With the release of the latest vampire flick Friday, one of the best movies of 2009 has been effectively thrown under the bus. "Bad Lieutenant: Port of Call New Orleans" is a truly edgy crime drama that is as compelling as it is offbeat.

Contrary to popular belief this film is not a remake of the 1992 arthouse cop flick "Bad Lieutenant" starring Harvey Keitel. Director Werner Herzog has refuted claims that his cop drama of the same name is a remake by stating that he knows of but never saw the original "Bad Lieutenant."

In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina Officer Terrence McDonagh (Nicolas Cage) takes it upon himself to save a stranded inmate who is neck deep in murky water. Following a few snide remarks about his designer underpants, McDonagh takes the plunge. He comes out of the floodwater a hero, with a new title and a broken back. Hoping to find a reprieve from pain the newly appointed lieutenant turns to any and every narcotic that he can get his hands on.

Juggling his many addictions while trying to convict a drug kingpin for the murder of a family of illegal immigrants, McDonagh embarks on a drug-addled odyssey that is as absurd as it mesmerizing.

Cage comes into his own as McDonagh. Motivated by both his job and his many questionable habits, this character redefines the anti-hero. Essentially Dirty Harry on crack, McDonagh barrels into a downward spiral that is insanely entertaining. This .44 Magnum toting cop takes a liberal approach to interrogation and negotiation with one eye fixed on catching the criminal and the other looking toward scoring his next fix.

Cage captivates. As a high-functioning addict, Cage brings a sense of humor to an otherwise serious role that makes "Bad Lieutenant" much more than a commentary on drug culture. Cage's ability to capitalize on circumstantial comedy is absolutely uncanny.

Werner Herzog mixes maniacal humor with head-trip visuals to produce an entrancingly dark drama. The gritty landscape of post-Katrina New Orleans is the perfect complement to an equally demoralized cast of characters. The broken and battered parallel that is drawn between this film's dysfunctional characters and the harsh realities of their environment provides an amazing backdrop to an altogether unpredictable plot.

'Bad Lieutenant'

CAST: Nicolas Cage, Eva Mendes, Val Kilmer

DIRECTOR: Werner Herzog

RATED:Rated R for drug use and language throughout, some violence and sexuality

4 stars out of 5