--- title: "Miami Vice: the reviews" canonical: "https://film.one/film/miami-vice-2006/reviews" title_page: "https://film.one/film/miami-vice-2006" critics_score: 55 critics_reviews: 10 licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL." --- # Miami Vice (2006): what the critics said Critics' score 55 from 10 reviews: 1 positive, 6 mixed, 3 negative. The reviews lean mixed, and nearly everyone agrees on the same point: this is a film to look at rather than to follow. Michael Mann’s nighttime photography of Miami draws the warmest words, with Empire going so far as to call the city itself the film’s true star. Most critics also credit the brooding atmosphere and the bursts of action with holding the crime drama together when the plot will not. Where they part is over what lies beneath the surface. The larger group finds the story thin, sometimes opaque, and stretched across too long a runtime. The spread is wide. The New York Times admires the moody reinvention of the series, while The Guardian calls it a major disappointment despite the cinematography. Total Film enjoys the urgency between Farrell and Foxx; The Guardian finds their chemistry weak. Radio Times singles out Gong Li’s trouble with her lines, and The Skinny objects to the score and the unresolved ending. ## The New York Times — Manohla Dargis Fi1m's normalised score 75/100 (inferred from the text). 28 July 2006. Dargis gives the film a positive verdict, appreciating its moody, modern reinvention of the television series. She particularly praises Michael Mann’s atmospheric visual style. [Read the review](https://www.nytimes.com/2006/07/28/movies/28vice.html) ## Time Out — Geoff Andrew Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 31 July 2006. The available page metadata identifies this as a review, but does not reveal the critic’s verdict. The visible description provides context about Michael Mann’s career without singling out a specific strength or weakness in the film. [Read the review](https://www.timeout.com/movies/miami-vice-1) ## Slant Magazine — Jeremiah Kipp Rating 2.5/4. 26 July 2006. Kipp finds the film stylish but superficial, with a thin story and underdeveloped characters that make its long runtime drag. He praises Farrell and Foxx’s charismatic screen presence, especially when they are in action. [Read the review](https://www.slantmagazine.com/film/miami-vice/) ## Empire — Simon Braund Rating 3/5. 28 July 2006. Braund finds the film flawed and overlong, but stylish and vastly superior entertainment. He especially praises Mann’s breathtaking nighttime images of Miami, which become the film’s true star. [Read the review](https://www.empireonline.com/movies/reviews/miami-vice-review/) ## Total Film — Total Film Rating 3/5. 4 August 2006. The review finds the film a stylish, grown-up spectacle, though its drama can feel limp and over-styled. It praises the visual grit and the urgent chemistry between Farrell and Foxx, while criticizing Farrell’s swaggering performance. [Read the review](https://www.gamesradar.com/miami-vice-review/) ## Variety — Brian Lowry Fi1m's normalised score 50/100 (inferred from the text). 23 July 2006. Lowry finds the film stylish and atmospheric but overblown, with little substance and a sometimes opaque story. He praises Mann’s mastery of brooding atmosphere and the bursts of action that bolster the crime drama. [Read the review](https://variety.com/2006/film/reviews/miami-vice-1200514626/) ## Radio Times — Alan Jones Rating 2/5. The critic finds the film overblown and confusing. They single out Gong Li’s struggle with her lines as a weakness. [Read the review](https://www.radiotimes.com/movie-guide/b-bp4ya8/miami-vice/) ## The Guardian — Rob Mackie Fi1m's normalised score 30/100 (inferred from the text). 1 December 2006. Mackie finds the film a major disappointment despite its visual polish. He praises its glorious cinematography but faults the weak chemistry and mundane plot. [Read the review](https://www.theguardian.com/film/2006/dec/01/dvdreviews.actionandadventure1) ## Eye for Film — Stephen Carty Fi1m's normalised score 65/100 (inferred from the text). 13 June 2009. Carty finds the film stylish and better than routine action fare, but ultimately flawed by its confusing plot and restrained performances. He particularly praises Mann’s cinematography and urban visuals, while faulting the camerawork and lack of character interaction. [Read the review](https://www.eyeforfilm.co.uk/review/miami-vice-film-review-by-stephen-carty) ## The Skinny — Robbie Thomson Rating ★★. 13 September 2006. The review finds the remake formulaic and frustrating even as entertainment. It criticises the superficial romance, cheesy score, and unresolved ending. [Read the review](https://www.theskinny.co.uk/film/new-releases/miami-vice?amp=) --- © Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Our review: https://film.one/film/miami-vice-2006.md