...
Heat is lauded by critics and fans alike, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe Heat as one of the best crime films ever made. It is easily Michael Mann’s best film and if you’re a fan of his work then this will clearly be for you. But if you happen to dislike his films you will ... Read review
Production Year: 2002 - Thriller - Director: Bharat Nalluri, Rob Bailey, Andy Wilson - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Matthew MacFadyen, Keeley Hawes, David Oyelowo, Peter Firth, Jenny Agutter, Lisa Faulkner
Thriller - Original Language: English - Classification: 15 years and over - Starring: Timothy West, Neil Morrissey, Tara Fitzgerald, Annette Crosbie, Pauline Quirke, Rob Brydon, Denise Van Outen, John Thomson, Kevin Whately, David Suchet
Advantages: All round brilliance. Disadvantages: Hard to decide who is better actor DeNiro or Pacino
...layman.
Heat is lauded by critics and fans alike, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe Heat as one of the best crime films ever made. It is easily Michael Mann’s best film and if you’re a fan of his work then this will clearly be for you. But if you happen to dislike his films you will surely find something in Heat to make you reconsider. It is Michael Mann's masterpiece. It comes before 'Collateral' and 'Miami Vice' and ... ...It takes the age old story of the veteran cop stalking the career criminal, and expands it beyond the very outer reaches of even the best heist film. It leaves even the most slick and accomplished thrillers dead in the water.
Lieutenant detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) from L.A’s Robbery Homicide Division, is put onto the trail of a heavily armed and highly professional team of armed robbers, after they knock over (literally) an ... more
No offence intended, but if you are among the countless scores of people who consider themselves film aficionados, and yet you still need to read this to decide whether or not to buy this DVD, well then you are probably a cinematic layman.
Heat is lauded by critics and fans alike, and it would not be an exaggeration to describe Heat as one of the best crime films ever made. It is easily Michael Mann’s best film and if you’re a fan of his work then this will clearly be for you. But if you happen to dislike his films you will surely find something in Heat to make you reconsider. It is Michael Mann's masterpiece. It comes before 'Collateral' and 'Miami Vice' and is outclasses them both on all counts
It takes the age old story of the veteran cop stalking the career criminal, and expands it beyond the very outer reaches of even the best heist film. It leaves even the most slick and accomplished thrillers dead in the water.
Lieutenant detective Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) from L.A’s Robbery Homicide Division, is put onto the trail of a heavily armed and highly professional team of armed robbers, after they knock over (literally) an armoured car. The team are lead by a veritable criminal mastermind by the name of Neil McCauley (De Niro). From this very opening action sequence you can tell the film is as well constructed as a billion dollar hest. What follows is a Cat and Mouse psychological duel between De Niro and Pacino, where the roles of Cat and Mouse continually switch. It has such a rich and detailed plot that it defies my abilities to describe it in the space I have and do it justice. It is gritty and intelligent. The benchmark by which crime films should be measured.
It is brilliantly written and beautifully acted. Though De Niro and Pacino understandably hog the screen, the cast is possibly the best line up I have seen in a thriller, outside of Batman Begins. With Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tome Sizemore, Natalie Portman, Ashley Judd and Dennis Haysbert all playing intrinsic supporting roles. Along side these are a whole host of others you will surely recognise.
The DVD is packed with hours of interesting and informative extras, rather than the usual pointless gimmicky stuff you get with lesser films.
This is stellar stuff. Incredible set-pieces. Dead-on dialogue. Ultra-realistic story. In-depth character psychology. THE BEST FIREFIGHT EVER FILMED.
Advantages: De Niro and Pacino together Disadvantages: would have liked more focus on the main characters
a true blessing to me.
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DVDSPECIAL FEATURE
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Disc 1:
The Movie itself.
Audio commentary from writer/director Michael Mann
Theatrical trailers
Disc 2:
11 additional scenes
'Return To The Scene Of The Crime': Location Manager Janice Polley and Associate Producer Gusmano Cesaretti visit the real life L.A. locations used in the film
'The Making Of Heat - True Crime': Michael Mann and Chuck Adamson, Technical Advisor and real life inspiration for the Lt. Vincent Hanna character, discuss the Chicago crime scene and the events surrounding the real Neil McCauley (who Adamson took down in the late 60s) that inspired the film
'The Making Of Heat - Crime Stories': Mann, cast and crew discuss the twenty year origin of the script, the film's genesis ...
Advantages: Michael Mann's greatest achievement Disadvantages: No extras on the DVD
, turning Heat into one of the most intelligent, textured, shoot 'em up action films of all time.
DVD Information
Heat is long overdue for a specialedition with a bunch of extras and a considered review of the movie's impact on subsequent film-making. Instead, we are stuck with a plain vanilla DVD transfer with your choice of language for subtitles. Available from Amazon and all reputable outlets for under 15 quid.
Remarkably the BBFC only gave the movie a 15 rating while the film carries an R certificate in the States. On reflection the 15 is about right although the movie has mature themes, realistic violence, teenage suicide and some bawdy talk. Give it a go. ...
danielse 03.05.2004 (15.03.2006)
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Heat
Advantages: Great Performances, Engrossing Style & Story Disadvantages: None
special on view but it's nice to see what was trimmed.
Skip back to the first disc and aside from the trailers you also get an audio commentary with Michael Mann. The track is decent and covers a lot of production stories. Mann does struggle to fill the entire two hours and fourty-five minutes but that's understandable. Mann fans will still enjoy it.
-FINALLY-
Heat is one of those DVD's that is a must for any collection. This specialedition is well worth the money just to see two great actors head to head. An online search at Kelkoo comes up with a bargain price of £7.99 and it would rude not to have it at that price. ...
utero 31.12.2005
· Read full review
Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Heat
A tense cop thriller in which a messed-up but keen LAPD homicide detective Vincent Hanna, battles wits with Neil McCauley, a deadly and elusive criminal.
Awesome. Truly epic. A masterpiece. Wholly original (Richard Schickel, TIME, 27/07/2006)
DVD Description
Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are finally together on screen in this riveting story about an intense rivalry between expert thief Neil McCauley (De Niro) and volatile cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino). McCauley will stop at nothing to do what he does best and neither will Hanna, even though it means destroying everything around them, including the people they love. With a solid supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd, and Natalie Portman, HEAT is a truly epic crime story.
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