Rating: 
Summary: Incredible action sequences, flawed 'realistic' movie
Review: After looking at pages of five-star reviews, I know I'm alone on this one. Oh well.I love good action movies, and for action, Heat delivers like no other. This movie has some of the most stunning, realistic action sequences ever made. You will feel the bullets in your chest, face and teeth. Pure visceral -- viscera, as in guts -- entertainment. The detail and authenticity in those scenes are thrilling. The violence is realistic. If this was simply a mindless shoot-em-up of, say, the Arnold/Bruce/Steven school, there would be no more to say. But Michael Mann clearly had higher ambitions for this movie, a sprawling heap of plots and subplots nearly three hours long that struggles for versimilitude at every level. The quality of acting rises above the genre. De Niro delivers, with a character well beyond the dangerous-guy-with-goatee stereotype. He contrasts McCauley's icy intellect with emotional uncertainty in a finely nuanced performance. The ensemble cast is exceptional. As evidenced also in "The Insider," Mann has an acute eye for choosing strong, reinforcing secondary characters. So what's to complain about? Well, if you're a Pacino fan, you'd do better to look elsewhere. Even allowing for the occasionally hackneyed dialog of his role, he doesn't come close to delivering what he's capable of. Watch "Dog Day Afternoon" again to see how sloppy his performance is at times here. None of the three female leads ring completely true, and are given, as in many action movies, cartoonish parts any actress would be hard-pressed to overcome (although Ashley Judd comes close). Generally though, the acting is very good, sometimes excellent. It's the writing that isn't great. Despite its endless realistic details, "Heat" is a very schematic movie, where symmetry between the leads works to its detriment -- not, as many have said here, its benefit. How many action movies (and books) have the hardboiled good guy/bad guy dichotomy? Well, all of them. How many have, as this one has repeatedly, sequences showing how hard the good/bad job is on home life? Maybe only three-quarters? How many have the bad guy screw himself by going for the final touch ending? Maybe a third? How many take the bad guy nearly = good guy when measured morally tack? Maybe only a quarter? How many have the good guy shouldn't-but-does identifying with bad guy? Another quarter? And the final, necessary but totally fake despite the superb actors, good guy/bad guy moment of cathartic good/bad buddyhood? Toss in a gratuitous well-timed suicide attempt and how much genuine surprise is there for your three hours? The excellent cinematography, sound and production values ultimately can't mask the fact that the plot is a compilation of just such recycled clichés. Mann's ending is obviously meant to mean more, to excuse countless bodies pumped with lead. We are meant to feel that these men are equals but for tragic quirky Fate, that McCauley's ruthlessness was hiding a sort-of good guy all along. Forget it. This ending is an insidious, _unrealistic_ glamorization of violence, and Mann should be called on it, precisely because "Heat" has pretensions of being more than an action/gangster comic book. Mann's 1999 movie, "The Insider," is far better, and the only violence in that movie is implied. Despite the quality of its details and many stunning moments, Heat doesn't add up. Entertaining? Yes. Thrilling? Yes. A great action flick? Maybe. A great movie? No.
Rating: 
Summary: Bright Lights and Shotguns
Review: Heat is the kind of glorious crime epic that Hollywood isn't supposed to be capable of creating any more. It's success can be attributed to Michael Mann and the cast he formulated around him. Mann paints the picture with the same mordernist palette he utilised for Manhunter, his city existing in the cold tones of grey and blue, only truly alive while Pacino and De Niro fight it out on the streets. The pair are seen on the screen together for the first time, and their chemistry is emphatic (one only needs to watch LA Takedown to realise the contrast). The action scenes are quite unlike any other film in their devotion to realism, Andy McNab, the famed SAS soldier was the technical advisor on the film and it shows. As Pacino and De Niro trade bullets in the street, they are forced to reload, carry wounded buddies, and actually appear to genuinely move as if under fire. Mann has been described as the most intelligent director working in mainstream Hollywood and there is certainly evidence enough in Heat, but what it really shows is his place as one of the paramount visual stylists in the entire film industry.
Rating:
Summary: the ultimate modern day crime epic
Review: can you leave everything you have worked for in life at the drop of a hat when you feel the 'heat' coming at you? that is the question that is asked in this movie. robert deniro plays the leader of a group of robbers in L.A. deniro's character lives off his profession. so dedicated, he is very reluctant about having close bonds with others. he has to be able to leave them if he feels the 'heat'. his crew is not the average 'rob the local gas station' group of men. these guys are professionals; it's like this is their 'job'. they don't go after the cash in the armored car, they go for the bonds... they don't go for the public's money in the bank, they go for the bank's money. these guys mean business. al pacino plays the cop that is going to take them down. this is a man very dedicated to his job. so dedicated, his marriage is falling apart and he is neglecting his daughter. eventually these two men meet in a diner, in which pacino and deniro exchange words. words about their dedication to their professions and words that in order for one of them to go on, the other has to stop. heat is spectacular in every way. it seems so epic, so grand. lots of characters are introduced, L.A. never appeared more alluring, different subplots; some solved, some not, and the most spectacular shoot out ever caught on film in bright daylight. heat is definetly a must see. it has what most action movies lack, a story with characters you care about. everytime I see it, something new pops up. and when it ends, I am very happy to have been part of two men whose life seems so different, yet are essentially the same.
Rating:
Summary: HEAT DVD - GUN BATTLE ALONE WORTH PRICE
Review: DVD is basic w.o director comments etc, however, sound and quality and movie itself are a masterpiece. Bank robbery segment with 4 robbers blasting with high powered submachine guns in downtown L.A. in broad daylight -one of the most realistic ever staged. Amazing movie. Would love to see a directors edition DVD.
Rating:
Summary: excellent movie
Review: This movie was excellent. Good story, good action sequences. Intense from beginning to end. All of the actors were great. The only one I did not like was Al Pacino. He is usually very good, but I thought his was a very lazy performance, or maybe that was the character he was portraying. The only scene he was ok in was the one with DeNiro. Top-notch entertainment.
Rating:
Summary: WHAT A SAGA
Review: ONLY MR. MANN COULD DRAW THESE GREAT KIND OF ACTORS WITH HIS SKILLS. A SAGA THAT IS ALMOST AN AMERICAN VERSION OF AN AKIRA KUROSAWA FILM. LONG...YES, BUT WELL WORTH IT. WHO ELSE CAN PUT DE NIRO AND PACINO IN A MOVIE, BILL THEM AS EQUAL AND NOT SHOW THEM IN THE SAME FRAME (VERY ARTISTIC, WHILE COMPLEMENTING BOTH ACTORS EGOS AND IT HELPS CREATE SYMPATHY FOR BOTH AS AMBIGUOUSLY GOOD AND BAD CHARACTERS) UNTIL THE CLIMAX! ...NO ONE! THE CINEMATOGRAPHY AND THE PUSH OF WARM AND COOL COLORS IN SCENES ACCENTS THE MOOD AND EMOTION AS DOES THE SOUNDTRACK! BE AWARE, THE INSIDER SEEMS LONGER BUT IS SO CLOSE TO BEING AS GOOD. MANN CREATES SUCH SAGAS THAT HE COULD BE THE NEXT KUROSAWA OR FELLINI(LESS PERVERSE), I AM ALMOST LOOKING FORWARD TO WILL SMITH IN HIS NEXT MOVIE...HOPE!HOPE! (6 DEGREES WAS PRETTY GOOD? )
Rating: 
Summary: Beautifully shot, lacking in emotions in places
Review: Unmistakably Michael Mann. Beatifully shot. I felt I was watching a long running music video (music is great btw) which is not necessarily a bad thing. The infamous fight sequence in the streets is impressive and engaging and the movie does a good job (I assume Mann was shooting for this) of leaving enough compassion for the villains that you still remain engaged in their world. My only beef is the relationship between Deniro's character and his love interest just came off as unreal. I'll place the blame on the female actress's head. It's a minor beef but the movie as a whole would have engaged me more with this problem elminated.
Rating:
Summary: Good film.
Review: Maybe a bit long in the tooth, but it's all worth it for the scene in the cafe with Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro. People who've seen the film will know what I mean.
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: Amazing but where's multi-angle?
Review: I loved this movie in the theater, I love this movie on DVD and I will continue to love this movie for all time. Great story, great writing, great cast (make that AMAZING cast), one of the best shootouts ever done in all of movie history and an intensity few movies can match. The only negative that I can think of, as far as the DVD goes, is that there is no multi-angle for the shootout. I've been waiting to try the multi-angle on my player since the day I read about it in the manual and I thought that this movie might be the one. With the complexity of the shootout, I was sure that they could manage a multi-angle section for me, but alas no. Other than that one complaint, this is a phenomenal DVD, with amazing picture and the sound rivals that of The Matrix. This one is going to see some serious play time at my house.
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