For starters, it's starring Nic Cage. Now, this is a man who has appeared in some truly GREAT movies over the years but has somewhat been stuck in shitsville of late (from a script point of view, anyways). In this film we see something of the old Cage, a flicker of insanity here and there backed up with a mostly solid performance. He's given plenty of material to work with and his character has a nice arc through the movie. The only thing I'm slightly dubious about is his hair, but then that's been an 'issue' in all the recent stuff he's been in. Plus, I'm not really one to criticize hairstyles - what with being a member of the Larry David school of scalp style and all :-s
OOOOPS I DID IT AGAIN !
The second thing that interested me about this movie was the fact that it's directed by LEGEND Werner Herzog. I thought it was an odd, odd movie for both these two to get involved in. It's a cross between a sequel and a re-imagining of the original bad lieutenant, which in itself was both critically lauded and hated in equal measure. I appreciated the point the original movie was making, to some extent, but the languid pacing and brutal, stark view of the 'lieutenant' and his activities didn't exactly make for compelling viewing. The original Tobe Hooper directed movie is a haze of self abuse, victimization and unsubtle religious symbolism. When I heard there was to be a 'sequel' I thought it'd be a straight to bargain bin rush job, merely designed to titillate and revile in equal predictable measure. I couldn't have been more wrong. What we have here is a film that is both more accomplished than it's predecessor AND a lot more entertaining for the viewer.
While I appreciate that the 'draw' of bad lieutenant WAS watching the grinding misery and self-destruction unfold, Herzog has told a similar tale whilst managing to eschew a lot of what he could easily have carried over with from the 1st part. The film doesn't feel like it's 'missing' anything as a result, and picks up a lot more pace as a consequence. Also, Cage's lieutenant is far less isolated than the character in the first movie - having a wide selection of friends and contacts on both sides of the law. His is a more cavalier balancing act, juggling plates and laughing as they smash. Harvey Kietel's original take on the character was a perfectly acted, slippery descent into misery. In all honesty I think Kietels performance was more POWERFUL, but rendered almost mute by the ham fisted way in which the rest of the film was handled. The new film gives the main character less time to sit and reflect, this time out it's more about action and the scenes move quickly and purposefully.
The presumption that many will make, also, is that Herzog was perhaps NOT the man for the job. I would take umbrage at this, as he has handled the task admirably. Albeit he's made some of the best visceral/deep cinema in the past but he's not flexing these muscles so blatantly here - seemingly preferring to stick with tight narrative whilst occasionally blindsiding the viewer with bizarrely reflective shots and lingering, almost illusory images. This WORKS and I had the feeling throughout of a story being told by someone who knows when NOT to over flourish. This was a problem that affected the first movie to a great extent. Misery is one thing but a 2 hour visual compounding of it can only desensitize and bore the viewer, no ?
New Orleans itself provides a powerful backdrop and a sleepier, more chaotic vision of life than the 1st films setting. I'm not even sure where the 1st movie was set, can't remember, I'd imagine New York perhaps. You would have difficulty not remembering where Herzogs version takes place - the flood waters of New Orleans receding to leave detritus and naked destruction, casting the town itself as an evolving character in the piece.
HELLO EVA MENDES I AM TEH BAD LIEUTENANTS !
With New Orleans as key, the main theme in this film would appear to be reform and change from devastation and failure into order and success. This is at odds with and, basically, opposite of the feeling one is left with after watching Hoopers far more harrowing original. His version is all about the characters descent into incapable, directionless malaise and the decaying of everything around him. Herzog tells a tale that could be classed as 'positive' in a great many ways, from the mending of the broken relationships within his substance dependent family through to the eventual 'busting' of a murderer and Cage's characters subsequent promotion to (bad?) Captain. While the film is still clearly a damning indictment of the way certain people will abuse their power, I couldn't help but warm to Cage's character.
I felt a lot more satisfied with the ending of this movie over the previous film. True, it doesn't tie everything up and still shows us that even after the character has everything he could wish for - he's still BAD (perhaps ?). It's a gentler way of doing so, though, making the Cage version of the character seem almost aimless by the end as opposed to driven to destruction as was the case with Kietels portrayal. This addiction to pattern behaviour as much as the substances/behaviours themselves is a more interesting thing to focus on, I feel. Even when faced with success and a stable life, the lieutenant doesn't seem to know how to be happy - still endlessly seeking out some form of illicit thrill, still attempting to veer onto the wrong road. I think this is something a lot more people will identify with and it result in a more rounded character (and movie as a result) compared to the relentlessly unpleasant outlook/content of the previous movie.
While this was by no means a GREAT movie, I think it actually eclipses the initial version. For me, it was far more entertaining and the characters were a lot better - more rounded as opposed to the mostly one sided scumbags/parasites that peopled the first part. Hopefully Herzog will make some more movies with Nic Cage, as they really seem to work well together and I feel that Cage (or at least the OLD Cage) is capable of some really great, frenzied acting. If Werner is able to bring this to the fore and control it he may well have another Kinski on his hands. That would be a truly great thing :-)
HERZOG AND KINSKI
HAPPY TIMES !
HAPPY TIMES !
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