Director: Michael Mann
Writer: Michael Mann
Stars: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer
Synopsis: A group of high-end professional thieves start to feel the heat from the LAPD when they unknowingly leave a verbal clue at their latest heist.
There are movies that are instant hits, become cult classics, or just fall flat on their face. In my opinion, Michael Mann’s Heat is in that sweet spot of being an instant hit and a cult classic at the same time. Mann is a tactical and precise filmmaker. His filmography is stuffed full of action set pieces, tension from crimes being committed, and cinematography that brings you into the story like you’re a character in the film. One of the huge positives about this movie is that it’s not Michael Mann just playing the hits. He’s not recreating scenes from his older films with new actors. Even though this movie is a remake of Mann’s short lived television series L.A. Takedown, he managed to change significant plot points in the story, change character names, and more.
Our two main characters, Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) and Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro), are on opposite sides of the law. Hanna is a robbery and homicide lieutenant in the LAPD and McCauley is a professional thief and the leader of his crew. Even though these two are complete opposites of one another they have more in common than they think. Their professions consume so much of their lives that they aren’t able to have any real relationships outside of them. Hanna and McCauley are so focused on their objectives that their worlds outside of work are crumbling and crumbling down, day by day. Seeing these two actors finally come together on the big screen was really exhilarating. Luckily, they have an even better supporting cast that are just as important to the movie as they are.
The other members of Neil’s crew are Mike (Tom Sizemore), Gil (Danny Trejo), and the legendary, handsome, and nonchalant Val Kilmer as Chris Shiherlis, Neil’s second in command. Chris is a quiet guy but he’s very knowledgeable in just about every aspect of thievery. He’s married to a beautiful woman named Charlene (Ashley Judd) with whom he has a son named Dominick. Chris can be good at keeping business and family life separate but unfortunately he’s a man that has a dangerous vice. He’s a gambling addict, so he is constantly taking his earnings from robberies and paying off his bookies. This brings strife to he and Charlene’s relationship that is hanging on by a thread. She’s unhappy with him still being a gambler and he feels unappreciated for the risks that he takes day in and day out as a professional thief. Chris continues to stick it out with Charlene but Neil feels like she is just another distraction. Neil lives by a saying that he heard from a guy in the joint, “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.” This is a very strong saying to live by but even Neil starts to get lonely and wants to have someone to be with.
As the film goes on we’re engrossed with the story between Vincent and Neil. The cat and mouse game between their crews/fellow officers is the meat and potatoes of the film. Whenever one crew is lacking the other crew is one upping them. At times, the dialogue between said characters can be dry but the chemistry that they all have together makes up for it. All of this comes to a head in the third act at Neil’s final score with his crew at a local bank. High speed car chases, bullets flying, and emotions are high in this scene. After the final score we’re driven down a road full of double crossing, jealousy, revenge, and comeuppance. Oh how would I have loved to have seen this in the theater. If they ever rerelease this movie in IMAX or Dolby Digital, I am going on the first weekend.
Mann’s style of filming his action scenes with realistic sounding gun shots and the complex dialogue between his characters are the reason why he’s the big man of crime dramas. His sandbox is one that people want to play in because they’re going to be pushed to the best of their abilities. His style of directing and the writing brings out the best in just about every actor on his call sheet. A lot of filmmakers have tried to duplicate what he’s done and they haven’t had the all around success rate that he’s had. This movie is a crown jewel in the crime drama hall of fame. Luckily next on Mann’s list we have Heat II, an adaptation of his novel that will serve as a sequel/prequel to this movie. There are little details available as of right now, but I know that I will continue to look at the movie news for more updates.
