Heat Reviews

A Classic

This film is undoubtedly a modern classic. Dark, violent & stylish. As usual, with Pacino on screen there's enough ham to terrify a boat load of vegetarians.

For me the only thing that stops this being the perfect crime noir film is the Hollywood ending. The bad must ultimately fall & good must triumph, you know they can't allow the bad guy to escape but the final showdown just didn't seem to belong in this film.

Surprisingly Well Done

I must state at the beginning of this that I am not really partial to action/thriller movies that were filmed in the mid 90s. I find that they are often trite with contrived plots and date very badly. So when I saw this movie it came as a very pleasent surprise.

"Heat" is beautifully shot with an eye for understatement which is conspicuously absent from most action movies. Michael Mann uses silence to great effect and this gives the whole film a unique feel and a strange tension that would have been ruined by an overbearing "actiony" score. The performances are also top notch from nearly all the principal and supporting actors. DeNiro and Pacino once again prove why they are revered throughout the acting community.

If this film has some weak moments they surely come when there are a few very stiffly acted romance sequences between Robert DeNiro and Amy Brennemen. That however is a small scrtch on what is otherwise a stirring and engaging crime thriller. This will not change your outlook on life but it is a very solid night's entertainment.

Power & Tension

This was one of the first DVDs I watched and is still one of the best films I have ever seen.

The pairing of Pacino and De Niro was well worth waiting for and the tension between them is obvious. Micheal Mann directs excellently and all the characters are well crafted. The legendary shoot-out is awesome and is one of the few occasions the DVD chapter selection is useful!

Watch!

Gritty but no masterpiece

Just to see De Niro and Pacino together on the same screen is a good reason for seeing this film. But it is also thoughtful, violent and dark. Tense is not really the word to describe it as at moments you are about ready to claw your own scalp off. The shoot-out in the middle of the film is good but loses it's quality by being dragged on doubly as long as was necessary. Gritty film but no Masterpiece.

One of the best films of the 90s

This is a favourite of mine. Like all great films, this has some very memorable moments, such as the bank heist, and in particular, the mesmerizing scene between Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro.

It is one of those films, just like 'The Godfather' or 'Casablanca' that just gets better every time you watch it. I believe that 'Heat' is initially very inaccessible, because it is so realistic and un-patronizing. The cops talk in cop language and the robbers talk in robber language - so it takes a good two or three viewings to understand everything. I thoroughly advise you do.

When you first watch it, you might admire it but pass it as slow or even boring. When you watch it several times, it will be one of the most rewarding films you'll ever see.

One for the chicks as well as the guys

This is one of the few thrillers that I just cannot get enough of. I found the editing perfect: seamless but still gritty, a tensely sustained balance between the two sides of the equation, with the subplots expertly woven in and out of the main force of the film. Every time I see it I look for weaknesses or overlong pauses, but the pace is relentless and perfectly timed at every turn. Pacino and De Niro turn in classical performances as you'd expect, and De Niro's line about never getting involved with someone that you can't turn your back on in 5 minutes flat has now become part of many people's relationship vocabulary. This film has cookies for both guys & girls - action, character, intelligence and suspense both in the relationship and political realms. Even the supporting actresses defy typecasting (unlike your typical action heroes' vulnerable & fluffy wives with baby.)

Loved this film to bits .... co starring the top ten actors together (Ronin) (Robert De Niro) and the very perdictable (Al Pacino) and batan star (Val Kilmer) the story starts when Heists begin in the city created by De niro and Kilmer ....al Pacino is having wife problems and plays a tough as boots cop tracking crews whom work the city .. needless to say the explosive action that follows as the hunted becomes the hunted and the cat and mouse game begins with neither of them backing down ... good scene play and acting on all levels one top class film

Pacino and De Niro lock horns in epic battle

Michael Mann's masterpiece and, with Miami Vice, the work of art he will be remembered for. Using a cool, steely aesthetic in Heat that can be recognised in his eponymous TV cop series, Mann pulled off the ultimate coup in persuading the world's best actors, Al Pacino and Robert de Niro, to classically pit their heavyweight frames against each other. To Mann's credit, he does not waste the mass of talent on offer to him, as Heat's complex structure and suspense are deftly handled. Not to mention some of the best action scenes in living memory. This film has so many memorable confrontations that iconic images spring out of your mind long after this film has finished.

My favourite film

This film is absolutely brilliant especially if you are a Michael Mann fan as he directs the film beautifully and handles the action, the actors and the music so well. Having De Niro and Pacino in the same film is class but the supporting cast do their bit too. I have watched this film so many times and will continue to watch it because it has class and although it is long there are not any boring scenes and should definitely be watched

overlooked perfection

Anyone giving this less than maximum stars should give this film a second look. Mann has succeeded in producing a modern classic. I'm ashamed it's taken me nearly ten years to recognise it's brilliance. All the elements are there. Tight script. Strong cast. Characterisation. Performances (Even Val Kilmer shows he can act) Soundtrack. Cinematography. This film should get the credit it deserves.