So underrated

Because it isn't.

It's a masterpiece in that it was a piece made by a master, sure. Actually, I do think this movie is underrated and the hate seems to be come from people who can't let go of what they wanted to see. Miami Vice 2006 was a radical film when it came out, especially the style.

The best point of comparison I can think of is Scarface ('83). The critics hated it, but it made lots of money and became a cult movie. Years later, it was acknowledged as culturally and esthetically significant by film lovers. Miami Vice ('06) is getting there, slowly. Both movies told it "like it is" (from the filmmaker's perspective) in the Miami scene, and people thought they were exaggerating. They weren't, and the filmmakers involved (De Palma, Mann) are some of our best and brightest.

Miami Vice is definitely a better film than it's reputation suggests, but I would stop short of calling it a great movie. Same with Scarface. Good movies, and important movies culturally and esthetically, but not the best that cinema has to offer.

I am so with you on this!
Just some rugged Michael Mann film making.....
I wish they did the sequel continuing on with the many story arcs (i.e. Trudy's recovery; the pimp they let go in the beginning of the movie).

Not that I am a sucker for sequels, but I just love these characters (and the actors playing them) and most importantly, I trust Mann to make an original one....

I agree!

As I remember they threw away whatever it was that made the TV series so watchable and produced a generic cop buddies, medium-octane, bog-standard thriller.

I think I would have liked this movie if I didn't worship the tv series. I still watch it regularly.

No its not that hard to understand. It wasnt an extension of the television series plain and simple. It was a very good film but it traded off the previously established tv series which was a big disappointment for most. I personally loved it but I can also understand the failure. I think the biggest failure was in the marketing. They should have been honest and said it was a reimagining of the source material. It was a very extreme departure from the series and expectations. But it was also a very strong lesson as to why they do not like to stray from the familiar. For those that love originality and difference here is the lesson. If you want to make money you need to do the same thing as before. Otherwise you will be rejected, just like this was. That being said I love this film and I think its MM’s best picture.