Review Detail

Coming straight off the success of Collateral, I was really excited for Miami Vice. When it came out, however, I was less than impressed. Even though the signature Michael Mann visuals are present, great actors, and featuring a stunning backdrop of Miami and Cuba, Miami Vice never reached the same levels of Collateral or other Mann films in terms of storytelling.

The main problems with Miami Vice are that it is way too long, it lacks focus around the central plot, and really starts off without giving the audience time to develop an emotional relationship with the main characters. Fortunately, with the Spence Edit, some of those issues are resolved. Clocking in at 24 minutes shorter than the theatrical cut, this edit really trims the excess and keeps the story moving along. I would be hard pressed to tell you what was cut and where the changes were made. The narrative flows smoothly and there are no sudden cuts present. The edits, audio, musical cues are all seamlessly integrated.

All in all, I really enjoyed this edit and for me it definitely improved the overall enjoyment of the film. It is very well done and will definitely be the preferred way to watch when revisiting. Thanks!