My life's a disaster zone. I got a stepdaughter so fucked up because her real father's this large-type asshole. I got a wife, we're passing each other on the down-slope of a marriage - my third - because I spend all my time chasing guys like you around the block. That's my life.
Neil McCauley: A guy told me one time, "Don't let yourself get attached to anything you are not willing to walk out on in 30 seconds flat if you feel the heat around the corner." Now, if you're on me and you gotta move when I move, how do you expect to keep a... a marriage?
"
Pacino and De Niro
First of all I will say this is one of the best crime dramas ever made.
You have Al Pacino and Robert De Niro in one screen with pretty good suporting cast and a novel like writing probably one of the best in the genre directed by Michael Mann,who is like a God in this genre.
I have to say I wasn't impressed with Mann until this.And I have to say this is the film that everyone will always remember him for.He is been improved so much.With HEAT, Mann reached peak level. This is a film that will go down in history.But Heat will give future generations a example of what the world and life _disabled was like in the 1990's.The cinematography was amazing,Mann did a fabulous job by shooting the film on the actual streets of L.A. The film shows the dark and gritty world where we are use to the palm trees and beaches. Mann's L.A. has some fancy art deco buildings mixed in with decaying buildings.If anyone wants to know what L.A. really looks like, this is the perfect film that shows the viewer the real world of L.A. There's the brilliant plot.But his screenplay was like a novel with a pulse the dialog was well written and the character development was beautiful I mean every person in that movie had everything in a chain circle and the way he made you have a felling towards Lt. Vincent Hanna (AL Pacino) and Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro)it wasn't like I was meant to favor one better then the other instead I learned what it was like to live both life's and what the pro's and con's are.
Al Pacino the one of the best actors in this face of the earth,he is the master,he did it again.This is the man when he talked to you,you knew he meant it when he was with his Wife, his co-workers, even with De Niro stand in.I mean this man was on the ball and he knew how to deliver expression with the lines.
Robert De Niro is an other actor who I think goes to the same league as Pacino.The league is Hollywood Legends. When I saw De Niro come off that train in the intro I knew he meant business and he didn't have no born to lose tattoo to his chest. I mean his performance was right on the ball including when he talked to his pal's people and even Pacino's stand in. They were both solid actor's with a solid script and director.
Let me tell you some what that one scene with De Niro and Pacino was like noting to describe it was perfect each person told about them self s and said to each other plain and simple this is what I do and this is how I plain to do it and nothing is going to come in my way no matter what.No mind blowing huge explosions or endless high speed chases, but real action. This movie gives you an impression about how simple and complicated real "jobs" can be. It just happens and you feel like your walking in that very same street, watching the whole thing while it happens in front of your eyes.
That is the greatness of this movie. It feels real, both the action and the complex characters. It is not the regular good-guy-nails-bad-guy-flick. Both sides are figuring out the antagonist's next move and the spectator is caught in the atmosphere of mixed feelings: respect for the other side, both cop and gangster admire each other, but there both hardliners. No time for emotion, and yet there's a continuously glowing heat in their interaction, something that's reflected in their personal lives, the way they handle their private life.
Mann's artful direction has the film straddling the line between action masterpiece and great emotional human drama.
Simply a breathtaking.
A Masterpiece....
The following will reveal the story
Neil McCauley is a thief... an expert thief... one of the best. His philosophy in life - become attached to nothing in life that you can't walk away from in 30 seconds if you spot the "Heat" around the corner. His crew of criminals is a high-tech outfit pulling off professional jobs that impress even the likes of Detective Vincent Hanna. But Hanna, a man driven through life only by his work, becomes obsessed, at the expense of his private life, with bringing McCauley down. As McCauley's crew prepare for the score of a lifetime, and Hanna's team tries to bring him in, the two find that they are challenged by the greatest minds on the opposite side of the law that either one has ever encountered.
A Crime Saga That Will Go Down To A History.
Mann made his masterpiece..
"Vincent Hanna:
You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down.
Neil McCauley:
There is a flip side to that coin. What if you do got me boxed in and I gotta put you down? Cause no matter what, you will not get in my way. We've been face to face, yeah. But I will not hesitate. Not for a second. "
I love everything about this movie. Great characters, acting, story, action sequences and direction. I love how Mann's movies leave you exhausted but wanting more. Not many movie makers can do that.
Star-studded cast. Great story. Then we have the age old debate of Pacino vs. De Niro. I can say that I side with De Niro every time. I just want to slap the hell out of Pacino every time he gets excited. He constantly has his eyes bugged out and lunges at the screen. That gets old. De Niro says so much more with body language and attitude. Pacino is a pushover. I'll admit that he has been in some good movies and a very talented actor, but De Niro is way better. Nice support by Tom Sizemore, Val Kilmer, and even Danny Trejo. Then you see people like Jerry Trimble, William Fichtner, Tone Loc, and all these other low profile peope popping up. Jeremy Piven even. Michael Mann is a very talented director. The movie does get a bit slow when they attempt to add in more of Pacino's characters personal life. I get the point that they are all criminals but try to hold on to a semi-normal life on the side. Don't let anything I say hinder your thoughts on watching this movie. It is truly great.
A film that oozes class out of every frame. A character driven thriller that is handled intelligently, looks fabulous and treats it's audience as adults.
Checking this out again recently I was taken back by it's supporting cast. Sizemore, Trejo, Piven, Azaria, Fichtner, Portman, Haysbert, Kilmer etc. The cast is filled to the brim with excellent players. Chuck in Al and Bobby with Mann calling the shots and you have something pretty special which holds up even now.
In terms of the action sequences, clearly, the bank robbery and it's aftermath are the standouts, even now it is hard to think of another flick that has approached the level pf greatness that Mann has acheived here. The story is what makes this for me though. Following these guys around with the codes that they follow (and start to break) and the way that the seperate strands of the story are pulled together so coherently, I find it a fascinating watch.
Al and Bobby are great here. Al has numerous signature shouty moments which I'm all for whilst Bob underplays perfectly.
On top of this, the film's soundtrack is excellent, with some really choice tracks underscoring the visuals.
wow what a superb thriller movie...i think that micheal mann done a brilliant job of directing this brilliant crime thriller movie...i think that this has got a great cast of actors/actressess throughout this movie...i think that the director of this Mystery & Suspense movie had done a brilliant job of directing this movie because you never know what 2 expect throughout this movie n the final showdown between 2 of the greatest actors ever which are Al Pacino and robert DeNiro is brilliant
The story about a cop tracking down a crook might sound cliche, but 'Heat' is so much more than that. It's about the similarities between two men on opposite sides of the law, how dedicated they are at what they do, how their work means more to them than their women, how remarkably professional and how good they are at their jobs. They form a mutual and genuine respect for one another, and who could be more perfect at playing these characters than Al Pacino and Robert De Niro?
Michael Mann's cinematography is just as important to the film. He shoots silhouettes that symbolise isolation. He uses loud cracking gun-shots in the street shoot-out to create realism. That scene, the shoot-out, is one of the best executed action scenes ever. Watch Val Kilmer reload his weapon with preciseness. Or how even cops, and not just crooks, get shot while there is a gun battle.
This film is about choices. There is no black and white/right and wrong, just the decisions you make and the consequences that come from it. At times you cheer for De Niro's character rather than Pacino's. That is how Heat is.
Well I am updating this rating. Upgrading it to a 4 star. Pretty darn good movie actually, although even I found it a tad bit long, however... the story needed the time so I was glad to spend it. Good character development, good story, great cast. JOn Voight with long hair... I had forgotten about that. LOL What a kick. :) Thought Val was more of a badass in this one, but was fraught with tragic flaws. In fact all of the main characters had a tragic flaw. (Go shakespeare! ;)) Sorry I am rambling. Good movie, worth a watch.
Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro- two of the greatest actors of their (or any) generation, performing opposite one another for the first time on screen (the only other film that featured them both at the time, The Godfather part II, kept the two chronologically separated). That alone would probably have guaranteed interest in this film. But Heat is more than just the first time DeNiro and Pacino did a scene together, and it's more than just another run-of-the-mill cops and robbers crime thriller- this is some serious, heavy-yet-entertaining drama, which explores the more intimate notion of what it's like to live as a criminal or as a cop- lifestyles which, according to the film, are actually quite similar, in that both avocations lead to cold and distant relationships that never seem to work out... not to mention the high likelihood of getting shot while on the clock. The main characters of the film, a career criminal and the cop who's out to bring him down, are shown to be driven, intelligent men who stop at nothing to achieve their goals, who are both ruthless and cunning- they're two sides to the same coin, separated only by a minor shift in ideologies and strangely dependent on one another to justify their own existence. The film concerns Lt. Vincent Hanna, an LAPD detective who's called in to investigate a series of high-profile robberies, the work of career criminal Neil McCauley and his group of professional bank robbers. When Hanna starts to get wind of who's behind the thefts and McCauley realizes his group's been made, it becomes a tense battle of wits to see who can stay one step ahead of the other until they finally collide in an intense cat-and-mouse finale. Al Pacino plays our hero, Lt. Hanna, a man who sees the darkest side of urban life every day on the job, and as a result he erects an emotional barrier between himself and others that keeps anyone from getting to close, including his (third) wife Justine (Diane Venora) and her daughter Lauren (a fourteen-year-old Natalie Portman in her post-Léon, pre-Star Wars days). Pacino always tends to alternate between over- and underplaying his parts, and here he kind of does both, punctuating his cop dialogue with sudden, violent outbursts ("Because she's got a GREAT ASS!") and becoming a sort of larger than life (if a bit unsavory) personality while on the job, but playing the part of husband and stepfather with a less energetic, more bitter mentality; Hanna is only really alive when he's on the hunt for a criminal, but his obsessive desire to bring justice to the crimes he sees drains him of his soul, leaving him hollow and detached when he comes home to his wife and ultimately destroying his marriage. His devotion to his job is echoed powerfully by McCauley, who, played by Robert DeNiro, is a man who lives only for his profession, living by the credo that he shouldn't have anything in his life that he can't walk away from in 30 seconds or less; but when he meets a young woman named Eady and starts a relationship against his better instincts, he finds himself torn between the possibility for personal happiness and the strict code that he's set aside for himself. DeNiro brings to the part his signature charisma and intensity, crafting McCauley into a disciplined and unyielding man who is willing to kill at a moment's notice if necessary, and I would actually have to label this as the last of his really great performances before he started sliding into comedy and self-parody (well, either this or Ronin). The highlight of the film has to be the beautifully underplayed scene where Hanna and McCauley have coffee together in a small diner, talking about what they do for a living and sort of just shooting the shit. Surprisingly, they understand each other's problems and have a lot in common, and you get the idea that, were they two different people, they might have been good friends; underneath all that, though, there is a current of tension and suspense that runs through the scene as we see our hero and villain confront each other for the first time and make a respectful, civilized declaration of intent before the chaos finally erupts. Working with McCauley is Chris Shiherlis, ably portrayed by Val Kilmer. Chris needs the money from the scores he takes down to cover his bookies, which leads him to take unnecessary risks; his spouse Charlene (Ashley Judd, of all people) is sick of it, threatening to leave him and sleeping with another man behind Chris's back (Hank Azaria, of all people). For Chris, though, the sun rises and sets on her, and so he goes ahead with the big job McCauley orchestrates (despite the cops who are after them) in the hopes of squaring things at last and making up with Charlene; he represents the fears that McCauley harbors about getting involved with other people- a hardened criminal whose only vulnerable point is the woman he loves. The rest of the cast is a veritable who's-who of familiar faces: Jon Voight as McCauley's fence Nate, Tom Sizemore as accomplice Michael Cheritto, Danny Trejo as other accomplice (and aptly named) Trejo, Ted Levine as detective Bosco, William Fitchner as corrupt businessman Roger Van Zant, Kevin Gage as psycho loose-end Waingro, Henry Rollins as bodyguard Hugh Benny, Wes Studi as Detective Casals, Jeremy Piven as Dr. Bob- the list goes on and on. The script (written by director Michael Mann), while a really freaking long and complicated one, leaves no loose ends, tying the winding plot together by film's end (though it leaves a few of the resolutions intentionally ambiguous, such as what happens to Chris or whether Justine and Vincent stay together); the dialogue is crisp and authentic, never coming off as forced or clichéd (a big problem in crime films). The action is absolutely riveting, coming in a sudden, explosive crescendo after the litany of character and plot development, driving the film into high gear. While it may try the patience of some with its nearly three-hour long run time, I savored each minute of this film, taking it in like a fine wine. Heat is a brilliant film, perfectly encapsulating all that is great about crime thrillers (without resorting to using the Mafia, which I liked), bringing a star-filled cast to bear in the best way possible and creating a classic crime movie in the process. Of all the spectacular films they've ever appeared in, it's actually this one that made me really like both Pacino and DeNiro most; you have to admit, the two work well together.
A masterpiece. Astonishing, outstanding and breathtaking. Powerful, riveting and exhilerating. An undeiniable classic in it's own right. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro have never been better. Some of their finest work as actors. Which concludes in one awsome standoff. A stylish, crafty, edge of your seat action-packed thriller. It's a total powerhouse. Some of the most well crafted and spectacular gun fights ever produced. Director, Michael Mann creates a masterful film of characters, story and style. One of the best films of the 90's. A cool and character driven flick. Great, solid and hard boiled entertainment. A brilliant, compelling and electrifying crime story with clever dialouge and great set pieces. It dazzeling, sizzeling and unforgetable. It sets fire to screen at a breakneck pace and incrediable force.
One of two (soon three) movies with my 2 favourite actors in it. In this one, they are rivals, and you kinda sympathise with both men. The scene where they sit accross eachother in the diner and talk is just brilliant.
This is one of my favorite films. Heat is an ingenious crime sprawling epic crafted by Michael Mann, which in my opinion is his magnum opus. Heat at its core, is a cops and robber story like none other. This crime drama, a poetic-yet-gritty storytelling is elevated by the magnetic cast, the masterful cinematography and the brilliant staging of the action sequences.
The movie spans a little less than three hours but the pacing doesn't falter the entire films runtime. Heat is a movie that can be appreciated on subsequent viewings. There are many layers of detail that viewers will grasp and notice how intricately Mann has woven the story.
Both leads are solid in their roles. DeNiro, here plays a master criminal dealing in high stakes robbery. He is very disciplined, meticulous and ruthless. Pacino, on the other side of the same coin is an obsessive cop, who's edgy and passionate in his work. A high-stakes cat-an-mouse chase between the two characters culminates until the final showdown where only one can emerge in victory.
Part of what makes Heat interesting is the exposition on the characters and a great supporting cast also helps elevate the story. Here with some marvelous performances from Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, and Ashley Judd, just to name a few. The majority of the characters are strong enough to show their own inner reasons for their actions, without needing additional explanation, although there are several players who dart in and out with insufficient attention paid to them. All of these combined leaves an impressive, mostly gripping, character study of near-identical twins.
The main action set piece, the bank heist during midday in Los Angeles is so amazingly orchestrated with such precision and impact that makes you feel immersed as in a documentary style execution. Mann's choice of soundtrack compliments the on screen beautifully, it is powerful but not overwhelming. A staple of Mann's artistic talent.
This is plain and simple one of the best films ever made. Check it out.
Thought it was about time I reviewed this film since i've seen it a few times since I first rated it. As you probably already know this is an excellent film. I don't think a combination of actors could get any better than Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. Separately they are both extremely brilliant actors and two of the best currently in the game, together however the on screen show is out of this world. But I don'[t think I need to state that two many times as anyone with half a brain could predict that. Val Kilmer is a nice addition to the background as well. This is one of his best performances as well. The plot is gripping and thrilling and doesn't stop until that very last second. Right up until the end your left wondering which direction the film is going to take. And finally, at the climax of the film you're left wondering who is going to come out of the conflict alive. Michael Mann does a really great job of directing the whole thing and I think this could possibly be the peak of his career.Of course we're still waiting for Public Enemies to be released but that is going to have to be bloody brilliant to have a chance at topping this.
,,richard torena: i' m a good citizen! vincent hanna: yeah! and i' m donald duck..." heat has an amazing cast, outstanding performances and an extraordinary soundtrack, but also a poor script, a boring story and a crap end.
Great Movie for Val Kilmer, Al Pacino, Ashley Judd and Robert DeNiro. Keeps you on the edge of your seat. Good use of color and excellent sound design!
An outstanding cast with two awesome leading actors with two completely different characters. Both Al Pacino and Robert De Niros performances were brilliant. Robert De Niro always makes a good villain in a film. Al Pacino made a good cop in this film but I think he is better as a villain. The rest of the cast such as Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Jon Voight, Natalie Portman and Wes Studi are good for their characters. This is a very good heart racing motion picture. This is one of those films that is a masterpiece that hasnt won or hasnt been nominated for any Oscars at all. But I think that the duration of the film was way too long. I think they should have made to like 1 hour 59 or maybe 2 hour 20 or something. Michael Mann directed this film well. But not his best film in my opinion.
This movie has it all, A great cast, great action seqences brought together with good suspense and repays you with awsome thrills. The story is expertly written and could not be topped, it is one of those movies that is soo perfect, anyone and everyone will love it.
"You know, we are sitting here, you and I, like a couple of regular fellas. You do what you do, and I do what I gotta do. And now that we've been face to face, if I'm there and I gotta put you away, I won't like it. But I tell you, if it's between you and some poor bastard whose wife you're gonna turn into a widow, brother, you are going down."
Heat was an outstanding and enthralling film that delivers emotions that continue to intrigue the viewer long after the film comes to its final conclusion. It is a rare film that should not be missed for any occasion; exciting and compelling from the moment it begins.
Robert De Niro is Neil McCauley, an expert in his area. He happens to be a thief and an exceptional one too. He finds himself and his crew being chased down by Detective Vincent Hanna, a man who seems to stop at nothing to put his city out of danger. Both criminal and detective have their own glitches in their personal lives, and we go deeper into these as we explore both of their lives and ways of living. Eventually these two will come face to face and have to make decisions that will change the course of their lives, and experience things that make it clear that it's a challenge between masterminds of the opposite sides of the law.
Heat exceeds all expectations for its genre. It soon becomes an exhilarating and fast paced thrill ride, but manages to keep other aspects as key parts of the plot itself. As well as being an action thriller, elements of drama, mystery & romance come across strongly. Heck, there's even some light humor numerous times. This makes Heat the type of film any movie lover would enjoy, and surely any fan of Michael Mann would have to be impressed for several different reasons.
For starters, Michael Mann has talent behind the camera that very few others can match. His ability to make the viewer this captivated and compelled to the plot and characters is simply extraordinary. Not only has he directed Heat, but he has also used his ability to create and write the story itself, which can't be given any rank lower than magnificent. It's rare for a film to leave me this connected to the plot and literally on the edge of my seat for almost its entire length. Even if Heat isn't delivering a full on action scene with loads of guns and exhilarating moments, it can still leave the viewer on the edge of their seat in astonishment of the drama and gripping story that this film delivers. Even the score adds entirety to the atmosphere when it is most needed. For the most part of Heat though, the atmosphere comes simply from the stunning imagery and cinematography. Even just the element used within silence creates the full scene, which is visually amazing to watch.
Even just the cast in itself is more than enough reason to see Heat. With an all-star cast that give strong and powerful performances, the acting talent in heat comes just as brilliant as the other elements. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are the two responsible for the leading roles. Just as expected, they give breathtaking performances that give the whole movie even more reason to be impressive and unforgettable. Both Pacino and De Niro were equally remarkable and incredible to watch. Val Kilmer also gave striking and alluring performance, showing emotions outstandingly well. Jon Voight was also exceptional for his supporting role, adding to riveting atmosphere.
Overall Heat was a movie that I am thrilled to have finally seen, and in awe of its tremendous ability to keep the viewer entertained and compelled for its entire length. This crime drama is thrilling and powerful, and should satisfy any viewer.
MCT:August 3, 2008
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