College Times

Issue date: 7/2/09 Section: Movies

Media Credit: Universal Pictures

Move over Heath Ledger; Christian Bale has a new arch-nemesis, and the new guy in town doesn't even need face paint to hide behind.

In a whirl of gangsters, tommy guns, robbing banks and an attempt to instill justice, "Public Enemies" sucks you in right from the beginning with a jail break-out.

John Dillinger (Johnny Depp) is the notorious bad boy during the 1930s who constantly displays unique tactics of breaking himself and his posse out of jail. Once out of jail their streak of robbing banks continues.

The gang stops at nothing to bring home their thousands and millions of dollars. As soon as they feel a threat from authority, whoever it may be, you better bet the gun show breaks out. The movie is filled with shoot outs from every angle. Actually, most of the movie is a big gunfight.

Who will put a stop to these gangsters? None other than Batman. Well, Melvin Purvis played by "Batman"'s Christian Bale. Purvis develops an entire team who dedicates all their time to tracking down Dillinger and his posse and putting a stop to their injustice.

Bale's acting is boring - and his charachter lacks excitement. You would figure since he is the one that is supposed to bring Dillinger down, he would have more expression. Every time he is on the screen, the movie seems to drag on.

Despite Bale's weak turn as Melvin Purvis, the movie is action packed.

We can't forget the romance, because with every good gangster movie there has to be some hot love interest. Billie Frechette (Marion Cotillard) is approached by Dillinger and he wastes no time in making her his "gal." There is definitely a passionate love-making scene.

Frechette stays alongside Dillinger and he does whatever it takes to make sure she is safe. But of course, what would the movie be if she wasn't captured by the police for questioning and held as a prisoner?

Even though Dillinger is supposed to be the "bad guy" there is something within his character that makes you hope he never gets captured.

The way he can walk into a public setting unnoticed and they way people admire him like he is a celebrity, makes him a somewhat lovable villain.

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