For
a few seconds, you might well think you’re in Quentin
Tarantino territory as a short teaser opens American Gangster
before the main titles. The quick scene shows Frank Lucas (Denzel
Washington) dousing with petrol then setting fire to a thug
under the cold eyes of gang boss Bumpy Johnson. Actually we
see both sides of Lucas - he’s ruthless yet has some humanity
as he quickly shoots his victim to put him out of his misery
in the flames.
Tarantino it’s not, because firmly at the helm is director
Scott Ridley telling the basically true story of Frank Lucas;
a drug baron, and the first African-American to outdo the Mafia
and take over the Harlem heroin trade. He’s pursued with
unrelenting vigour by Richie Roberts (Russell Crowe) who seems
to be the only honest cop in his department, a sort of Nixon
era Elliott Ness with his own select band of Untouchables.
Lucas quickly comes up through the ranks after his boss and
mentor Harlem mobster Bumpy Johnson dies. He takes control of
New York working on business principles to make drugs profitable.
Lucus figures by going to the source of heroin in Thailand he
can cut out the middleman and offer a better quality product
on the New York streets for less money than his competitors.
To get the drugs back into America from Thailand he uses the
Vietnam war to his advantage, he has the audacity to smuggle
them using coffins of the war dead. It all goes so smoothly
that New York and then other major cities are smothered in heroin
and Lucas is big time indeed. However he is finally brought
to the attention of Richie Roberts and his recently formed Special
Drug Enforcement Unit. Richie, who's having matrimonial problems,
has something of a Colombo look about him. His honesty doesn’t
make him popular with other cops; most of whom are doing well
out of the drug business. He is determined and finally confronts
Lucas in a pivotal scene.
Experienced
confident Ridley Scott (Gladiator) uses fluid camerawork
to advantage in recreating the heroin infected streets of Harlem.
But the film belongs to Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)
for his portrayal captures the capricious moods swings of Lucas,
he’s presented as a generous son who loves his extended
family and attends church on a regular basis. Well dressed not
in a flashy way he’d easily pass as a business executive.
One might think of him as Gordon Gekko of the Underworld. He’s
generous giving a southern mansion like Tara from Gone with
the Wind to his mum and the family in a very moving scene. But
also capable of a pathological temper at the drop of a hat.
His nemesis is Russell Crowe (Gladiator) as the dogged
if bedraggled cop determined to stop the wholesale smuggling
of drugs, ostracised by fellow cops on the take, but heading
up the Special Drug Enforcement Unit with integrity and sheer
grit. Crowe is ideal in the part.
Scott visually balances the opulent lifestyle of the drug baron
to the squalour and misery the drugs finally cause on the streets.
There is a grotty feeling of realism in these street scenes.
The film has some violent sequences naturally, but they come
and go quickly and the director doesn’t wallow in them.
In fact they give you a jolt that keeps you alert in this rather
epic length movie, as Scott takes his time spinning the story.
The editing and use of closeups in these sequences is effective
especially in the raid on the drug factory.
Although covering ground seen before in movies like Scarface,
the inventive script, sharp performances, and fine technical
presentation under the competent eye of Ridley makes for an
exciting night in front of the TV set.
For
a few seconds, you might well think you’re in Quentin
Tarantino territory as a short teaser opens American Gangster
before the main titles. The quick scene shows Frank Lucas (Denzel
Washington) dousing with petrol then setting fire to a thug
under the cold eyes of gang boss Bumpy Johnson. Actually we
see both sides of Lucas - he’s ruthless yet has some humanity
as he quickly shoots his victim to put him out of his misery
in the flames. 
Experienced
confident Ridley Scott (Gladiator) uses fluid camerawork
to advantage in recreating the heroin infected streets of Harlem.
But the film belongs to Denzel Washington (Malcolm X)
for his portrayal captures the capricious moods swings of Lucas,
he’s presented as a generous son who loves his extended
family and attends church on a regular basis. Well dressed not
in a flashy way he’d easily pass as a business executive.
One might think of him as Gordon Gekko of the Underworld. He’s
generous giving a southern mansion like Tara from Gone with
the Wind to his mum and the family in a very moving scene. But
also capable of a pathological temper at the drop of a hat.
His nemesis is Russell Crowe (Gladiator) as the dogged
if bedraggled cop determined to stop the wholesale smuggling
of drugs, ostracised by fellow cops on the take, but heading
up the Special Drug Enforcement Unit with integrity and sheer
grit. Crowe is ideal in the part.