Miami Vice is a really good movie.

Michael Mann is a genius. A wonderful director. This is just another fine piece in an amazing collection of films he has made including The Insider, Last of the Mohicans and Collateral. He gets so many amazing shots in this movie. The cinematography alone is worth checking out the whole movie.

The movie starts out with a jump. A very nontraditional start that might make you wonder when this little intro vignette is going to end a la James Bond and they are going to start the title credits. But it doesn't. The story starts at the first frame and ends at the last frame. I think this made me like it more. At times it can get a little confusing who is fighting who and where these people came from. But by the end of the movie, you are pretty sure you get it all.

The best thing about this movie is that it's almost a new breed of action movie. Summer action movie, in particular. Everything that is in this movie could happen in real life. It could happen today. It could be happening right now. When was the last time you saw an action movie and said that?! Probably never! There are no unusually huge explosions (although there are a couple and they are great, but totally within the bounds of reality). There are no unreasonable super-villains or totally unreal stunts or unbelievable plotlines. Everything could take place right now. There's no superfluous tripe that one might expect in a summer blockbuster set in Miami, Florida. And this is the reason that some mindless moviegoers might be disappointed. But that is solely their problem, not the film's.

The acting is good. Colin Farrell is definitely the lead. His role is noticeably bigger and more important than Jamie Foxx's. Although you will notice Foxx's name gets mentioned first in most of the advertising. Ah, the power of the Oscar. But, honestly? Sorry, Jamie, Colin could've won an Oscar for playing Ray Charles too. 

Colin Farrell gives us another performance that proves he is one of the (if not the) best actors of this generation. But unfortunately, I doubt many people will look past the handlebar mustache to see that. He does a great American accent, which we've seen before, but this time it has a slight twinge of Southern drawl in it, y'all. And I have to say, I'm very pleased and impressed. 

Jamie Foxx was pretty good too.

Gong Li was great. She gave a solid performance that is sure to keep her on American minds. She's doing a great job of cracking Hollywood. Naomie Harris was good in her role as well, although I would've liked to have seen more of her character. Well, actually, in the first shower scene, we got to see a lot of her. But that's not what I'm talking about. And I read that it was a body double anyway.

That brings me to the sex scenes. There's quite a few of them. None of the sex scenes feature nudity (that I saw), but definitely some close calls. The shower scene with Foxx and Harris featured a little bit of their 'bits.' I thought these scenes were all a bit overlong and not completely necessary. And apparently, they were longer before Michael Mann cut the film down under 2 and a half hours. But at least the cast is very attractive. I mean, wouldn't you rather see Colin Farrell and Gong Li together than say, Whoopi Goldberg and Kevin Bacon?

Music is another important aspect of the Miami Vice brand. The music was very fitting for the film. They compiled tracks from all genres and inserted them into each scene seamlessly. This is not your 1980s Miami Vice music... but it's just as good. John Murphy scored a few new pieces that sound very nice.

Glossy and gritty at the same time... this movie is one of the best of the summer.