7 out of 7 people found this review helpful.
Heat - Can you feel it?
Date of Review: Sep 6, 2001
The Bottom Line: A well-told, memorable crime drama which unites two of Hollywood's greatest actors.
I saw Heat a few months ago, and it was the movie that made me an Al Pacino fan. He and Robert De Niro both shine in this cops and robbers epic.
Though many plot elements are a retread of countless other films, Heat separates itself in that it is a unique character study of the tempestuous personal lives of these two very different people, and though neither is particularly likeable in many regards, we can't help but feel sympathy for both, and we can understand why they do what they do.
It should be noted that Pacino and De Niro only have one important scene together, but it is a pivotal scene and one of the film's (and Hollywood's, for that matter) most memorable, because it is highly intense in its subtlety and dialogue. Also, the camera-work in Heat is spectacular and atmospheric.
Though almost 3 hours long, the film never ceases to entertain, and kudos to director Michael Mann (The Insider, Manhunter) for succeeding once again in creating yet another great crime drama. Moreover, the final shot in Heat is among the most poignant in movie history.
