With Michael Mann (“Heat,” “Collateral”) behind the camera and Johnny Depp and Christian Bale in front, it’s no wonder that “Public Enemies” — the latest retelling of the story of John Dillinger and FBI pursuer Melvin Purvis — has been one of the summer’s most anticipated films.
And perhaps it’s because of this high expectation that “Public Enemies” proves disappointing.
Dillinger is the most legendary of the famous ’30s bank robbers, more so than Baby Face Nelson and Pretty Boy Floyd, both of whom appear here. (Bonnie and Clyde may have eventually surpassed him after the 1967 film revived their notoriety.) The Capone gang — also in the movie — was still thriving under the leadership of Frank Nitti, but it represented a different kind of criminal.






