Review of Heat (1995) by Ryan T — 05 Nov 2015

If you lined up all of Michael Mann's films in a row, "Heat" would be the masterpiece. Starring Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro, this powerful crime drama highlights everything we love about Mann's style: his ability to weave together engrossing character studies, transcendent themes, and intense action, and to do it in an entertaining, soaring, intimate - and yet epic - way.

DeNiro is Neil McCauley, a career criminal: elite, effective, and stuck to a code: "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 disciplined approach to his "work" is what allows him to take high-reward scores with consistent regularity. His team plans their operations meticulously, cognizant of police response time, escape routes, potential risks, etc. His character, in addition to being reasonably good-natured, is precise and cunning. Something in his past pushed him to the wrong side of the law, but not far enough to break his sense of decency, his appreciation for other people, and his dreams for the future. He has hope. He yearns for a life of peace in Fiji with love interest Eady, retired from the underworld and the dangers he puts his men - whom he calls his friends - through.

Pacino is Vincent Hanna, the obsessive detective on McCauley's trail. He pursues his prey with expertise born of years spent away from home and family, prowling the city with determination and jaded experience. Pacino plays the character fast and loose, with scene-stealing charisma. Although a steadfast officer of the law, he is unpredictable, swinging between lighthearted sarcasm and angst-ridden monologues. The darkness of the world stirs up a righteous bitterness that consumes him and yet propels him forward, constantly sniffing out the scent of his prey. It is what keeps him interested in life and on the lighter side of morality - though Hanna himself is flawed, struggling to keep a marriage and constantly fighting his demons of obsession.

What Mann does with great success in this movie is present the good qualities of the bad guy and the bad qualities of the good guy. It's harder than it sounds. By the climax of the movie, you're on the edge of your seat, wondering who will come out on top, wondering if McCauley will fulfill his dream - and wondering why you would want a bad guy like him to succeed in the first place. You care about these characters, you're invested in their future, you know what makes them tick - and this knowledge draws you in.

At one point, McCauley and Hanna actually agree to meet over coffee, with no ulterior motive - the felon respects the skills of the detective enough to hear him out, and Hanna has no intention of bringing McCauley in on small charges with no long-term consequences. Their peaceful meeting is relaxed - friendly, even. They share their lives with one another, discussing their fears and hopes - and both offer careful warnings, expressing their dedication to their objectives. The dialogue here is fantastic and one of the highlights of this film and any other movie in the genre.

The film continues to show its maturity with the understated, subtle presentation of characters and plot points. As he would in "Collateral" (2004), Mann allows Los Angeles to become its own character - shimmering by night and emptier than you might expect by day - the welcome space gives the multiple protagonists and antagonists room to breathe, to develop, to seize the spotlight with simply their lives, their motivations, their actions and counteractions. There is nothing particularly mind-blowing presenting itself: helicopters don't explode into buildings, cops and robbers don't fire endless amounts of slow-motion bullets, and nobody takes daredevil leaps off buildings. The epic nature of the story is seeing man pitted against man, not only in strategy but in psyche. "Heat" is more than a crime/action/drama - it is a character study in one of its most entertaining forms.

The superb supporting cast includes Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Mykelti Williamson, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Jon Voight, and Danny Trejo. With mood-infused cinematography, a gorgeously subtle soundtrack, and a running time that allows the plot to come to a satisfying, effective conclusion, "Heat" transcends the genre and leaves the viewer wanting much, much more.