Bad Lieutenant *****

The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call: New Orleans *****

Year:	2009
Director:	Werner Herzog
Rating:	18
Length:	122 Min.

From Oscar®* nominated director, Werner Herzog, comes Bad Lieutenant - the widely acclaimed dark action comedy about the only criminal a cop can't catch - himself.

Nicolas Cage plays rogue detective Terence McDonagh in what is being described as 'one of his finest performances'** who is as devoted to his job as he is at scoring drugs - while playing fast and loose with the law. He wields his badge as often as he wields his gun in order to get his way. Complicating his tumultuous life is the prostitute he loves - Frankie Donnenfield (Eva Mendes – We Own the Night, 2 Fast 2 Furious). Together they descend into their own world marked by desire, compulsion, and conscience.

Bad Lieutenant: Port of New Orleans is in simple terms a Film Noir neatly reversed. Instead of a detective trying to keep a sense of right and wrong in a world of deceit, and eventually sacrificing something of himself, Nicholas Cage plays one who instead thrives on the edge, brazenly taking advantage of all the temptations his position offers without remorse. Even without bitterness. In fact, the drug fuelled Detective Terence McDonagh is possibly one of the most amoral lead characters ever portrayed in film, yet he is oddly likeable. He has no arc to speak of, he simply exists. Think of Travis Bickle, high on drugs, wearing a badge and with the luck of the devil. You're halfway there! He is the fascinating centre-piece of Werner Herzog's wonderful and brilliant vision.

It reminds me of another Nicholas Cage film, Martin Scorcese's Bringing Out The Dead. While that film is underrated, Bad Lieutenant: Port of New Orleans is better realised, even at its most audacious and downright odd. There are some incredible moments to make your jaw drop, from Cage losing patience in a chemist or threatening grannies, to shots from the point of view of imaginary iguanas or recently bereaved alligators. Yes, you read that right! There might be brief contributions from confused reptiles, but Werner Herzog directs with such ease that it never feels weird. The real locations add another level of depth too; it opens during Hurricane Katrina and picks up again six months later, with Cage's McDonaugh mirroring the crazy environment.

Nicholas Cage seems so tailored for the role it's predictable to even mention! But he does give a brilliant performance that demands attention without suffocating the story and lets us even sympathise with him. Following his recent work in Kick Ass, he is well and truly back on top. The supporting cast, including Eva Mendes and Val Kilmer, are given space despite McDonagh being such a compelling lead, and they easily bring personality to their characters in his shadow. There is no finer testament to Cage's work in this role than the very final shot, which he shares with the most minor of characters. It ties up the story so perfectly and should leave you with a huge grin. Possibly while you shake your head in disbelief!

Perhaps the key to being able to sympathise so readily with McDonaugh, is when you realise you are watching a comedy. Not a laugh out loud slapstick affair, of course, but a thriller with a delicate touch of irony, amused by the sheer audacity of what is unfolding. And unlike the Coen Brothers, whose "idiot" films tend to mock their characters and poke them to see how they react, Herzog offers no judgment on them. Their world is at once perverted and twisted and yet is absolutely convincing. What is particularly brilliant is that this is not a violent film. It's shocking, disturbing and twisted, but never gratuitous and always with a wink to the audience. It's a unique tone and testament to the director's steady hand.

Comparisons with the Abel Ferrara's Bad Lieutenant are inevitable, but absolutely pointless. This is a very different film with a different agenda and shouldn't be remotely thought of as a remake. Instead consider it essential because modern cinema was screaming out for this film. It's artistic, it's entertaining, it's maddening, it's utter brilliance from the opening shot. Thank goodness for Werner Herzog. There are interviews with him and Nicholas Cage on the Blu-Ray and any film fan should find their calm and perceptive view very reassuring. This film could not be any more important or relevant right now. Don't miss out!

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