Today’s quick review: Miami Vice. When a leak undermines a federal sting, Miami-Dade detectives Sonny Crockett (Colin Farrell) and Rico Tubbs (Jamie Foxx) are called in to salvage the investigation. To find out who is at the head of a massive drug smuggling operation, the two must go undercover as smugglers and win the trust of Jose Yero (John Ortiz), the manager of the operation. But the deeper they go, the greater the risk of getting caught.
Miami Vice is a crime action thriller from director Michael Mann. Miami Vice is a hard-hitting crime movie that shows off both the glamor and the danger of a high-stakes undercover operation. The movie has a serious tone punctuated by climactic reversals as the operation threatens to spiral out of control. Two imposing leads, tense action, and unflinching commitment to its premise make Miami Vice a solid pick for fans of gritty action.
Miami Vice has a very particular vision that meshes well with the conventions of the crime and action genres. Sonny and Rico’s lives are filled with expensive vehicles, gorgeous scenery, and bold gambits. Yet they are generally stoic, unfazed by the luxuries and peril around them. The result is a peculiar hybrid that has the flash and excitement of an action flick and the tone of a gritty cop drama.
Beyond this unusual pairing of content and tone, Miami Vice sticks to the basics. The plot is a straight undercover operation whose main sources of tension are the high stakes involved and the risk of getting discovered. Jose’s alluring associate Isabella (Gong Li) makes the case more complicated for Sonny. The action scenes aren’t the main focus, but they tend to be tense firefights that fit well into the story and provide a suitable payoff.
Miami Vice does have a few faults that keep it from joining the best of the genre. Sonny and Rico are almost too much alike, stern men who share an aggressive approach to justice. They make for effective action heroes, but they are hard to relate to at an individual level and have only cursory personal arcs. The plot also tends to retrace its steps, spending time on points that have been made and repeating plot beats with minor variations.
Watch Miami Vice if you’re an action fan in the mood for something a little more serious. The combination of flashy setup and straight-faced delivery may sit oddly with some fans, especially those used to action films with a little more levity. But a steady stream of thrills makes Miami Vice a decent watch for those interested in what it has to offer. Those looking for something lighter or with more likable characters may want to skip it.
For a more action-focused movie in the same vein, try the Lethal Weapon, Bad Boys, or Fast & Furious series. These movies also feature a lighter, more balanced tone and more memorable characters. For a sprawling crime drama from Michael Mann, try Heat.
6.0 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.5 to 7.0 for good action and tension offset by slight plot issues, a serious tone, and hit-or-miss leads.