MOVIE REVIEW FRIDAY!
Over the next few Fridays, we’re diving into some comic book movies from the 90s — a totally underrated time for these kinds of films!
First up: Dick Tracy (1990), directed by and starring Warren Beatty. This one is seriously one of the most unique-looking comic book movies ever made. It doesn’t try to make things modern or gritty. Instead, it goes all-in on the loud colors, crazy villains, and old-school comic strip vibes. With a jazzy Danny Elfman score and wild makeup, Dick Tracy is weird, stylish, and totally its own thing.
Story – 7.2 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
The movie follows detective Dick Tracy (Warren Beatty) as he tries to take down mob boss Big Boy Caprice (Al Pacino) and a bunch of over-the-top gangsters.
It’s a pretty classic crime story — lots of mob stuff, double-crosses, and sneaky deals — but what makes it stand out is the way it looks. The whole thing feels like a cartoon brought to life, in the best way. The story moves along fine, though it can get a little messy with so many side characters popping in and out.
Monsters/Villains – 7.8 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
There aren’t actual monsters in this movie, but the bad guys definitely look like monsters. The makeup is wild — rubbery, exaggerated, and straight out of the original Chester Gould comic strip.
Al Pacino goes totally over the top as Big Boy Caprice. He yells, growls, and chews up every scene he’s in — but somehow, it works! Other villains like Flattop, Pruneface, and Mumbles (played by Dustin Hoffman) all make the movie feel full of character. They don’t have a ton of depth, but they’re a blast to watch.
Actors/Characters – 8.3 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
Warren Beatty plays Dick Tracy as the classic straight-shooting detective — which fits perfectly in this wild world of cartoonish criminals.
Al Pacino is the standout, though. He’s loud, creepy, and hilarious all at once. The cast is full of fun cameos too: James Caan, Kathy Bates, Dick Van Dyke, and more. Madonna also plays lounge singer Breathless Mahoney and adds a cool noir vibe to the mix.
JOE SCORE– 7.6 🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖🤖
Dick Tracy (1990) is more about style than story — and that’s not a bad thing. It’s bright, bold, and looks like the comic strip come to life. The music, makeup, and performances make it a fun watch, even if the plot doesn’t blow you away.
OVERALL- 7.72
🕵️♂️💥
The Exorcist (9.25)
Psycho (9.22)
Abbott & Costello Meet Frankenstein (9.0)
Silence of the lambs (9.0)
REAR WINDOW (8.8)
Ed Wood (8.78)
VERTIGO (8.65)
The Omen (1976) (8.45)
The Creature from the Black Lagoon (8.42)
Salem’s Lot (8.4)
StranGERS on a TRAIN (8.35)
The Ghost & Mr Chicken (8.32)
It (2017) (8.3)
DIAL M FOR MURDER (8.3)
Rosemary’s Baby (8.28)
SINISTER (2012) (8.25)
The Mummy (1999) (8.12)
The Phantom of the Opera (1925) (8.08)
Texas Chainsaw Massacre (1974) (8.07)
THE MUMMY (1959) (8.0)
The Wolfman (1941) (7.98)
The Lost Boys (7.97)
DRACULA (1931) (7.85)
DICK TRACY (1990) (7.72)
The Thing (1982) (7.67)
The Fog (7.5)
Homicidal (7.12)
Halloween (1978) (6.65)
The Wolfman (2010) (6.25)
Ernest Scared Stupid (5.35)
Monster Squad (5.22)
