When is a smart, sophisticated summer movie brimming with history and gravitas a letdown?

When it stars Johnny Depp and Christian Bale and the man behind the camera is Michael Mann.

“Public Enemies” should satiate mature minded movie goers looking for salvation against the tide of mindless blockbusters. It’s a beautifully constructed film, one with seemingly every element locked in for a modern movie classic.

But while Mann (“Heat,” “Collateral”) remains a technical maestro, he still has trouble getting under the skin of his characters.

Who else could film the life story of boxing great Muhammad Ali and leave viewers unsure of what really made Ali tick by the film’s end?

“Public Enemies” tells the fascinating true story behind John Dillinger (Depp), the notorious bank robber from Depression-era Chicago.

The film opens with a bravura sequence featuring Dillinger breaking out of jail along with a few of his partners in crime. Right away, Dillinger’s savvy, his ability to cajole those around him with either his charisma or a Tommy Gun, get firmly established.

Dillinger’s crime spree catches the attention of J. Edgar Hoover (Billy Crudup in the film’s best supporting turn). Hoover hires Melvin Purvis (Bale) to bring said spree to an end.

Meanwhile, Dillinger remains a few paces ahead of Purvis’ small army, finding time between heists to woo a cagey hatcheck girl (Oscar winner Marion Cotillard).

Mann’s film doesn’t tap into the Depression-era zeitgeist as one might expect, or even fear. It’s all surface thrills and gorgeous tracking shots, leaving the viewer detached from the endless gun fights. And there’s little narrative cohesion to the story, leaving an episodic tale with an ending that doesn’t do Dillinger’s anti-hero life justice.

Depp established his career by playing against his physical type – and broadcasting his eccentric inner self to audiences. Here, he plays it maddeningly straight, and it’s one of his least compelling performances.

That’s still better than Bale, who’s given almost nothing to work with and substitutes stoicism for any sense of character. He’s a carbon copy, and a fading one at that, of Kevin Costner’s superior performance as Eliot Ness in “The Untouchables.”

This should have been the Summer of Bale, but from his on-set tirade to two lackluster turns (“Enemies” and “Terminator Salvation”) it’s ending up a season to forget for the gifted actor.

“Public Enemies” remains an intelligent piece of craftsmanship. It’s just not the thoroughly engaging film we were led to expect.

(Photo: Johnny Depp plays famed bank robber John Dillinger in “Public Enemies.”)

Related posts:

1. ‘Terminator Salvation’ – No Ah-nuld, big problems
2. That didn’t take long …
3. ‘Sweeney Todd’ – A bloody good show

Turns out a Bat can’t replace The Governator after all.

“Terminator Salvation,” the fourth entry in the sci-fi franchise, relies on Christian Bale to offset the absence of the big robot himself, Arnold Schwarzenegger.

But Bale’s John Connor isn’t really the star here. Sam Worthington, chosen to anchor James Cameron’s upcoming “Avatar,” gets the meatier role as a man from the past with an uncertain future.

Both Bale and Worthington take a back seat to the film’s actions sequences, which will have audiences’ jaws dropped for nearly the film’s full running time.

When the violence ebbs, we’re left with a screenplay that often gives the actors no more than a syllable or two at a time.

It’s 2018, and John Connor is leading the resistance against Skynet and its robot army. The world is in full post-apocalyptic mode – every building has been reduced to rubble and only a few humans are left. But Connor thinks he may have found the robots’ Achilles heel courtesy of a jamming device which could change the balance of power in the ongoing battle.

Connor’s mission gets complicated when a stranger named Marcus (Worthington), a convicted killer who we learn from the opening scene was sent forward in time for reasons unknown, ends up in Connor’s dank headquarters.

“Salvation” is one loud, depressing movie, the kind that cries out for comic relief. The robots clank around the screen in a series of visually stunning action sequences, but after a few of these you’ll start to wonder why we should root for the human survivors.

Bale’s performance is perfunctory, and the movie needs so much more than that. Where’s the charisma that made John Connor such a pivotal player in the franchise? And why does the final battle sequence have more holes than Robert Patrick’s body in “Terminator 2?”

Even Worthington’s intriguing turn can’t make “Salvation” worthy of the franchise’s first two installments.

Those films had a sense of humor. Here, all we get is Bale robotically repeating the franchise’s signature line.

Say what you will about Schwarnegger’s acting chops. His absence is felt deeply despite an electronically manufactured cameo.

Bryce Dallas Howard appears as Connor’s supposed love interest, complete with pregnancy belly, but the impending birth isn’t referenced, nor does Howard get to do anything but look concerned when appropriate.

Director McG has been talking about how “Terminator Salvation” would be his coming out party, the film that proves he’s so much more than just a highly mockable name.

He got the money, the cast and the franchise to prove his point. But he’ll have to wait for another summer to prove he’s more than Michael Bay 2.0.

Related posts:

1. WWTW Rewind – ‘I, Robot’ (2004)
2. Halloween Sleepers – ‘Tourist Trap’
3. ‘The Dark Knight’ – As advertised, and then some

The latest Entertainment Weekly issue spills an inordinate amount of ink on Christian Bale’s now infamous on-set tirade.

To which I say – who cares?

Bale’s blunder made for some cheeky headlines and sparked a remarkably hip dance remix.

But will it so much as dent interest in “Terminator Salvation,” Bale’s new flick coming out Friday.

I think EW’s obsession is all about securing a few more subscribers.

UPDATE: Boxoffice.com’s Gary Gentile reports the bru ha ha might actually help the film.

(Photo: Christian Bale neglects to read a robot its Miranda rights in “Terminator Salvation.”)

Related posts:

1. Summer ‘09: Movie critics weigh in
2. Summer movie staying power

It’s the ultimate parlor trick for an actor – gain or lose weight for an important role.

It gives you instant street cred, ups your chances for an Oscar and usually yields oodles of extra publicity.

But not all weight fluctuating roles are created equal. Here’s WWTW’s choices for the best “weighty” performances.

• Christian Bale, “The Machinist” - Anyone can pack on a few pounds for a role, but Bale went one step further. He lost weight. A lot. The result? A walking cadaver that made “The Machinist” a frightening spectacle.
• Robert De Niro, “Raging Bull” – The gold standard, and one that would top the list if it weren’t for Bale’s skeletal makeover.
• Dennis Quaid, “Wyatt Earp” – Quaid didn’t go the Full Bale, but his weight loss made his take on Doc Holliday a memorable one.
• Charlize Theron, “Monster” – Theron earned her Oscar the hard way … by completely submerging her eye-popping beauty by shaving her eyebrows and gaining weight. All the cosmetic changes set the stage for her best performance of a still young career.
• Tom Hanks, “Cast Away” – The Oscar winner took time off during the shoot to change his weight to fit the character … and the fantastical story. We already knew Hanks was a great actor, but “Cast Away” showed he could carry a movie all by himself.

(Photo: Christian Bale looks positively gaunt, and it’s no special effect, in “The Machinist.”)

Related posts:

1. Top 5 ‘Can’t Wait’ Summer ‘09 movies

Note to self: If you’re ever on a movie set with Christian Bale … don’t get him angry. (caution – a plethora of F-bombs and other foul language ahead – hat tip: Instapundit)

Related posts:

1. Have a ‘Dark’ Christmas
2. DVD roundup: A ‘Dark’ stocking stuffer
3. PR nightmare, take two?

It’s a blessing to settle into your seat and watch, at long last, “The Dark Knight.” All the hype – the rabidly positive reviews, the sequel-driven expectations and incessant chatter about a posthumous Oscar for Heath Ledger – fade when the Joker drops his first victim.

That the victim is one of his own henchman says plenty of what’s to come. Director Christopher Nolan quickly puts us on edge, and we stay there for two and a half blissful hours.

“The Dark Knight” is bolder, smarter, more authentically entertaining than its predecessor, or frankly any other movie this summer.

It’s nearly everything you hope for from the franchise, an imperfect but still dizzying ride that goes on and on … and yet you never want it to end. When a film offers this much intelligence, character development and plain ol’ spectacle, why would you?

“The Dark Knight” builds off of “Batman Begins,” a solid albeit overhyped film that brought Batman back from the cinematic grave.

You’re forgiven, Mr. Clooney.

“Knight” opens with a bank heist, a simple setup that delivers jolts all the same. Nothing about “The Dark Knight” will be ordinary, or forgettable.

The Joker (more on Ledger’s performance later) is behind the heist, but it’s only a warning shot. He’s trying to band Gotham City’s criminal element together to squash the Batman (Christian Bale), who threatens to put them all out of work.

Meanwhile, the city’s new district attorney, Harvey Dent (Aaron Eckhart) hopes to smite the city’s mob network with one spectacular legal blow. But he’ll need the cooperation of Batman to make it happen.

The Caped Crusader has his own issues above and beyond the Joker. Copy cat Batmen are swarming the city, trying to fight crime just like their hero – and getting killed in the process. And Bruce Wayne, Batman’s day persona, still pines for Rachel (Maggie Gyllenhaal, a nice upgrade from Katie Holmes) who’s now decorating Dent’s arm.

What follows is an epic crime story that twists and turns without betraying its inner logic or our attention span. Not that Nolan skimps on the superhero staples. “The Dark Knight” serves up plenty of “wow” moments, an increasingly difficult feat given the current state of superhero films.

“Knight” masterfully weaves in modern metaphors without sacrificing storytelling or tension. Batman’s quest to rid the city of crime brings serious comparisons to the War on Terror. The screenplay, co-written by Nolan, lights these political brush fires so expertly you won’t complain whether you put scare quotes around this War or not.

The voice of reason remains Alfred (Michael Caine), whose screen time may be limited but his voice echoes throughout the production. Alfred knows just what to tell his conflicted master whenever the Joker strikes.

Ledger’s Joker puts Alfred’s wisdom to the test time upon time. He’s the ultimate anarchist, but with the brains to pull off one atrocity atop another – how he manages to do it all is the film’s biggest weakness.

The character’s similarities to modern terrorists are far from accidental. He even sends out videotapes of his victims, bound and forced to read his insane manifestos.

Ledger’s final performance is everything you expected. He’s a deranged soul, a sociopath with his own insidious code of honor. Ledger’s performance doesn’t start and stop with his hideous visage, a greasepaint nightmare. Every gesture, every quirk is part and parcel of his vile portrait.

Eckhart’s performance is a flat-out bonus, and the film’s biggest surprise. He’s a square jawed superhero without a cape, the White Knight the public trusts far more than his Dark companion.

Every supporting player gets his chance to shine. Morgan Freeman returns as Bruce Wayne’s gadget guru, and his presence affords the story some comic levity as well as a moral base. And Gary Oldman’s role as Jim Gordon is expanded here, justifiably so.

Bale’s uniformly strong performance is an afterthought, something we come to expect from the actor – and the young franchise.

“The Dark Knight” lives up to every ounce of the hype – it’s the best superhero movie ever, the new benchmark for reality-based treatments of pulp heroes.

Also check out my “Dark Knight” haiku review, an interview with director Joe Dante on his choice for the first Joker and my take on whatever happened to erstwhile Batman Michael Keaton.

(Photo: Christian Bale examines his latest Bat suit in “The Dark Knight”)

No related posts.