Heat

Michael Mann wrote and directed something I’ve been wanting to see for a long time. He showed us precisely the line separating good and evil and the entire movie balances on that thin line. It isn’t clear for a long time who is good. Is anybody? Or is everybody good in their own way? Al Pacino certainly doesn’t come across as a positive hero and the same goes for De Niro. Even so, you find yourself crossing your fingers for them and the ending is incredibly nerve racking. Plus the action and mainly the big shootout is so wonderfully raw that your eyes are glued to the screen. If he manages to pull off something like it with Miami Vice, it’ll be Christmas in the summertime for me. (20/06/2006)

As much as I didn't think Michael Mann was that great in Miami Vice and Collateral, I liked him 100% from the start, and although I was very skeptical about the three-hour running time, after a few minutes I knew it would be good. It's hard to pick just one aspect of the film, because Heat scores in almost all of them. The characters are fleshed out, we learn a lot about their families and overall backstory, so we as viewers get a decent foundation around which to build our emotions throughout and actually understand everyone involved and their motivations, both from the detectives and the robbers. Not to mention, all this filmmaking around the individual characters is pretty meaningful scenes and fills the runtime decently instead of the boring filler that is seen in today's output. In terms of acting, the film is uncompromising. Robert De Niro is excellent, Al Pacino fits the role of the detective beautifully, and Val Kilmer is my new favorite because he's an actor with a unique look, facial expressions, and charisma. The film oozes authenticity, the characters are written and acted excellently, we understand all their motivations and thoughts, and the action is decent too, which hints at the only problem I had with the film. I found the last hour to be a bit of a "finisher" that skimps on action and suspense, but rather just tries to draw out the climax of the relationship between the main characters and create a final impression, which is a shame because if they had gone one better with more action, a bigger shootout or a robbery, I would have had nothing to object to. All in all, though, this is a very good film that had no competition in the genre even then, and I think it would be pretty hard to find even today – Mann just showed that this is what he's good at, and Heat is a full-on action entertainer that doesn't fall short on any level. (13/08/2021)

An unassuming action crime film that delves into the psyche of the characters down to the smallest detail, giving strong meaning to even the smallest scene and allowing the tension to build to unbelievable levels. And who do you root for? With a persistent shiver down my spine, perhaps both of them. The moment when Neil sees Vincent approaching on the sidewalk is a bombshell that had me trembling with anticipation throughout the second half. Heat is the first open victory of Michael Mann's civilian form and enduring sense of immediate interaction with the plot. I gotta hold on to my angst. I preserve it because I need it. It keeps me sharp, on the edge, where I gotta be. (07/02/2006)

A three-hour gem full of star actors! Few people can make a film that is so kinetic, energetic, desperate, riveting, blunt and brilliant with such a simple story. Al Pacino, Robert De Niro and Val Kilmer give perhaps the best acting performances of their careers. However, it is disappointing to see a very overlong running time and insufficient space for the female cast – Ashley Judd and little Natalie Portman – but I am satisfied. A solid olds-chool flick. 80%. (18/02/2014)

A thrilling film where I didn’t mind the excessive runtime. De Niro and Al Pacino are reunited in a movie after a long time and it's worth it. A brilliant mix of action and a kind of subtly psychological portrait of two standing on the opposite side of the law, but who have respect for each other and something in common. Some passages are based on real events, e.g. the pivotal scene of DeNiro and Pacino's conversation in the restaurant actually happened. Heat is one of the best films of the 1990s. (11/05/2003)