Bad Lieutenant Port of Call New Orleans

By Paolo Sardinas

The problem with Nicolas Cage is the simple fact that if you don't cast him right, well then he just doesn't do well. Hes an actor of intense magnitude but can only be challenged, and entertaining, with certain roles. Roles which Hollywood seems almost definite on not offering. Cage can bring his own sense of style and loopiness to the role and can at times become loopier than the character itself. While Bangkok Dangerous and Knowing didn't exactly scream Oscar Buzz, Leaving Las Vegas did. Hell it got him an Oscar win. In Werner Herzog's Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans Cage plays a crooked cop. One whose one morality and morals are tested by his post-Katrina surroundings. A morally devastated man in a morally devastated city.

Herzog's very loose remake of the original 1992 Abel Ferrara re-make can hardly be called a remake. Its more of a re-telling of the original story; borrowing many of the same elements of the main character but telling it in a different way. Ferrara's remake was set in the dark and gritty streets of New York with Harvey Keitel playing the titular character. I personally enjoyed the original film, though as controversial as it was, I always thought that Keitel definitely deserved his shot at the Academy Awards. Well Nic Cage brings his own sense of style to the role, this one being a little bit more lighthearted and not as dark and gritty. Cage's is definitely more loopy and silly but also finds himself in some fairly complicated situations.

For those of you who don't know, the original 1992 classic followed the story of a man, simply called "Lieutenant" as he investigates the rape of a nun and embarks on his own self journey of change and redemption. Though the original focused more on the whole redemption factor, this re-do focuses more on the character at hand. Less on those redemption qualities and more on what he's trying to redeem himself of. Cage's Lieutenant actually has a name, Lt. Terence McDonagh. In the opening he's awarded for his rescuing a man from a flooded room. While afterward doing some drugs and forming the addiction. Its this sole addiction which slowly consumes Lt. McDonagh as his life slowly and slowly becomes more and more dependent on the coke. He eventually beings to do anything for his new favored treat and gets involved with murderers, drug pushers, and imaginative iguanas.

Rather than having a straight forward plot-line the movie seems to be more like a series of events which ultimately end in his self-realization of just how screwed up he is. Where as Keitel's new how screwed up he was and still love what he was doing. He just had the moral dilemma to deal with. Herzog's retelling is definitely and little bit more light hearted, not allot, but a little bit more than the original. I personally never really cared for Mr. Herzog's films. Not that they're terribly made, though he does have that sleazy B-movie style to his films, they just never appealed to me. Rescue Dawn was fairly entertaining but missed some of that emotional depth of other war movies made in the past.

The story-telling, for me, was a bit off and though its a definitely entertaining film, I just felt that it could of ultimately been better. Working with cinematographer Peter Zeitlinger, Herzog depicts the city of New Orleans and its soceiety as falling apart. The seams are ripping sort to speak, and as the city and the fabric of society crumble into nothingness so does a little piece of Nic Cage's lieutenant who ultimately just wants to be saved. Joining in on the cast is Eva Mendes plays a hooker and ultimately Cage's love interest. Ms.Mendes definitely delivers a performance which is definitely a step up from her Ghost Rider and Spirit days. Also joining the cast is Val Kilmer, absent from the silver-screen as of late, plays Cage's partner. Who also seems to be the only one who isn't losing his mind.

The entire cast do a fairly impressive job but the ultimate hit and scene stealer is Nicolas Cage. Becoming more and more like his character was definitely the main number one reason why he was so damn great. Making weird facial motions and gradually worsening his behavior just as the character himself does. Garbling his words and seeing imaginative things makes it all the more believable. No matter how fun and silly it may all seem. Though his performance will sadly be overlooked this coming award season, its just as deserving as some of the other rare ones that we've seen this past year. Hell it's either him or Mr. GI Joe over there.

This "re-telling" may appeal to viewers as more loopy, silly, and ultimately not as dark. And while Nic Cage's performance is ultimately the real life saver the story makes good on its entertainment value. Though it might not all make sense at first it might make better sense in the end. And though Cage's Lt. McDonagh doesn't get that ultimate redemption, necessarily, hit still is a fun ride to see him try and realize just how morally corrupt of man he is. But if he hadn't its okay, cause his soul would still be alive, well, and dancing in his own self madness which could only be conjured up by Cage's own menacing madness.

Overall: 4.5/5(A-)