Michael Mann Fans Can Appreciate 2006’s Miami Vice

by Kevin Gardner

“Miami Vice'' is one of the least noteworthy installations in Michael Mann’s filmography, but it’s still an excellent selection for any movie night when you want to watch a well-directed action thriller. In traditional Mann style, the film is visually striking and atmospheric. It shows viewers a modern Miami and compelling re-imaginings of iconic characters. Most of Mann’s filmography consists of adaptations, and this is his first film adapting his own work. Mann’s masterful directorial style is undeniably the film's most substantive attribute.

A New Miami  

Miami has changed considerably since the 1980s, which is when it started to reach its peak as the United State’s most chic and international travel destination. After the area lost its notoriety in the underworld drug trade in the 90s and then ceased to be a mecca for the modeling industry in the 90s, it seemed to lose much of its exotic mystique. Eventually, Miami Beach became more commercialized for traditional tourism. 

Thanks to Michael Mann, most people who picture Miami are actually conjuring up the art deco architecture and aquamarine shores of Miami Beach depicted in the show. In reality, visitors who stay at Miami Gardens Inn & Suites will get a much more genuine Miami experience than they would when staying at a tourist-filled boutique hotel in South Beach.

In Mann’s new vision of Miami, he creates a darker setting that extends well beyond the neon lights and palm trees lining Ocean Drive. Of course, Mann gives the audience some of the quintessential Miami elements that they expect. High-speed cigarette boats and breathtaking multimillion dollar properties exude aesthetic allure. While Miami has evolved considerably over time, these focus points emphasize the unique opulence that’s still rooted in the city’s cultural identity. 

Crockett and Tubbs Reimagined

One of the most notable qualities of the movie is the complete absence of recognition or homage to the television series. There was clearly a deliberate directorial decision to divorce the styling and themes presented in the movie from those in the series. To some extent, the show became a cliche over time, and what people remembered about it was the ostentatious 80s fashion. Don Johnson’s interpretation of Sonny Crockett was admittedly over-the-top. Colin Farrel appears to strive for an entirely different persona in what appears to be one of the most subdued performances of his career. 

Jamie Fox mirrors some of these extra cool and somewhat distanced elements of this portrayal in the supporting role of Sonny’s partner, Ricardo Tubbs. However, can’t help but outshine Farrell's charisma as a leading man, and he gets the more compelling love story.

Is “Miami Vice” Really a Romance? 

The conflict and crime that drives the protagonists’ quest is dramatically different from the typical vice crimes you would expect to see depicted in a movie entitled “Miami Vice.” In fact, the narcotics trafficking that they are investigating would probably fall under the scope of federal jurisdiction. The more interesting elements of the storyline are centered around the characters themselves and their relationships.

In the show, Crockett had an on and off relationship with a fellow officer, Gina Calabrese. In this reinvention, Gina and Tubbs are in a committed relationship. A silly but intimate love scene near the start of the movie conveys profound tenderness and immediately makes viewers anticipate that something awful will happen to Gina, which seemed to be the fate of almost every one of the partners’ love interests on the series.

Crockett, on the other hand, falls for a criminal who appears to be a key player in an international criminal enterprise. However, the storyline and direction leave questions about why Crockett finds this woman to be so irresistible. She doesn’t have the looks or likeability that would inspire infatuation let alone a love that’s worth risking everything. 

Ultimately, anyone who was a fan of Vice’s earlier work won’t be disappointed by “Miami Vice” so long as they go into it with reasonable expectations. Don’t expect perfection, and just be ready for pulpy entertainment.