Dillinger

Engaging, grimy and (oh, yes) violent story of Dillinger played by the would-be-legendary-if-the-world-was-a-fair-place Oates. If you had the misfortune of catching Michael Mann's limp-wristed "Public Enemies", do yourself a favor and watch this infinitely better, flat out more testicled version of the tale to see how it should be done.

Respectable debut from Milius isn't as good as the films it was clearly influenced by, nor is it on the same level as other period crime films from the 70's such as Thieves Like Us, but Oates completely owns the role of Dillinger, and Milius offers plenty of violence and a relatively fast pace stacked to the gills with bloody shoot outs and authentic period detail. On the downside, his avoidance of psychology presents a rather one dimensional, if entertaining, portrait of Dillinger.

This is just what the doctor ordered: it'll take that milque-toast taste of Michael Mann's "Public Enemies" right out of your mouth. Violent and relentless, this film features a magnetic performance by Oates in the title role, supported by many excellent actors, including Richard Dreyfuss as Baby Face Nelson and Cloris Leachman as the Lady in Red.

I awarded every third shootout ten points and came up with this score.

Good, violent little movie. Warren Oates is terrific

Violent is the world of John Milius. In this, his first film, he potrays the bloody life of John Dillinger, the celebrity criminal who lives without a code. He's played by Warren Oates, who almost manages to look handsome in a couple scenes. The film simultaneously mythologizes and deconstructs Dillinger, and seems confused as to where it stands on him.

Milius made an explosive directorial debut with this rip-roaring gangster film featuring Oates in his best starring role. As a jaunty John Dillinger, he has all the charisma of a Cagney or a Bogart.

While Warren Oates is stunning in his physical resemblance to the eponymous anti-hero, which is of course a genetic accident, he also charges the piece with incredible oomph and blistering force. It's a great performance, surrounded by quite a few others. And more than a story about the American gangster, it's a blast of Milius' imaginary outrage toward living during the Depression and rising up against the oppression.

Not a lot of theme or character work to chew on but the action is memorably visceral. It's a film that has a heavy focus on the agony of death, where even a random G-man gets his moment to writhe on the ground and groan as he bleeds out his stomach. It's that kind of attention that gives it the feel of an acid western, where the only existential choice is one of nihilism and murder.

81.000

Not bad.

80.000

CIGARS AND GUNS ARE COOL SONUVABITCH. Milius makes it fast, nasty, violent, and cool. The house raid is fantastic, gunfire being exchanged like mad, like only ballsy macho milius could do.

If only the story telling would be faster to give movie better flow this would be much better movie than Public Enemies.

It's let down slightly by the inherent weakness in films like this (you know how it ends, which drains it of suspense), but this is a really good Dillinger biopic with a compelling performance by Oates (though he's too old looking for the role. Oates is 45 here but could have passed for 60.) It also follows the other members of Dillinger's gang. Great shootout scenes, and pure New Hollywood.