Rating of
4/4
"Heat" is the best action film of the 90's
BtownMovieBuff1 - wrote on 02/12/09
I first became a fan of Michael Mann after watching "Collateral". The impeccable shooting of LA and its stylistic cinematography really opened my eyes to this fantastic director. I've gone out and seen other movies from him, such as "Last of the Mohicans" and "The Insider". His other works are good, but Mann truly shines when in downtown LA. So I finally got around to watching "Heat", his long-revered crime movie that faced off Al Pacino and Robert de Niro. And I'll tell you this right now: it's perhaps his finest film.
Mann knows how to create tension, and this film delivers some of cinema's most tense moments on the screen. The famous scene is of course the conversation between Pacino and De Niro around the middle of the flick. I was on the edge of my seat during every second of this scene, not only because of the legendary men sharing the scene, but of their dialogue and the edge that it creates. It's one of the best movie scenes I've witnessed, and it really sets up the rest of the film well.
"Heat" is known for being a crime movie, and it certainly lives up to the hype. There's a very popular bank heist scene that is fairly exciting, although I personally think it's a little overrated. BUT the action scene immediately after the heist is pulse-pounding and spectacular, and is definitely a MUST for any action junkie.
The cast is flat-out spectacular, and everyone is excellent in their roles. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are the obvious stars, but check out the rest of the ensemble: Val Kilmer, John Voight, Ashley Judd, Tom Sizemore and even a young Natalie Portman. Everyone plays their role perfectly.
And what more can be said about Mann's cinematography? He turns the city of LA into a character all on its own, and these master shots really suck in the viewer and places them in the heat of the moment.
With all of these elements, the movie crackles with a tense atmosphere that keeps the viewer hanging on edge. It all ends with a spectacular finale and an awesome end to perhaps the finest action movie of the 90's. The movie is a bit long, but the character development between the criminals/cops and their shattered personal lives add a great emotional edge that elevates this movie past your typical crime movie. Go check out this movie, highly recommended
