Heat

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%. (02/18/2014)

Heat is three hours full of genre joy. It may seem a bit dated now, and the original Michael Mann script is from 1979 and the events that inspired it are of course even older. The first endeavor was supposed to be a series, which remained at the pilot - L.A. Takedown. Nevertheless, even with that 90s look, it is still a first-class acting showcase by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. There are solid performances even in the supporting roles, especially Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd and the young Natalie Portman. Heat has several peaks, the opulent shootout comes after two hours as the climax of the first act, surprisingly fitting into the second act is also a very well-written romance and a family drama of epic proportions. A surprisingly solid experience. (03/31/2024)

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. (06/20/2006)

When you put Robert De Niro and Al Pacino in the same movie, it's basically impossible for that combination not to work. Both of them are actors par excellence, as demonstrated by this film, which allows them to excel both in action and in acting. Michael Mann has made a film that has drive, even at three hours long, and has interesting characters on all fronts. (03/17/2016)

A film that redefined the genre of modern detective stories. A film that pitted actors considered among the greatest in the history of cinema against each other. A film that etched itself into history with the most realistically portrayed shootout (one that will never be erased). Indeed, Heat excelled in many ways. As a fan of crime films, I regret that today’s filmmakers don’t devote the same passion to similar genre pieces as they did in the past. If Heat were made, say, 20 years later, I believe it would have been trimmed by about an hour and the creators would have tried to amplify everything. However, it’s the gradually building pace with excellently written dialogue scenes that captivated me in Heat. Overall, the film doesn’t rush, which artistically elevates it even more. Michael Mann is a professional in every respect; few filmmakers can retell a seemingly linear story as masterfully as he does. His camera cuts and precise direction give the film an air of craft perfection. Add to that the divine cast (in crime films, no villain has ever matched the quality of the protagonist; Robert De Niro's character is unmatched in charisma). And the action is top-notch, with the shootout being the cherry on top. It's a pity I couldn’t experience that loud sequence in a movie theater, as it must have been quite the event. And the ending, where the audience sees how the two central characters respected each other, is an experience that won’t be repeated. A masterpiece. I give it 93%. (08/24/2020)