One minute forty seconds, flat; that's how long it took legendary outlaw John Dillinger to rob a bank. Slick, controlled, confident, cocky, and above all else, a thief, Dillinger is the epitome of a Michael Mann protagonist, and there is no better movie star to fill that role than a man who would ooze charisma eating cornflakes, Johnny Depp. While pitched by some as "Heat in the 30's", there are certain elements of that statement that ring true watching this fantastic film, but Public Enemies is more of a biopic, though one still executed with the often copied but never bettered visceral style of Mann. This is easily the best film of the summer so far.

Opening with a daring jailbreak, as Dillinger cuts some former cellmates loose so he can make with the robbing of the banks, we learn that America has begun a war on crime, headed up by obsessive FBI boss, J. Edgar Hoover. Hoover believes that his country needs a nationwide Bureau to tackle criminals such as Dillinger, who continue to evade capture and endear themselves to the public. He sets dashing young Special Agent Purvis the task of bringing Dillinger to justice - who then assembles a team capable of putting him away for good. Dillinger, meanwhile, is busy doing over banks, and falling in love with a cloakroom girl, enamoured with his brazen honestly and surprisingly caring attitude. But Pervis won't stop hunting Dillinger, and with each passing shootout, he's getting closer to bagging his man.

Mann doesn't try and make a broad biopic. Instead, he concentrates on the last action-packed year, or so, of Dillinger's life, which in turn gives him the chance to squeeze in as many smoke engulfed shoot-outs as possible - without deviating too much from the facts. The action is, as you'd expect from Mann, realistic but overtly cinematic with a constant sense of urgency. You get the impression he doesn't care about flow, instead simply filming carnage on the streets - which is how you’d imagine a gun battle might be. One nocturnal shoot-out in particular stands out as an exceptional set-piece in a film filled with them.

But, despite stunning sequences, you couldn't call Public Enemies an action film. This is a lavish production, filled with many blockbuster essentials; but it’s also a film for adults, and one that will need to be seen more than once to be fully appreciated. There are a lot of characters here, and a lot of history to take in, even if the plot is kept relatively simple. But Dillinger is always at the centre, and Depp is truly wonderful in the lead role. Bristling with a quiet charisma, he makes Dillinger likeable without losing his edge. Bale is also great as Pervis, the intense G-man tracking Dillinger.

While those expecting Heat 2: The Prequel will be disappointed with a lack of background for Pervis, it needs to be pointed out that this is less a two-hander and more biopic on Dillinger. Simply put, history has dictated the narrative here. Whatever the source material, this is a stunning film that showcases Michael Mann once again as a director at the top his game. Bullet-ridden cinematic decadence at its finest. Go see.

Review by Mike Sheridan