Review for Bad Lieutentant: Port of Call New Orleans

Bad Lieutenant is not a remake or sequel to the 1992 original starring Harvey Keitel. However, there are many comparisons that can be drawn to both films. Both have an intense main performance and here Nicholas Cage is probably in his best role I have seen him in since Leaving Las Vegas. He is a New Orleans cop struggling with the battle between good and evil in which he finds himself drifting from side to side. At times you feel no sympathy for the character, despite him being addicted to drugs due to an accident in which he saved a man's life. His addictions and habits see him spiraling out of control making enemies at all sides and only being able to find solace in Frankie (Eva Mendes) a coke-using hooker who brings him even more troubles.

Investigating a brutal murder he finds that the only way he can actually capture the man who did it (played by rapper Xzibit) and also protect his own back is by joining with him. The films' plot is forgotten through most of the film which is a little odd, but despite this and the fact it is almost two hours long, it is a fast-paced film that by the end ties all the strings together and makes you happy that you went along for the ride. Even if it did make you feel a little sleazy at what you were viewing. As I say, the acting by Cage is phenomenal and even Val Kilmer, Eva Mendes and Xzibit put in some great performances. The direction by Werner Herzog is not as flashy and artshousy as I expected from him which was nice and his handling of the action and moving the film along is wonderful.

Extras include a thirty minute 'Making of' and Interviews with six of the people involved. These are all your typical Question and Answer type lasting around five minutes. It's sad that there isn't a Play All feature here, but watching them are all interesting in why they got involved and what they hoped to bring to the project.

Bad Lieutenant has received a mixed reaction by many people. Some who loved the original has seen this as an awful remake or sequel, but I think that you really need to view the film as something completely different. This is a wonderful piece of work and even if you are just watching for Nicholas Cage you will be seeing a masterclass in acting that you don't see very often.