Heat (1995)

Powerful

This movie was so-so. It had it's moments, but wasn't the greatest.

Let me be very fair here, this is not the best movie in my opinion. But, this movie is fun, it has purpose and is very enjoyable to watch.

I enjoyed watching this film and would recommend other to give it a try , (as I am) but this movie, although enjoyable to watch due to the better than average acting fails to add anything new to its storyline that is all too familiar to these types of movies.

With Robert Dinero, Al Pachino, Jon Voight and Val Kilmer headlining this movie, Heat is an intense police crime drama which capitalizes on its great screenplay, acting, production and directing. Many police dramas, particularly those of this era, have well developed story lines which fully engage the viewer in the main plot as well as the lives of the main characters. Although, at its core, Heat is a cops and robbers movie, what makes it special is the intensity of the dysfunctional personal relationships which Pachino, Dinero and Kilmer have with the women in their lives, and the cat and mouse game play between Pachino, the L.A. Police Lieutenant brining the "heat" to Dinero and his team of technically proficient and professional bank robbers. The movie starts, not with a bank heist, but with the heist of bearer bonds from an armored car which results in the death of three guards raising the stakes of the crime from that of armed robbery to homicide for all parties concerned and putting Pachino on their trail. But less about bank robbing and more about the lives of Dinero and Pachino, one of the movies high drama points is when their cat and mouse game results in their meeting over a cup of coffee in a diner. During this meetin Pachino recounts Dinero's criminal resume and stays in the penitentiary, to which Dinero states that he's, "not going back." The two also speak candidly about what they each do in terms of chosen professions and how neither of them lives the regular life of "barbeques and ball games," and healthy relationship, and that this is the life they prefer. During this meeting the men share common perspectives on how they feel about what they do, and what they will have to do, even to each other, if it comes to that point. And we know, this point is coming. This scene demonstrates just how good these actors have perfected their crafts, as they convince the viewer that adversaries can have mutual respect for one another. Heat follows the same pattern of many movies of this type, where we know how this is going to end - in the game of cops and robbers, the cops always win, and the robbers always make mistakes, errors in judgement and betray each other for any number of reasons. In the law and order aspect of the film there are casualties on both sides. But it is the casualties, drama and betrayal in the personal lives of the characters which keeps us glued to our seats. As the movie reaches a climax, we see the wreckage coming. Pachino is in pursuit, even as his wife cheats on him and his step daughter attempts to commit suicide. Kilmer's wife seeks to sell him out to the LAPD, and changes her mind, and Dinero who in the process of escaping with his love interest must make a detour to kill one last person who betrayed him. This unplanned, undisciplined reckless and impulsive act we know will lead to Dinero's undoing, as his execution results in police, fire descending upon his location and him leaving the scene of foot with his love interest watching him take off. The closing scene is a foot chase between cop and robber as Dinero attempts to get to the airport to make meet his connection and make his getaway. The airport scene is unremarkable, as the chase ends with Pachino shooting Dinero. As Dinero lay dying on the ground, Pachino grabs Dinero's hand as Dinero tells him, "I told you I'm not going back," to which Pachino replies, "yeah." If you like classic crime dramas, without all the special effects, shiny objects, stunts and computer graphics, "Heat" is for you. Make no mistake about it. As entertaining as "Heat" is it is a film of human tragedy. It is the wreckage of human relationships where women pay a significant price for loving the men that they love. It is hard not to feel a women's pain as it front and center in almost every interaction.

Michael Mann's Heat brings together both De Niro and Pacino. As if this in itself wasn't enough to warrant a watch it contains some of the finest gun shootouts ever committed to film. The bank robbery scene inspired a real robbery and even the opener of The Dark Knight(as confirmed by Nolan). This is Michael Mans's Los Angeles- incredibly stylish full of thieves and mules wearing suits and ray bans. The film's status has only grown with time and it represents the apogee of action films, in my opinion. Although overlong the pacing is excellent and you can't help but be engrossed. Watch it for Michael Mann- one of the most underrated filmmakers out there.

Best dialogue scenario I ever seen in the films. Especially the last meeting between the two competitors.

Easily the best assembled cast for a NON Blockbuster, and the best action/drama/crime movie ever made. I have held this opinion for 23 years and counting. De Niro, Pacino, Kilmer, Voight, Judd, Azaria, Rollins, Portman, Brenneman and Sizemore in career defining performances... The camera work is tight, the sound and photography often haunting. The characters will make you love and hate them as you agonizingly get pulled in each direction as the complex web of the story progresses. The action especially the violence, robberies and gun fights are so intense and riveting you cant help but be on the edge of your seat until the final minute with an ending that will make critics and fans alike gasp and compare ALL crime movies to this one from here on in. Possibly my 1# of all time for Drama/Crime category.