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)

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)

A very decent, significantly above-average action crime film, which narrowly missed out on earning five stars. Charismatic characters, a thrilling story with intense scenes and unexpected twists, and an excellent cast led by Al Pacino and Robert De Niro with the corresponding performances. Unlike many genre-related films, Heat stands out with a decent script that reveals and develops the psychology of its characters. The wild shootout during the bank heist is a premature climax of the film. What bothered me was the ending, where the experienced gang leader McCauley makes a rookie mistake completely contrary to the thinking and actions of his character. Overall impression: 85%. (08/17/2008)

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. (02/07/2006)

I love this. A famously created script that does not divide good and evil. The antipodes have the greatest understanding for each other, and the viewer does not necessarily take a stand based on morality and incompatible principles. Two demonic outcasts, completely committed to their mission. Coincidentally, they are aiming weapons at each other. Mann carries the film with his precise directing, which has an incredibly captivating pace and timing of dramatic climaxes. The final scene is minimalist, brilliant. A precisely tuned soundtrack. Perfect cast in every detail and the appropriate acting performances. Everything works: the action, the psychology, and the plot. If you want a good crime drama, this is it. (08/26/2008)