Heat Movie Review

Heat (1995)

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Written by: Michael Mann
Directed by: Michael Mann
Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Amy Brenneman, Ashley Judd, Mykelti Williamson, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, Natalie Portman, Tom Noonan,, Hank Azaria, Danny Trejo, Henry Rollins, Tone Loc, Jeremy Piven, Xander Berkeley
Rated: R
Watch the trailer

Plot
A group of professional bank robbers start to feel the heat from police when they unknowingly leave a clue at their latest heist.

Verdict
I've seen this movie many times, and it's simply amazing. It's one of the best heist/action movies. If you haven't seen it, you need to. From the details of the story, to the well developed characters, the action, and meticulous realism with firearms, this movie does such a great job. Every character has some development and scenes build on each other, making it clear why characters make their decisions. It clocks in at nearly three hours, but it never seems too long or slow. This is paced great, and while slower than current action movies, this shows how you can make pacing and story work to great effect. This is define what a movie can be.
Watch it.

Review
This starts with the setup before we even know what we're seeing. That first heist proves this crew is slick and proficient. That's exactly what this movie is. Scenes are efficient, providing information about these characters just in how they act and their demeanor. Each scene pushes the plot forward.

All of the fallout stems from Waingro (not Wayne Grow), a cowboy hired for muscle that acts impulsively. His actions create a string of repercussion for the crew. He's the only one that's an outsider. It's clear from the first time we see him he's not on the same level.

Al Pacino plays Vincent Hanna.

This doesn't get into the typical nonsense of one last score. These guys are pros and this is just what they do. There is no getting out. Neil (Robert de Niro) is the respected veteran.  Al Pacino plays Vincent Hanna, the over the top cop chasing Neil's crew.  Hanna can be wild and apparently in the original script he had a cocaine addiction. This is the first time Pacino and de Niro were on screen together. They were both in The Godfather Part 2, but didn't share a scene.

Robert de Niro plays Neil McCauley.

Every performance is so good. The dialog is great, and the actors get a chance to act because the movie gives them the time. I love the pacing. This doesn't feel the need to pace this at a break neck speed with non-stop action. It builds a great story and characters to make the action work and give the action importance. The action is detailed and realistic.  

Some scenes work better if you've seen this once, like Dennis Haysbert's scenes, but we soon realize why they were included. He generates a bit of sympathy because as an ex-convict his job options are limited. What other choice does he or Neil's crew have but to keep doing what they do best.
Each of Neil's crew has a story, some bigger than others, but each of them feel like they have a life bigger than just what we see on screen. Each of them make bad calls, and so do the cops.

The bank heist.

Neil's line about never getting too attached that you can't leave it all behind when you feel the heat around the corner comes back in a big way. Everything that happens in this movie, looking back you get a hint of what might be coming. That's due to a great script.

The movie is very deliberate, from the helicopter shots of Los Angeles to the way it sets up scenes, the editing, and sound design. The bank heist is a great scene, twenty minutes of action that is just wild. Part of what makes that scene so good is the story foundation behind it. The sound mix of that scene is also incredible. It's absolutely a must see scene.

This is everything a movie should be. Clocking in at three hours, it doesn't feel long at all.