I will post my review tonight... Going to the 9:40 show
UPDATE:
Tonight I drove on into Bethesda, MD to catch Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, the new Werner Herzog helmed, Nic Cage starring vehicle semi-based on the Abel Ferrara flick of the same name from 1992 starring Harvey Keitel. Although billed as a remake, Werner and the cast have commented to the contrary and it was upon the insistence of the studio and Edward R. Pressman (Producer) the film carry the Bad Lieutenant title, the script was simply called Port of Call: New Orleans.
Basically we follow a corrupt, gambling and drug addicted junkie of a cop who is on the path of self destruction while trying to solve a drug related murder of an illegal immigrant family from Africa, whom just happen to be dealing heroin in a neighborhood controlled by a bigger drug delaer played by XIZIBIT.
This version of BLT is no where near as compelling as the Abel Ferrara version, nor is it as dark or deranged as Abel's version either, however, it is a somewhat enjoyable flick, and I say somewhat because when you watch a Werner Herzog narrative style film it ususally takes more than one viewing to really understand what the man is up to with these types of projects.
The film is cross between Abel's version, but much lighter, and also Fear and Loathing in Las vegas and of course Werner interjects his signature fish eye handheld documentary trademark camera work from time to time just to let you know he is the man in charge here. The reason I mention F&L is because during Nic's more drugged out moments he begins hallucinating about Iguana's that no one else can see, and it reminded me a lot about the Bat scene from F&L.
Nic Cage turns in a pretty great performance here, which heavily reminded me of Leaving Las Vegas, infact right down to the fact he has a hooker for a girlfriend, played by the always sexy Eva Mendes, my only issue with Eva is that she has the emotional range of a boulder, but Nic, man, he just beams across the screen and it is the Nic Cage I have missed since Leaving Las Vegas. His character, while flawed wasn't always fucked up, but a medical issue regarding his back and the constant dosage of pain killers leads him on a wild addiction that is probably one of the weirdest trips I have taken in my life.
Nic's characters background isn't completely flushed other than we know he has an alcoholic father, and step mother, and of course his hooker girfriend. then there is a his bookie played by horror veteran Brad Dourif, and his equally sleazy partner, val Kilmer who is greatly under used which is a fucking shame, but we do get the depths of Nic's depravity, and at what lengths he will go to in order to get his fix, including accosting couples leaving a club, taking their drugs and raping the guys girlfriend while making him watch, and getting sheer enjoyment out of it... Like I said this is the Nic Cage we have been needing to see for 14 years.
The screenplay is nothing super special, and a majority of the supporting cast is a fucking joke, but you forget all of that and you just take the ride, and it is a decent ride, but nowhere near the great ride the original BLT (1992) was and the fun we had with Harvey in the original.
Its hard not to compare this film to the 1992 original simply because of the title and premise, but it simply cannot deliver on that level, but it does deliver in its own dark comedic way, and it is a dark comedy every step of the way. My single biggest issue though is I think it needed a director better than Werner. I mean I love his documentaries, but his narrative work is still kind of iffy, but he has a way of making you enjoy what you're watching even if you really don't completely understand what you are watching.
All in all it is worth a viewing, and I think most would agree this is Nic's best work since LLV, and I repeatedly bring up this performance because I felt it was just an awesome thing to watch, and something I won't ever forget, even if the rest of the movie leaves you scratching your head wondering WTF did I just watch.
The film sort of comes off like a TV cop drama, but the backdrop of Katrina ravaged New Orleans helps pave the way for a darker mood set within the film, but again it just shouldn't really be called Bad Lieutenant, drop that from the title and you still have a good Nic Cage film that should entertain most who get into these types of sleazy cop dramas.
My final score... 7 out of 10
Sorry if the writing is all over the place, but I am still pissed off because some jackass hit my car (Not the stang, my other car) because he wasn't paying attention while backing out of his parking space and I have that on my mind which is slightly distracting me a bit... however, in the end... Check out the film it is at least worth a watch.
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