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German director Werner Herzog’s films have often dealt with controversial motifs and topics, making them very popular on the “indy” film circuit. The only thing that’s controversial here is the mistake of calling this film a remake of the 1992 Abel Ferrara film starring Harvey Keitel. And unlike many of Herzog’s other films, Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans fits in very nicely with mainstream Hollywood’s concept of cops and robbers.

The action begins in New Orleans, just hours after Hurricane Katrina has devastated the city. Detective Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) is discussing with his partner Stevie (Val Kilmer) whether it pays to ruin his designer suit and save an abandoned detainee from drowning in a prison cell. In a rare moment of compassion, McDonagh jumps into the cold water to rescue the pleading man. As a reward for his heroism he receives a promotion to lieutenant plus a catastrophic back injury. To stave off chronic pain, he turns to drugs for relief and takes refuge in the arms of Frankie (Eva Mendes) a high-class prostitute with a soft spot for the lieutenant and access to drugs.

One of McDonagh’s assignments is to protect the only witness of a brutal murder. He must dexterously juggle all aspects of his life, including the protection of the witness while arduously working on other police investigations, drug acquisitions (or appropriations) and debt settlement with his bookie. Can he still make time for his neglected girlfriend Frankie? That’s a lot to ask of any man!

To echo the title, Cage embodies the term ‘bad lieutenant’; a loose cannon who is more often then not drugged and immoral, and has a penchant for gambling. His solution to acquiring drugs includes ripping off small-time suspects using his badge to enforce the law and steal at the same time. He blurs the line between cop and criminal, straddling the line between legal and moral boundaries.

Nicolas Cage, with his hound-dog expression is perfectly cast as the unhinged cop. He defines ‘over-the-top’ with his histrionic expressions and off-kilter posturing. Like a train wreck, the audience is not sure whether to laugh or avert their eyes. I guiltily watched – even as he extinguished the oxygen flowing to an elderly woman in order to extract information. To McDonagh, the ends justify the means.

I hope you go see this film with the right attitude. The film does not attempt to compete with its namesake. It doesn’t stoop to metaphoric meanings and last minute disclosures. Who could dislike a film that deftly weaves a story of corruption with a smidgen of humor and a singing iguana? This movie is assuredly not a comedy, but loaded to the gills with dark humor. And Brad Dourif isn’t even cast as the bad guy!

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