-century pulp stories. The film is partially successful in this, but its simplistic story and extreme stylization give it a very unusual flavor. The result is something of a niche film that will on appeal to part of its intended audience.
Dick Tracy’s most distinctive feature is its visual style. The film goes to great lengths to recreate the look and feel of the comic strip. The criminals are deformed caricatures, colorful costumes and lighting make the visuals pop, and lavish models capture the size and grandeur of the city. These visuals are backed by a fun but predictable story, kid-friendly thrills, and a clear love for the source material.
However, the film’s style is a double-edged sword. The grotesque villains and heavy accents are a constant source of distraction. The sets and colors work extremely well in some scenes but only look artificial in others. The story and characters will only appeal to fans of the pulp era of crime-fighting; those expecting anything resembling a realistic story will be disappointed. Finally, the action is energetic but not especially impressive.
Give Dick Tracy a shot if you’re a fan of classic, comic strip-style adventure. Its extreme stylization means that even fans of the genre might not like it, but the film has enough heart and all-around quality to be worth checking out. Skip it if you’re looking for something nuanced or subversive. For other films that play around in the same space, try Tim Burton’s Batman, The Spirit, or Sky Captain and the World of Tomorrow.
6.1 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 for a light, wholesome adventure with unique visuals and a hit-or-miss style.