Sergeant Terence McDonagh is not a great cop but when he rescues a prisoner from a flooded cell in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina he is decorated and promoted to lieutenant. He is also prescribed pain killers to help with a back injury sustained at the time. Six months later he is taking more than prescription drugs. As well as taking various illegal substances he has increasing gambling debts and is in a relationship with a prostitute named Frankie.

When five illegal immigrants, including children, are murdered in an apparently drug related case he is put in charge of catching those responsible. His methods are definitely unconventional... and sometimes unconstitutional. He also appears to be as keen to get more drugs as to solve the case. Along the way he crosses some very dangerous characters who are a threat to him and those around him.

I really enjoyed this film; it is delightfully over the top at times. Nicolas Cage is on great form as McDonagh; he gives a manic performance that makes it easy to believe that his characters is on something. He really carries the film. The rest of the cast is solid too; Eva Mendes impresses as Frankie and Fairuza Balk was fun as McDonagh's traffic cop friend despite her relatively short appearance. Director Werner Herzog keeps the story moving at a good pace and while occasionally things get surreal he never lets things tip over the being pretentious... I even liked the lizards! Overall I'd definitely recommend this to fans of cop dramas looking for something very different; it may not be to everybody's taste but it worked for me providing a good central story and more laughs than expected.

In the aftermath of the Katrina, in New Orleans, Sergeant Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) has a severe damage in his column rescuing a prisoner in the flooded jail. He becomes addicted in painkillers and cocaine to relief his incurable pain and is promoted to lieutenant. When an African family of smalltime drug dealers and their two children are executed, the abusive Terence is assigned to be in charge of the investigation. He depends on the testimony of a reluctant fifteen year- old boy that had witnessed the crime to open a case against the powerful drug lord Big Fate (Alvin 'Xzibit' Joiner); however the teenager escapes from his custody to England and Big Fate is released. The frantic drug and gambler addicted lieutenant seeks illegal means to get drugs for him and for his girlfriend prostitute Frankie Donnenfeld (Eva Mendes) and to pay his increasing debts. Despite the surveillance of the internal affairs, he associates to Big Fate and his gang providing inside information about apprehension and shipment of drugs and living his life on the edge.

"The Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call - New Orleans" is a different feature of Werner Herzog that seems to be inspired in David Lynch and uses black-humor in an engaging detective story. The visuals of Terence, seeing iguanas and a dancing soul under effect of drugs, are memorable. Nicolas Cage has a magnificent performance in the role of a delusional and mentally unbalanced disturbed detective with unpredictable reactions. Eva Mendes is extremely beautiful and sexy and has also great performance. Val Kilmer has a minor participation in the role of Terence's partner. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "Vício Frenético" ("Frenetic Addiction")

After Katrina, police sergeant Terence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) finds a prisoner trapped in rising waters and makes fun of him. He relents and rescues him but he gets a permanent back injury in the process. He is promoted to lieutenant. His Vicodin regiment leaves him addicted. Six months later, he and Stevie Pruit (Val Kilmer) are investigating the murder of an illegal family who are small time drug dealers. His girlfriend Frankie Donnenfeld (Eva Mendes) is a drug addicted prostitute. Officer Mundt tells him that he can't steal drugs for him anymore because cameras are being installed. He robs people of their drugs and willing to break any rules or laws.

It's a really fascinating character. However, the investigation gets second fiddle to this character. I find myself not following the case and unable to figure out the characters related to that. I almost want the case to be dropped. McDonagh can run around in circles while Pruit solves the case. The case simply meanders and I lose interest in the procedural. I got so bored with it that I stopped caring about the story. His personal demons are so much more interesting. I'm also fine with Cage's overacting. His character has a reason to be hyper-crazed unlike some of his other roles.