Review of Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans

It is a hard fact of life that respectable people do not always come out on top. The same is true for law enforcement officers. Many times it is the bad cops who are willing to plant false evidence, kill unarmed criminals, and take bribes, yet it is these negative actions that often lead cops into receiving praise from both their superior officers and/or their community. In Werner Herzog's new film Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans, Terence McDonagh (Nicholas Cage) is a crooked detective who uses his status as a police officer to obtain illegal drugs, steal money, and gain sexual favors from prostitutes. Yet despite being coked up all the time, McDonagh is one of the highest ranked detectives in the New Orleans police force because he is willing to break all the rules including wrongfully abusing civilians to obtain information and murdering unarmed criminals he knows to be guilty.

There are crooked police officers in every U.S. city, but Nicholas Cage's Detective McDonagh is truly a disturbed human being to say the least. It is scary to think that there is even a possibility that police officers such as him could exist. There are certain scenes, such as the pharmacy sequence (link below) that truly display McDonagh's erratic behavior. This film really gives Nicholas Cage a chance to demonstrate why is he known as one of the most talented actors in Hollywood. There are many times where you can actually see the evil bearing behind Cage's eyes. Sometimes he can be hard to watch because his insanity adds so much suspense to the film. You never know what he'll do and often you feel a little nervous to find out. Personally I think Cage should have been nominated for an Oscar this year for his portrayal of McDonagh. It is one of his best performances ever.

On the other side of the camera is Werner Herzog, one of the most experienced and bizarre filmmakers in cinematic history. There are very few directors who have done such variety of works as Herzog. For example, Herzog is known for doing very successful documentaries such as Grizzly Man (2005) and Lessons of Darkness (1992). However, he is also known for creating some very successful recreations of historic events such as Aguirre: The Wrath of God (1972) and Rescue Dawn (2006). Perhaps most foreign to Herzog are main stream non-fictional works, yet he still has made several successful pictures that portray non-realistic occurrences. In Bad Lieutenant, Herzog combines elements of the different kinds of movies he has created. For example, in scenes in which animals are involved, he uses a handheld camera to give the movie a documentary style. He often intertwines this with long shots that feel much more main stream. Herzong is known for taking a lot of chances and Bad Lieutenant is no exception, yet the risks all pay off to form one of the best films of the year.

Overall, Bad Lieutenant is one of the most interesting pieces of filmmaking of 2009. At times it can get a little weird, but if you enjoy movies that challenge viewers and keep you guessing, Bad Lieutenant should not be missed.

Pharmacy Scene

YouTube Trailer

RANKING: 4.2/5.0