Rating: 
Summary: The ignorance among us..
Review: It is very sad how some people still just can't get it. This film explores the true definitions of honor and respect, and what do some people say about it? "uh.... it should have been more like dirty harry... uh uh..." Oh, how profound an individual you are my friend. It is intellects like these that leave the world in pieces, never to fix or change anything that is wrong. I guarantee you these are the same people who think "The Fast and The Furious" is an award worthy film, watch "reality" tv shows (i.e. Average Joe), and vote the new Jennifer Lopez and Britney Spears songs onto the Billboard top ten. Bottom line, "Heat" is an epic. Pacino and De Niro are epic. The film is about character. It is about true REALITY, what the world is really like out there. Life isn't a big bowl of cherries 24/7 like our culture tries to depict (especially to our youth) today. We all don't have the golden life, we all don't have our rich mommies and daddies to live off of. There bad things out there, and people who have to deal with them to protect all the happy shiny people. The decisions these people make are based on them having the qualities that are portrayed in this film. The "Dirty Harry" buffs need to crawl back under their rock because its a bunch of B/S. Doesn't work that way holmes. In the real world these "tough" guys get the long kiss goodnight. You do what is honorable without letting love or friendship stand in your way. That is what makes the difference. After having said all of that, I will conclude with saying this is a must see but only for mature individuals who have depth of perception and the ability to think outside of what has become the box. If you think "The Fast and The Furious" is academy award worthy material, "reality" tv shows are classic, and vote for teeny music on the billboard... stay away from this. Stick with what you can handle, this will only overwhelm you.
Rating: 
Summary: Buy It!
Review: This crime story contains one of the best scenes in movie history. Al Pacino sits down in a coffee shop and chats with Robert De Niro. One is an eccentric detective and the other a ruthless criminal. They talk about what they do for a living and how it effects them. It's a tense and dramatic moment and you have to wonder if the actors are actually talking about their character's lives or their very own. "Heat" is one of the most underrated crime/heist movies of the genre. It has extravagent action scenes, solid performances and cameos (Hank Azaria,Tone Loc,Natalie Portman) and an engrossing plot. My only complaint is the tacked-on ending which seems to belong in a B-movie. Warner Bros. did only an okay job bringing it to DVD so be warned. It's missing some of the special features we have come to expect (director's commentary, deleted scenes, etc). Michael Mann did an admirable job of showing the exploits of professional bank robbers and the detectives who chase them. It's rumored that one of the advisors to the film was one of the bank robbers who was later killed in the infamous North Hollywood Shootout in 1997. Enticed enough now? This is an action movie with class...buy it!
Rating:
Summary: Nothing Else Comes Close
Review: The benchmark for all heist movies. Thats all that needs to be said.
Rating:
Summary: Now this is a movie with a great plot
Review: heat in many way's can be noted as one of the greatest movies of all time. heat explores the life's of all the characters and even let's a bad guy get away for once. The performances are wonderful here for a cast who's never really work together before. people say the best part of this movie is the bank robbery but its not just that, that is great it is the plot itself. you see romance that is never really fixed. you see friendship and the problems it is that put all these people together
Rating:
Summary: Superb action film
Review: What a superb action film with a great story line. "Heat" got its name because this is how the police are referred to in the movie. A classic quote for the movie is where Robert De Nero(criminal) says to Al Pacino (cop) "Don't have anything you can't walk away from in 5 seconds flat when the heat are around the corner" Don't be put off by the films length thinking you can't possibly sit watching a film of that length. Heat is directed my Michael Mann who also directed the Oscar film "The Insider". The line up of actors Val Kilmer, Al Pacino, Robert De Nero need no introduction they are all superb in the movie. I watched this movie for the first time on DVD and if anything you want it to go on longer seeing Denero "outwhit" Pacino, missing each time when trying to catch him, wondering whether he will catch him or will he get away? The DVD itself for the money is well worth it you have a full length exciting, action packed, great acting film for a very reasonable price! The Dolby 5.1 is awesome, the beginning scene dives straight into the action which gives you the pleasure of listening and watching the quality of the DVD. Don't let the lack of extras put you off a great purchase of the DVD, the film is worth the money on its own.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent crime drama
Review: Heat is an excellent crime drama directed by Michael Mann that attempts to show something else besides the usual shoot 'em up. Clocking in at just under three hours, the movie never slows down with plenty of subplots that help to keep the story moving and also to shine some light on the motives of the characters. The story follows the efforts of the police to catch a thief and his crew before they can put down another score. The scene in which the robbery goes down has to be seen to be believed. As other reviewers have pointed out, the film does show the robbers in a romantic fashion but it seems to work here. Excellent action, fully developed characters and a great musical score all contribute to make this film a classic. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro star as the two rivals on opposite sides in the city of Los Angeles. Both give excellent performances as two men trapped in a life that they can't get out of because they do not know how to do anything else. Val Kilmer plays De Niro's partner and right hand man. He is excellent again as the ultracool Chris. The rest of De Niro's crew includes Tom Sizemore, Dennis Haysbert, and Danny Trejo all of which give excellent performances. Diane Venora, Ashley Judd, and Amy Brenneman also give great parts as the three love interests. Also stars Jon Voight, Ted Levine, Wes Studi, William Fichtner, Natalie Portman, Hank Azaria and many more. Besides the widescreen presentation and three theatrical trailers, there are no extras which is a little disappointing. The movie is still great and deserves a watch. Too bad Pacino and De Niro couldn't work together more. Excellent crime drama that is a true classic!
Rating:
Summary: Brilliant Crime Epic
Review: Michael Mann has created a brilliant epic view of the LA crime scene with his movie Heat. From the music selection (Moby, Kronos Quartet, Lisa Gerrard and more) to the acting (DeNiro, Pacino, Sizemore and Kilmer), Mann has gone to great extents to make this a perfect film. I can't think of another crime movie that feels so real. Multiple stories surrounding the main plot give it an intense dose of reality, untouchable by most modern day action flicks.
Rating:
Summary: Buy it! This one's a keeper
Review: This is definitely one of my all-time favorites. This film does a good job of balancing action, drama and cinematography. "Heat" pulls no punches. It gives a bird's eye view of the life of seasoned cops, hardened criminals and the tortured, obsessive and strikingly similar lives they lead. There are a lot of thought-provoking elements in the story that are made believable by the excellent direction of Mann (such as the suicide attempt of a 13-year old girl and the murder of a teen prostitute) that helps hit home one of the movie's messages that there is a very ugly reality out there, and it's not just in the movies. "Heat" was a very well-cast movie. The chemistry between Robert DeNiro and Al Pacino's characters is electrifying, and Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore play very good supporting roles. This film also has a lot of good action without overdoing the testoserone. The shootout scene after the last bank robbery is without a doubt the best movie gunbattle I've ever seen. I'll never forget the sound of the gunshots reverberating off the buildings. If that scene does not get your adrenaline pumping or at least give you goosebumps, you should check your pulse because you're probably dead.
Rating:
Summary: Maximum praise.
Review: I estimate that Director/Writer Michael Mann could have cut about an hour out of "Heat" and still have a pretty good movie, but I am glad he didn't. "Heat" is an outstanding film- a tour-de-force duel between an elite crew of bank robbers led by Robert DeNiro and an elite crew of police officers led by Al Pacino. This is a movie you have to savor for each and every scene. Mann does an outstanding job writing a complex movie. Just about a bank robbery movie? Nope, the heroes and villains are complicated and have their motives. Mann understands that the most interesting hero is one with flaws (Pacino's cop is a workaholic ruining his latest marriage) and the best villains are ones with their own agenda and their own code (DeNiro has a philosophy and a noble goal- to do one big score, leave and live the good life). The acting talent Mann assembles is awesome- Pacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Natalie Portman, and Mykelti Williamson. All give great performances. Al Pacino is terrific as usual here, but I have the most respect of all for Robert DeNiro. DeNiro may be the best actor alive- who else could play his twisted, creepy psycho in "Cape Fear", his cold gangster roles in "Goodfellas" and "Casino", his funny gangster in "Analyze This", and his action hero mercenary in "Ronin"? And this is only a fraction of the parts he's played! Here he plays the cold, calculating leader of the bank robbers, the worthiest adversary Al Pacino's cop has ever come up against. Could Michael Mann make a bad movie? I doubt it. "Heat" is a brilliant movie. Brilliant.
Rating: 
Summary: Well Directed But Surprisingly Badly Acted Crime Drama
Review: This was easily the most disappointing film I've seen on DVD this year. Not because it isn't well made--it is--but considering the filmmaking talent on both sides of the camera, I expected a lot more. First the good. Michael Mann. This man rules when it comes to shooting shoot-outs, and the centerpiece bank robbery scene is magnificent AND realistic. Now the bad. Al Pacino. One of Hollywood's all time best actors gives one of his all time worst performances in this film. Al whips out the wood chipper to go to town on the scenery in this one. Yes, he overacts THAT badly. Of course, with lines like "I've gotta hang on to my angst." one is tempted to give the guy some slack. And DeNiro? Let's say he doesn't embarass himself like Pacino, but his performance here is pretty much undistinguished--like most of his late 90's-early 00's output. If it weren't for Mann's complete command of the action and a strong supporting cast, this would earn two stars. Again, not a bad film by any means--just a downer after what I expected.
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