Heat : A Los Angeles Crime Saga (1995)

Having developed his skill as a master of contemporary crime drama, writer-director Michael Mann displayed every aspect of that mastery in this intelligent, character-driven thriller from 1995, which also marked the first onscreen pairing of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. The two great actors had played father and son in the separate time periods of The Godfather, Part II, but this was the first film in which the pair appeared together, and although their only scene together is brief, it's the riveting fulcrum of this high-tech cops-and-robbers scenario. De Niro plays a master thief with highly skilled partners (Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore) whose latest heist draws the attention of Pacino, playing a seasoned Los Angeles detective whose investigation reveals that cop and criminal lead similar lives. Both are so devoted to their professions that their personal lives are a disaster. Pacino's with a wife (Diane Venora) who cheats to avoid the reality of their desolate marriage; De Niro pays the price for a life with no outside connections; and Kilmer's wife (Ashley Judd) has all but given up hope that her husband will quit his criminal career. These are men obsessed, and as De Niro and Pacino know, they'll both do whatever's necessary to bring the other down. Mann's brilliant screenplay explores these personal obsessions and sacrifices with absorbing insight, and the tension mounts with some of the most riveting action sequences ever filmed--most notably a daylight siege that turns downtown Los Angeles into a virtual war zone of automatic gunfire. At nearly three hours, the film qualifies as a kind of intimate epic, certain to leave some viewers impatiently waiting for more action, but it's all part of Mann's compelling strategy. Heat is a true rarity: a crime thriller with equal measures of intense excitement and dramatic depth, giving De Niro and Pacino a prime showcase for their finely matched talents. --Jeff Shannon Amazon.com essential video

Containing one of the best shooting scenes I've ever seen!

It contains one of the best shooting scenes I've ever seen! This scene is worth the whole movie. However, the last half is dragging and boring. The acting is interesting.

It's definitely worth watching once. October 5, 2008

One of the best films of all time-stellar visuals, and performances!

This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Al Pacino and Robert Dinero absolutely SIZZLE in this film. Michael Mann adds his brand of visual seduction, as the film's "blue" look and atmospheric music and scenes add a spectacular feel to this film. The "cat and mouse" game is complicated by the fact that we learn about the personal lives of all lead characters, and it truly allows you to "cheer for the bad guy". The movie, minute by minute, is one of the best crime sagas ever created. Fanastic cinema, highly recommended! September 30, 2008

Mediocre

The film, much hyped for the first onscreen meeting of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, opens with an only in Hollywood heist of an armored bank truck. The newest member of the gang- Waingro (Kevin Gage)- panics, which results in the murder of the 3 guards. De Niro's character, Neil McCauley, the gang's leader, attempts to kill the screw up, but he escapes. Meanwhile, Vincent Hanna (Pacino), LAPD homicide expert, takes over the case. Needless digressions include Hanna's failing marriage with his faithless wife Justine (Diane Venora) & suicidal stepdaughter (Natalie Portman), Waingroe's revelation as a serial killer of prostitutes, McCauley's contrived and sparkless romance with a lonely bookworm 25 years his junior, Eady (Amy Brenneman), & the backstory of the newest member of the gang. If the long and superfluous digressions are not bad enough, the implausible action scenes & character interactions are worse- this is an absolutely abominable screenplay, folks. Here are just some of the implausibilities: after figuring out that McCauley's thieves have turned the tables on him Hanna stops McCauley, who absurdly agrees to a cup of joe with him. This is the big `Clash of Titans' the film hypes, but is as realistic as John Ashcroft breaking bread with Osama bin Laden. Instead, we get insipid dick on the table banter as Hanna warns McCauley he just might have to `take him out'. McCauley counters, `Oh yeah? I just might have to take you out.' It would have been a hoot had McCauley replied, `You talkin' to me?', but no such luck.... In short, Heat is a mediocre movie at best- its visual style accounting for whatever props it deserves. It was only 2 years later that the brilliant L.A. Confidential came along & showed America what a truly great crime film could be. As for the DVD itself? It's no-frills- there's no commentary, 3 trailers, but the actual transfer of the film print is very clean, as is the sound quality. Curiously, the DVD package seems to recapitulate the making of the film: great attention paid to the shine, but a fairly hollow core.
I waited years to see this film because it was so overhyped, just like I waited years to see the abominable Schindler's List. Heat is not that bad, but post-9/11 this sort of juvenilia all seems kind of unreal.
September 25, 2008

Best Mann movie

Heat is a rare masterpiece. Mann tells his stories in such a unique and captivating manner. Heat is a movie with a somewhat implausible storyline, that is told with incredible realism. Every event in this movie is shown with such detail and with such a realistic, "in your face" feel, that every one of it's 3 hrs is intriguing. Maybe this is just one of those movies that only select few are going to enjoy, but I think it's incredible, with excellent performances by Pacino, de Niro, and a young Portman. (alright, her performance isn't anything special, but she is.) Each actor shows us a unique and believable individual, which is what should happen. At the very least, the shootout in L.A. is one of the best of it's kind in any movie, at least that I've seen. These are my thoughts on one of the best movies ever made. August 23, 2008

Heat is truly epic

The coffee shop scene tells everything about this film. The human side of the characters is perfectly explored, especially concerning De Niro's character (Neil). His personal conflicts are as strong as his determination and skills as a gangster. This is the magic of this film and only two fantastic actors like Pacino and De Niro could represent it so totally. Congratulations to Val Kilmer that shined and performed exceptionally well under the huge shadow of Pacino and De Niro. "Heat" carries with it the moral values so many of us take for granted. Although much in the film is morally ambiguous, one may find that even when all your life you've lived on the other side of the law, you can still settle down and have a heart-to-heart. When I first saw this movie I was sure it would be another violent crime movie that I would never want to see again. I have since seen it 4 times and have this DVD of my own. The thrilling sequences and brilliant camera-work have you glued to the screen. The exceptional cast of characters has you wondering "who could be so lucky to work with them?". From the opening scene to the thrilling final scenes and everything in between (including the climax) "Heat" grabs you and pulls you in. This is a true film masterpiece. A must see ! August 20, 2008

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