Rating: 
Summary: The Meeting of Giants
Review: Forget for a moment the acting, direction,plot and script,Heat is a film that has managed to pair two of the greatest actors of all time, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. No matter where you go around the globe, ask any person from any culture who his/her favorite actors are and two names will invariably always come up, Pacino and De Niro. To cast these two 'giants of method acting' in one film is a great achievement in itself, and makes Heat a film to be reckoned with.Surely Pacino and De Niro have been in the same movie before, Godfather 2, but as they played the young dad Don Corleone and the old son Michael Corleone, they never actually shared a scene in real time before Heat.
Now forget about Pacino and De Niro for a moment, and let us look at the film itself.
Heat is the best gangster movie I have seen since the two Godfathers, and this is despite the somehow over the top and sentimental ending which was slightly uneven compared to everything that happened before in terms of style, plot and tone of the picture.
What works so well in favour of the film is a fine direction and script by Michael Mann, and great acting from all involved, Val Kilmer,Tom Sizemore, Ashely Judd, Jon Voight, Ted Levine and Amy Brenneman.
It has one of the best bank heist/street battle scene I have ever seen.
The plot offers much more than your average cat and mouse chase between cops and robbers: it is evenly focused on the thefts as much as on the drama,and the domestic life/problems of its characters. The characters in Heat have a three dimensional and deep personalities, so much so that you come to know the principle players so well, and whether they are good or bad, you can't not help but feel sympathy and concern for them.
The film is quite visual too and we get to see lingering and beautiful shots of LA, especially at night.
The bond that eventually ties cop and robber is very well written, two similar men but at the opposite sides of the law develop an understanding and respect for each other, and this adds so much to the film.
All these elemets make Heat a movie that should not be missed..one that will entertain you,involve you and delight you with its excellent direction, script and the meeting of two giants.
Rating:
Summary: Great Movie!!!!!!!
Review: Two of the best, if not the best actors, of all time in one brilliantly written and directed film!!!! I dont know whose performance was better....... Pacino or De Niro's? That should be something no one should have to choose. What can I say that hasnt been said. Great movie, deserves all 5 stars. But it was sad seeing De Niro get it at the end... Even if you dont like Pacino or De Niro see this movie anyway. it is guaranteed to make you a fan!
Rating:
Summary: Can't take the HEAT? Get out of the kitchen.
Review: Michael Mann has created a classic with HEAT. An all-star cast including the likes of Al Pacino, Robert Deniro, Tom Sizemore, and Val Kilmer + A tightly woven plot ripe with conflict, drama, and emotion + A 20 minute bank heist/shootout in the streets of LA = The perfect action drama. The acting is top notch, as is the plot, but the action really takes the cake. The shootout in Los Angeles with fully automatic rifles has to be hands down one of the greatest action sequences ever shot on film. The handicam shots and ground level angles Mann employs put you right there in the center of the action and add to the realism of the scene. This cat-and-mouse LA crime saga will definitely please all. The DVD is great quality and I recommend it to anyone who loves a tightly woven crime drama with awesome action scenes.
Rating: 
Summary: Heat is not a treat
Review: Daft western in which we are lead to believe one of LA's finest would hold hands with a criminal who had just murdered his partner, several police officers and shot into a crowd of shoppers with supermarket trolleys. He would be more likely to spit in his face. Apparently, one coffee break with this pond life was enough for cupid to strike, despite the fact this miserable creation of our good lord had already been held responsible for the cold blooded murder of three unarmed security men. Yes, the sexual magnetism of these Amani wearing low life's knows no bounds. Swirling strings serenade the 'tragic' Romeo and Juliet parting of DeNiro and his missus. Ashley Judd has no qualms in sacrificing the future of her kid. These guys are that loveable. You half expect garlands to be thrown at Val Kilmer as he drives off. I didn't buy into the whole cop/villain brothers-in-arms thing Mann was pushing. His nauseating attempts to make us empathise with the baddies is about as successful as a Hamas fund raising raffle at a bar mitzvah. This also causes a problem of drama. 'Dirty Harry' was compelling because the two protaganists loathed each other. It ratched up the tension. Here, the fact that you don't know whether the cop will shoot the bad guy or kiss him, reduces it. 'Manhunter' had a similar problem I think, although for slightly different reasons.
Mann consistently uses widescreen despite the fact he has no special gift at composition. His tableau's tend to be flat. Anyway, the film has it's fans, just don't swallow the whole Shakespearian tragedy bit. This is professional American trash cinema at it's not so finest.
Rating:
Summary: Extraordinary
Review: It takes a truly brilliant movie to successfully trespass outside the boundaries of its genre. Heat is such a movie: ostensibly a cops and robbers film, but although the holdup scenes are terrific and the action is beautifully paced, this film isn't really about the cop trying to catch the criminal. As its title suggests, it's really a look into the deep sacrifice and soul-killing required to be a policeman or a criminal, how these are not professional choices but lifestyle choices and how the presence of the heat controls everything for both sides. Nothing needs to be said about Pacino and De Niro; this is some of the best acting either of them have ever done, and we all know that's saying A LOT. Val Kilmer takes what could have been a forgettable character and injects him with some real angst. Ashley Judd is always good in everything, even the trash she's been making lately. There are myriad supporting characters in a film of this scale and there's not a wrong note among them. In a three-hour film, not once do you hear a character utter a line and feel the believability slip. The script is tight and excellent; no cliches here, and none of the hackneyed sentiment that seems to be a requirement for action films these days. Michael Mann is one of the great underappreciated filmmakers of our time. I guess it doesn't help that he got his start on Miami Vice, but if you go back and watch it, even Miami Vice shows flashes of Mann's brilliant visual style and ability to use the non-sentimental to tug at your heartstrings. Manhunter and The Last of the Mohicans are just as uniformly excellent as Heat but I think they lacked the focus that Heat has; they're great stories, not explorations of men's souls. Here Mann has brought together all elements needed in a great film (the cinematography is another incredibly underappreciated element - the sprawling urban landscape is gritty and yet somehow beautiful under the camera) and the result is a perfect creation without a single wrong note. The end has been somewhat maligned; I suppose it tests the tolerance of the typical action film afficionado, but as said before, it's a film that's basically about two men; all the rest is scenery though brilliantly done. I doubt he'll ever do anything this perfect again. The Insider was wonderful and I found Ali pretty enjoyable, but I think he may have topped out here, all elements coming together in perfect proportion. I can't recommend this strongly enough.
Rating: 
Summary: cool
Review: Well, this is a great movie. Al Pacino Robert de Niro, and so. make an extraordinary film. A Detective against a Fine Greatest Thief, they battle the best realistic shooting I have ever seen in my life, a bank robery, traidors, and no mercy with them... Not to much extras in the dvd, but has a good sound. Must have dvd.
Rating:
Summary: It's about time these 2 were paired up
Review: Al Pacino and Robert De Niro both had their share of mob related films: Al's Scarface, all 3 Godfathers and Donnie Brasco, and Robert's Casino, Goodfellas and Godfather Part 2. This is the first time they've been paired up and it's thrilling to see. Robert plays Neil Mccauley, a highly intelligent thief who goes around and fine points every single "hit" or robbery. Al plays Vincent Hanna, an LA detective who's away from his wife and house making for some bad moments at home. One tries to tie up loose ends and leave the country with his new woman, the other tries to get enough evidence on the other to nail him. One of the key scenes(and also a bit original in terms of crime stories) is when Neil and Vincent having a cup of coffee and just talking rather than trying to beat each other up. It plays nicely and it's new as usually when heroes and villians meet, it's always one trying to stop the other, but here it's more "sooner or later I'm going to get you, it's not today but one day" scenes. Another key scene is when a bank heist goes horribly wrong as the cops get tipped off and Neil, Chris(Val Kilmer) have to fight their way through a street in Los Angeles and escape. It's a big joy to see. The ending however leaves me a little disappointed. The film ends in a big one on one showdown between Neil and Vincent then it just ends. But several characters you never figure out what happens to them or what they're gonna do but it's a great film with 2 classic actors squaring off
Rating:
Summary: ONE OF THE BEST CRIME EPICS EVER!!!!!
Review: Heat affected me in a way that I cannot describe. It is long, yet concise; a complex story told with sweeping epic about two men, one on each side of the law, and the fateful events that bring them together. It is a collision of monumental proportions; one that sparks a chaotic downward spiral as each antagonist grapples for control of his respective world. Directed by Michael Mann, he appears to do little to draw his audience in and make them care about his characters; he merely presents them for our viewing. Yet for certain people, DeNiro's Neil McCauley and Pacino's Vincent Hanna will lift off the screen and live forever in our minds, never to be forgotten even in the off-chance that we should get amnesia. On the surface, "Heat" appears to be an action film, a showdown. But it is much more: a love story, a friendship, fate, respect, suicide, and ultimately, a story of great sadness. The infinite detail which Mann injects into this artistic palette makes for a film that can be watched again and again. I would rank this just below the Godfather and its sequel.
Rating:
Summary: If Only I Could Give It Six Stars...
Review: Al Pacino does great. Robert DeNiro does great. The Supporting cast is wonderful. The music score captures perfectly, the mood of the movie & feel of the scenes. The directing is great as well as the script. This is an Academy Award Winner, that got passed over. Screw the Academy. Instant classic here! Hello? This gets overlooked but that [] movie Titanic gets a bunch of awards. Who talks about Titanic anymore? It's getting dusty on the shelves while Heat is still a favorite of many. Should have won at least:
Best Picture
Best Score
Best Director
No Questions asked.
Maybe DeNiro & Pacino could have been nominated, because their performances were not showy, but more realistic. This is no ordinary Cops & Robbers movie to be shown at 1am when every sensible person is asleep, it's to be treasured like the gem it is, movies like XXX,Tomb Raider, Harry Potter and 8 Mile can take a hike. This movie has emotion, action, drama, and REAL BIG character development. So what it's almost 3 hours long, doesn't seem like it to me. So the ending might be inevitable, Pacino vs DeNiro, but it's well done and more believable than some []put out today. Give HEAT the respect it deserves.
Also recommended: Scarface, Godfather Trilogy (yes even the 3rd one, so stop bad mouthing it, it's as good as the first two, even more emotional), A Bronx Tale, Insomnia, & Meet The Parents.
Rating:
Summary: Best Picture: 1995 (for smart people)
Review: Michael Mann's "Heat" not only has everything a great crime drama should in terms of plot and action, but also all the elements of a masterpiece of filmmaking. The dialogue is terse and no-nonsense; the stellar ensemble cast provides flawless performances; and the plot is thoughtfully nuanced, striking a perfect balance between action and meaningful character development. Scenes portraying the professional/criminal lives of the characters are blended seamlessly into scenes that give us in-depth looks into their personal lives. As a character study, the script draws fascinating contrasts and parallels between Pacino's and De Niro's characters. Refreshingly, the supporting cast serves an actual purpose in terms of plot development and influencing the actions of the main characters. It is this insight into the personal lives and relationships of the characters as much as any other aspect of the film that will hold your interest.
As far as the plot is concerned, it will keep you riveted provided that you have an adult attention span. The film runs nearly 3 hours, but not a minute is wasted.
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