In honor of Michael Mann’s crime drama Public Enemies being released this week I have compiled a list of my top 10 crime movies of the last decade.
10. Enemy of the State
Though it may be your typical Hollywood action/thriller, Enemy of the State provides a hard look at the dangers that come with surveillance and the need to protect ourselves 24/7. Will Smith (I Am Legend) and Gene Hackman (Behind Enemy Lines) both give top notch performances and Hackman who did a similar movie in the 70’s (The Conversation) does this movie true justice.
9. Lord of War
Lord of War may have left just as quickly as it came at the box office but this war film starring Nicholas Cage (National Treasure) provides a very real look at the world of gun running and how it is an extremely grey area. After I saw this film I had a completely different perspective on war in general. It was amazing to think that my own government works with the same people that fuel wars that we try to prevent.
Check out the rest of the list below
8. Déjà Vu
Yes I know it’s another typical Hollywood money grabber but Tony Scott’s (The Taking of Pelham 123) Déjà Vu much like Enemy of the State provides a really good look at where police work and surveillance is headed and the consequences of it.
7. Inside Man
Spike Lee’s (25th Hour) crime drama is quite possibly his most “Hollywood” film to date but it is also one of his finest. Inside Man proves Spike Lee didn’t need to solely rely on the topic of race relations to get the job done (even though it is in the film). It is a great crime-drama that completely throws you a curve ball at the end of it and leaves you begging for more.
6. Alpha Dog
Alpha Dog if nothing else proved that Justin Timberlake (Edison) can act. But the movie was more than just a way for JT to flex his pecks. It was also a gripping tale of emotion and heartbreak with a gritty and realistic tone. It’s engrossing to watch the character’s lives fall apart because of one missing person.
5. Miami Vice
Of course I can’t have a list honoring Michael Mann’s new movie without mentioning some of his previous work, and even though Collateral came really close I feel this film provides a better look at police procedure. With that said I give you Miami Vice. Now I know this bombed at the box office but after a second viewing I realized how much I misjudged this film. Miami Vice is a genuine and gritty look at the world of undercover work. Miami Vice is also a tail of identity and how everything isn’t how it seems.
4. A Scanner Darkly
After the debacle of the second and third Matrix Films no one thought that Keanu Reaves (Street Kings) would ever go back into scifi but he did it in a very subtle way with A Scanner Darkly. This film co-starring Robert Downey Jr. (Iron Man), Woody Harrelson (Seven Pounds), and Winona Ryder (Star Trek) provides yet another look at the world of surveillance and its dangers as well as identity and the undercover drug trade. What makes this film so different is that is completely does away with the typical cop narrative and throws curve balls left and right until the end when you realize the amazing ride of trust, betrayal, identity, and friendship.
3. Breach
One of my favorite films of all time, Breach tells the real story of one of the worst leaks in FBI history. Breach takes you inside the life of a covert operation to flush out a traitor from the all mighty bureau. The film makes one question how safe we really are when one of our greatest threats is from within.
2. Minority Report
Of course you can’t talk about cop films without talking about one of Spielberg’s greatest masterpieces. Minority Report brings to life the real question of what happens when one entity has too much power. Tom Cruise’s (War of The Worlds) performance is very powerful and speaks the cyclic nature of corruption.
1. The Departed
Did you really expect any other film to be the number one pick? What can be said about The Departed that hasn’t already been said? It is the perfect crime film while setting a new standard not only in crime drama, but in storytelling. This year look for Scorsese’s Shutter Island to become another classic of the genre.
Do you agree with list? Do you see Public Enemies joining the ranks?