Barnes & Noble

Bolstered by the stellar performances of two screen giants, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Heat rather ambitiously delineates the relativity of good and evil in contemporary society, turning what might have been a routine crime thriller into a thought-provoking, if melancholy, reflection on modern life. Writer-director Michael Mann (Collateral) presents a sprawling narrative that pits obsessed, intuitive police detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) against highly disciplined thief Neil McCauley (De Niro), whose latest robbery target is a seemingly burglarproof bank in Los Angeles. McCauley has always managed to slip away from crime scenes and elude Hanna, but this time things could be different: The heist’s complexity requires the employment of thugs the master thief doesn’t quite trust -- with good reason, as it turns out. The story plays out along parallel tracks; De Niro and the crooks here, Pacino and the cops there. The two leads don’t confront each other until well into the movie’s explosive third act -- unbelievably, their first time on screen together -- which builds to a suspenseful climax at LAX. Mann surrounds his stars with top-flight supporting actors, including Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, and Diane Venora. What elevates Heat above most movies of its type is the moral ambiguity of the characters: The good guys aren’t all good, and the bad guys aren’t all bad. The production has the same stylishly gritty look that Mann has been using since his old TV show, Miami Vice, and the caper -- including a bravura set-piece on the streets of downtown L.A. -- is presented in a cold, clinical manner that suggests documentary more than narrative film. At nearly three hours, Heat is long; yet the intricate plot, the rich characterizations, and Mann’s masterful direction combine to make a film worthy of its epic length. Ed Hulse

All Movie Guide

A successful career criminal considers getting out of the business after one last score, while an obsessive cop desperately tries to put him behind bars in this intelligent thriller written and directed by Michael Mann. Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) is a thief who specializes in big, risky jobs, such as banks and armored cars. He's very good at what he does; he's bright, methodical, and has honed his skills as a thief at the expense of his personal life, vowing never to get involved in a relationship from which he couldn't walk away in 30 seconds. Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) is an L.A.P.D. detective determined to catch McCauley, but while McCauley's personal code has forced him to do without a wife and children, Hanna's dedication has made a wreck of the home he's tried to have; he's been divorced twice, he's all but a stranger to his third wife, and he has no idea how to reach out to his troubled step-daughter. While McCauley has enough money to retire and is planning to move to New Zealand, he loves the thrill of robbery as much as the profit, and is blocking out plans for one more job; meanwhile, he's met a woman, Eady (Amy Brenneman), whom he's not so sure he can walk away from. The supporting cast includes Val Kilmer as Chris, one of McCauley's partners; Ashley Judd as his wife Charlene; Jon Voight as Nate; Hank Azaria as Alan Marciano; and Henry Rollins as Hugh, who is beaten up by Hanna. Mark Deming

Product Details

• UPC: 012569705814
• Source: WARNER HOME VIDEO
• Presentation: Wide Screen
• Sound: Dolby AC-3 Surround Sound
• Editions: Special Edition, Subtitled, Dubbed
• Time: 4:17:00
• Sales Rank: 6,448