4.5/5 stars

Michael Mann has been at the forefront of crime cinema since his 1995 masterpiece Heat. He is one of the few filmmakers who manages to make dark, deathly intelligent thrillers with a strong sense of style and spirit.

With Public Enemies, Mann returns to tell the story of the legendary battle between the law and Depression-era gangsters, specifically that of the hunt for the United States’ very first public enemy number one: John Dillinger (Johnny Depp), the notorious bank robber and folk hero.

Hot on Dillinger’s trail is agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale). What follows is a crime history set in the streets and outskirts of 1930s Chicago, tracing the fall of the last great gangsters and the rise of J. Edgar Hoover’s FBI.

Although the film lacks the wicked tension of Mann’s previous efforts, it is still engaging. Prepare for a thorough and engrossing look into both the workings of gangsters and the early operations of the fledgling FBI. Based on his previous work, Mann is no stranger to crime narratives. He is interested in the political, technical, social and even organizational processes that drive both the cops and the robbers. No stone is left unturned, making the end product a rich and layered experience instead of a simple run-and-gun picture.

In addition to its intellectual strengths, Public Enemies also boasts incredible visuals. Mann’s flair for the image on screen is a talent rivaled by few modern directors. He uses colors and movement, part of his ultra-stylized technique, that add to the story’s impact, not just its presentation. Unlike many similar films, Mann’s work is not only visually invigorating, but also emotionally effective. When his new film presents Dillinger’s famous assassination, the scene’s orchestration is both poetic and balletic.

Mann remains true to his gritty style even in the context of the 1930s. Sometimes the camera is too shaky, and at other times it is difficult to tell exactly what is happening. The violence, when present, is intense and overwhelming. Gunfights are chaotic and brutal, as they would seem to be in reality. It is interesting to view this modernist style chronicling what is effectively a period piece, but it works quite well for the most part.

One of the most important aspects of the film is its phenomenal acting. Depp and Bale have an outstanding chemistry that continues even when they aren’t on screen together, and Marion Cotillard displays great skill at portraying Dillinger’s lover.

Enthusiasts will revel at the perfect embodiment of gangsters Baby Face Nelson (Stephen Graham) and Pretty Boy Floyd (Channing Tatum) and FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup), not to mention the strong accompaniment of the musical score or the convincing 1930s production design.

Overall, Public Enemies is an exceptional film. It is both exciting and powerful, and although it is not Michael Mann’s best film, it certainly is one of his finer ones.

Reach reporter Robert Frankel at arts@dailyuw.com.