User Reviews

The first thing to say about PUBLIC ENEMY is that it's made with virtually no budget whatsoever - just a small group of "actors" along with a camcorder for some on-the-street action. The second thing to say is that it's actually a LOT better than many similar independent movies, mainly because it feels like a proper movie for once. There's a fast-moving plot, plenty of action, a situation for the protagonist that the viewer can identify with - a typical "wronged man" story of the kind so beloved by Hitchcock - and these virtues help to outweigh the usual problems with indie film-making. Yes, the acting is wooden, the whole thing looks very cheap and very grainy, and some of the SFX (that explosion, for instance) are laughable. But this is one of those rare beasts, a no budget film that tries very hard to succeed, and as such it's far better than expected.