This is one of my favorite movies of all time. Al Pacino and Robert Dinero absolutely SIZZLE in this film. Michael Mann adds his brand of visual seduction, as the film's "blue" look and atmospheric music and scenes add a spectacular feel to this film. The "cat and mouse" game is complicated by the fact that we learn about the personal lives of all lead characters, and it truly allows you to "cheer for the bad guy". The movie, minute by minute, is one of the best crime sagas ever created. Fanastic cinema, highly recommended!

The film, much hyped for the first onscreen meeting of Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, opens with an only in Hollywood heist of an armored bank truck. The newest member of the gang- Waingro (Kevin Gage)- panics, which results in the murder of the 3 guards. De Niro's character, Neil McCauley, the gang's leader, attempts to kill the screw up, but he escapes. Meanwhile, Vincent Hanna (Pacino), LAPD homicide expert, takes over the case. Needless digressions include Hanna's failing marriage with his faithless wife Justine (Diane Venora) & suicidal stepdaughter (Natalie Portman), Waingroe's revelation as a serial killer of prostitutes, McCauley's contrived and sparkless romance with a lonely bookworm 25 years his junior, Eady (Amy Brenneman), & the backstory of the newest member of the gang. If the long and superfluous digressions are not bad enough, the implausible action scenes & character interactions are worse- this is an absolutely abominable screenplay, folks. Here are just some of the implausibilities: after figuring out that McCauley's thieves have turned the tables on him Hanna stops McCauley, who absurdly agrees to a cup of joe with him. This is the big `Clash of Titans' the film hypes, but is as realistic as John Ashcroft breaking bread with Osama bin Laden. Instead, we get insipid dick on the table banter as Hanna warns McCauley he just might have to `take him out'. McCauley counters, `Oh yeah? I just might have to take you out.' It would have been a hoot had McCauley replied, `You talkin' to me?', but no such luck.... In short, Heat is a mediocre movie at best- its visual style accounting for whatever props it deserves. It was only 2 years later that the brilliant L.A. Confidential came along & showed America what a truly great crime film could be. As for the DVD itself? It's no-frills- there's no commentary, 3 trailers, but the actual transfer of the film print is very clean, as is the sound quality. Curiously, the DVD package seems to recapitulate the making of the film: great attention paid to the shine, but a fairly hollow core.
I waited years to see this film because it was so overhyped, just like I waited years to see the abominable Schindler's List. Heat is not that bad, but post-9/11 this sort of juvenilia all seems kind of unreal.

Heat is a rare masterpiece. Mann tells his stories in such a unique and captivating manner. Heat is a movie with a somewhat implausible storyline, that is told with incredible realism. Every event in this movie is shown with such detail and with such a realistic, "in your face" feel, that every one of it's 3 hrs is intriguing. Maybe this is just one of those movies that only select few are going to enjoy, but I think it's incredible, with excellent performances by Pacino, de Niro, and a young Portman. (alright, her performance isn't anything special, but she is.) Each actor shows us a unique and believable individual, which is what should happen. At the very least, the shootout in L.A. is one of the best of it's kind in any movie, at least that I've seen. These are my thoughts on one of the best movies ever made.

The coffee shop scene tells everything about this film. The human side of the characters is perfectly explored, especially concerning De Niro's character (Neil). His personal conflicts are as strong as his determination and skills as a gangster. This is the magic of this film and only two fantastic actors like Pacino and De Niro could represent it so totally. Congratulations to Val Kilmer that shined and performed exceptionally well under the huge shadow of Pacino and De Niro. "Heat" carries with it the moral values so many of us take for granted. Although much in the film is morally ambiguous, one may find that even when all your life you've lived on the other side of the law, you can still settle down and have a heart-to-heart. When I first saw this movie I was sure it would be another violent crime movie that I would never want to see again. I have since seen it 4 times and have this DVD of my own. The thrilling sequences and brilliant camera-work have you glued to the screen. The exceptional cast of characters has you wondering "who could be so lucky to work with them?". From the opening scene to the thrilling final scenes and everything in between (including the climax) "Heat" grabs you and pulls you in. This is a true film masterpiece. A must see !

It's an adventure into the world of high-end criminals. You see the human frailties of the detectives, the criminals and the people supporting them. You can watch it over & over and stay riveted.

Have been trying to get this movie for some time. Great value and got it fast. Husband was very happy

While there is nothing original or fascinating about this film, it is very good for passing the time, in particular the action is far better than average. I enjoyed the masterful professional thieves, their self-imposed discipline of leaving in 30 seconds, and their physicality in violence. The subtheme of good/bad guy resembling eachother is also fun, particularly the Pacino/Niro meeting and open conversation. It is much better than average.

But what can you say about the plot? A heist, maybe the big one, is coming. Get em or get away with it. Then there are the girls, the anchor we all seek. In an obsessed life, there is little room for love, except as castoff entertainment or broken promises. Fine, but does it rise above that kind of formula? No, in my view.

Recommended, but not as a film I would love to watch again and again and again. It is well worth a viewing, perhaps, but alas will not join the classics by any stretch of the imagination.

Two men on opposite sides of the law, both loners obsessed by what they do. Two of contemporary cinema's greatest actors, facing off for the first time in their 30+ year-long careers. A director with an impeccable sense of style. And a tremendous cast, whose every member delivers a truly stunning performance. These are some of the ingredients that elevate Michael Mann's "Heat" high above any average thriller.

The film's mood is set from the very first camera shots, following Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) from a subway station to a hospital, to drive off with an ambulance he'll be using in his crew's next score. While we don't hear him speak a single word, his movements alone are unquestionably those of a leader; a man in absolute control of every situation. Like many of "Heat"'s crucial scenes (including the two lead characters' sole face-to-face encounters in a coffee shop and during the grand finale), the opening shots are set at night; and the hard contrast between almost black darkness and brightly shining neon lights thus established from the start is soon revealed as a hallmark of the movie's cinematography. One of the next shots shows McCauley's adversary-to-be, homicide Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) making love to his wife (Diane Venora). But afterwards there is no coziness; no conversation and no joint breakfast. Their relationship is disintegrating and, although fully aware that his obsession with his job is turning his life into a "disaster zone," it is ultimately Vincent who sacrifices it to that very obsession. Similarly, Neil has adopted a discipline of never letting himself get attached to anything he can't "walk out on in 30 seconds flat" if he feels the heat coming on: a discipline looming in the background even of his growing feelings for Eady (Amy Brenneman), with whom he has gotten involved against the instinct that told him to treat their encounter as a one-night-stand. Also troubled is the relationship between Neil's friend Chris (Val Kilmer) and his wife Charlene (Ashley Judd); but there it is Chris who wants to hold on to their marriage, whereas Charlene, no longer able to cope with his gambling and immaturity, wants out, although she still clearly loves him.

Vincent and Neil are pitted against each other after an armored car holdup of Neil's crew goes awry when a new man named Waingro (Kevin Gage), who will soon be revealed as a ruthless serial killer, escalates the robbery by shooting one of the guards. Knowing that they are now all up for first-degree murder, the gang don't hesitate to kill the other guards, so as not to leave a living witness. Yet, with the police on their trail they still plan two more scores; one at the Precious Metals Depository and one at a downtown bank, the latter of which in particular proves fatal when it ends in a shootout turning L.A.'s business district into a virtual war zone. Further complications arise out of Neil's attempt to sell the bearer bonds stolen in the holdup back to their owner, a shady businessman named Van Zant (William Fichtner), who ultimately pays a high price for underestimating him.

Shortly before the bank heist, Vincent and Neil have a brief but crucial encounter in a coffee shop; and what has heretofore been mere respect developed from afar grows into a feeling of empathy and kinship when they discover their similarities. Yet, neither is willing to cross the lines: He won't like it, Vincent ultimately tells Neil, but if it's between Neil and "some poor (...) whose wife you are going to turn into a widow, brother, you are going down." Neil responds that on that coin's flip side, he, too, won't hesitate to kill Vincent if he gets in his way. And with their positions thus established, the action is up and almost never lets off again, until they meet again during their final chase over LAX's airfield.

"Heat" is a self-described "Los Angeles crime saga," which by implication almost necessarily means that it's not characterized by down-to-earth realism; nor does it strive to be. Of course you do *not* walk away from a midday shootout with what looks like the better part of the LAPD's Central precinct (and unquestionably the movie's saddest unintended consequence was the real-life shootout provoked in imitation of this scene a few years later). Of course it's doubtful that guys like Vincent and Neil would ever sit down together over coffee - more likely, their encounter would have brought about Neil's arrest for murder, as Vincent by this time arguably had probable cause. Of course a real cop's loyalty would always be with his colleagues, and even respect for an adversary like Neil wouldn't propel him to hold his hand, after that same adversary had shot several of his fellow policemen. But all this is ultimately beside the point. This movie's entire dynamics are driven by the antagonism between its unexpectedly similar protagonists; and on that basis, their mutual feelings of empathy and even brotherhood are entirely credible.

The pairing of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino was a dream finally come true; for their performances alone, "Heat" deserves highest honors. While Pacino is his usual self as a supercharged bundle of dynamite, De Niro shows incredible (mannerism-free!) control, contrasting Pacino's bursts of temper with a chilling coolness that can nevertheless flip into ruthless violence in a split second, or into tenderness and emotion in his scenes with Eady. They are complemented by the stellar ensemble cast, also including, inter alia, Natalie Portman in her U.S. film debut as Vincent's troubled stepdaughter (after her very first appearance alongside Jean Reno in Luc Besson's "Leon"), John Voight and Tom Sizemore as Neil's associates Nate and Michael, Hank Azaria as Charlene's love interest and Mykelti Williamson and Wes Studi as Vincent's fellow cops. All in all, this is a truly outstanding production - and despite almost 3 hours' running time, not a minute too long.

Also recommended:
The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III)
Donnie Brasco (Special Edition)
Serpico (Widescreen Edition)
The Score
Ronin

This is a great movie, don't get me wrong. The problem is though that I find myself having to constantly change the volume as I am watching it. Some of the dialogue seems practically silent so I turn it up, then they have loud music or a helicopter or something and bam, I think I've blown out my speakers. The movie is easily a five and this might just be me but having to constantly grab for the remote control when watching this movie has always taken away from the experience for me.

Heat is one of the best movies ever! This special edition is definitely the version to buy because the extra materials like the story of the real Neal McCauley is AWESOME!

I don't know I missed seeing this terrific film when it first came out, but somehow I did. It's a brilliantly written, beautifully acted, deeply involving cops and robbers story, starring Al Pacino as police Lt. Vincent Hanna, a loud-mouthed sleuth with an ex-wife (and a not-happy current spouse) who always gets his man, and Robert De Niro as Neil McCauley, extremely skilled professional heist man. Both are rather thoughtful and analytical and there's a great scene where they sit down in a coffee shop and wax philosophical about their antagonistic relationship. The scene in which the good guys are surveiling the bad guys, only to discover that they are being examined through binoculars in turn, is also first rate. Val Kilmer plays a thoroughly scary shooter -- who, quite unexpectedly, appears to escape in the end. There are numerous interpersonal relationships, between Kilmer and his long-suffering wife (Ashley Judd) who warns him away, between Hanna and his wife and his messed-up stepdaughter (Natalie Portman), and between McCauley and a completely innocent bystander whom he comes to care for but whom he is also willing to leave behind on thirty seconds notice. All the numerous supporting roles are also very nicely done.

This is a great film. It's characters are rich, complex and dark. It's visuals are stunning and modern. And it has both Al Pacino and Robert De Niro churning out amazing performances. This is a crime epic that follows the lives of both the criminals and the cops. It relates the two sides and compares there moral codes, revealing their similarities. Heat is an amazingly complex character study. Every character is three dimensional and that makes the action that much more intense. Speaking of action Heat has several of the best action scenes on film including an amazing bank heist and shootout filmed in downtown L.A. This is a Michael Mann masterpiece I highly recommend it.

Somebody, maybe Pauline Kael, talked about the pornography of violence. In that sense, Michael Mann makes pornographic films: very hard guys, very lovely women, very little dialog, and lots of automatic weapons fire and spattering blood sacks for the jaded audience. No actual humans need be portrayed, no actual interaction is therefore required; just pretty people banging away. Only Mann's films, pretending to be something other than what they are (not sure what, though), go on forever. At least porn's unpretentious and quick. Honest. Give it a try. Rent something XXX and compare it with "Heat." You'll see.

Two men on opposite sides of the law, both loners obsessed by what they do. Two of contemporary cinema's greatest actors, facing off for the first time in their 30+ year-long careers. A director with an impeccable sense of style. And a tremendous cast, whose every member delivers a truly stunning performance. These are some of the ingredients that elevate Michael Mann's "Heat" high above any average thriller.

The film's mood is set from the very first camera shots, following Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) from a subway station to a hospital, to drive off with an ambulance he'll be using in his crew's next score. While we don't hear him speak a single word, his movements alone are unquestionably those of a leader; a man in absolute control of every situation. Like many of "Heat"'s crucial scenes (including the two lead characters' sole face-to-face encounters in a coffee shop and during the grand finale), the opening shots are set at night; and the hard contrast between almost black darkness and brightly shining neon lights thus established from the start is soon revealed as a hallmark of the movie's cinematography. One of the next shots shows McCauley's adversary-to-be, homicide Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) making love to his wife (Diane Venora). But afterwards there is no coziness; no conversation and no joint breakfast. Their relationship is disintegrating and, although fully aware that his obsession with his job is turning his life into a "disaster zone," it is ultimately Vincent who sacrifices it to that very obsession. Similarly, Neil has adopted a discipline of never letting himself get attached to anything he can't "walk out on in 30 seconds flat" if he feels the heat coming on: a discipline looming in the background even of his growing feelings for Eady (Amy Brenneman), with whom he has gotten involved against the instinct that told him to treat their encounter as a one-night-stand. Also troubled is the relationship between Neil's friend Chris (Val Kilmer) and his wife Charlene (Ashley Judd); but there it is Chris who wants to hold on to their marriage, whereas Charlene, no longer able to cope with his gambling and immaturity, wants out, although she still clearly loves him.

Vincent and Neil are pitted against each other after an armored car holdup of Neil's crew goes awry when a new man named Waingro (Kevin Gage), who will soon be revealed as a ruthless serial killer, escalates the robbery by shooting one of the guards. Knowing that they are now all up for first-degree murder, the gang don't hesitate to kill the other guards, so as not to leave a living witness. Yet, with the police on their trail they still plan two more scores; one at the Precious Metals Depository and one at a downtown bank, the latter of which in particular proves fatal when it ends in a shootout turning L.A.'s business district into a virtual war zone. Further complications arise out of Neil's attempt to sell the bearer bonds stolen in the holdup back to their owner, a shady businessman named Van Zant (William Fichtner), who ultimately pays a high price for underestimating him.

Shortly before the bank heist, Vincent and Neil have a brief but crucial encounter in a coffee shop; and what has heretofore been mere respect developed from afar grows into a feeling of empathy and kinship when they discover their similarities. Yet, neither is willing to cross the lines: He won't like it, Vincent ultimately tells Neil, but if it's between Neil and "some poor (...) whose wife you are going to turn into a widow, brother, you are going down." Neil responds that on that coin's flip side, he, too, won't hesitate to kill Vincent if he gets in his way. And with their positions thus established, the action is up and almost never lets off again, until they meet again during their final chase over LAX's airfield.

"Heat" is a self-described "Los Angeles crime saga," which by implication almost necessarily means that it's not characterized by down-to-earth realism; nor does it strive to be. Of course you do *not* walk away from a midday shootout with what looks like the better part of the LAPD's Central precinct (and unquestionably the movie's saddest unintended consequence was the real-life shootout provoked in imitation of this scene a few years later). Of course it's doubtful that guys like Vincent and Neil would ever sit down together over coffee - more likely, their encounter would have brought about Neil's arrest for murder, as Vincent by this time arguably had probable cause. Of course a real cop's loyalty would always be with his colleagues, and even respect for an adversary like Neil wouldn't propel him to hold his hand, after that same adversary had shot several of his fellow policemen. But all this is ultimately beside the point. This movie's entire dynamics are driven by the antagonism between its unexpectedly similar protagonists; and on that basis, their mutual feelings of empathy and even brotherhood are entirely credible.

The pairing of Robert De Niro and Al Pacino was a dream finally come true; for their performances alone, "Heat" deserves highest honors. While Pacino is his usual self as a supercharged bundle of dynamite, De Niro shows incredible (mannerism-free!) control, contrasting Pacino's bursts of temper with a chilling coolness that can nevertheless flip into ruthless violence in a split second, or into tenderness and emotion in his scenes with Eady. They are complemented by the stellar ensemble cast, also including, inter alia, Natalie Portman in her U.S. film debut as Vincent's troubled stepdaughter (after her very first appearance alongside Jean Reno in Luc Besson's "Leon"), John Voight and Tom Sizemore as Neil's associates Nate and Michael, Hank Azaria as Charlene's love interest and Mykelti Williamson and Wes Studi as Vincent's fellow cops. All in all, this is a truly outstanding production - and despite almost 3 hours' running time, not a minute too long.

Also recommended:
The Godfather DVD Collection (The Godfather/ The Godfather - Part II/ The Godfather - Part III)
Donnie Brasco (Special Edition)
Serpico (Widescreen Edition)
The Score
Ronin

Al Pacino and Robert de Niro together. Frankly, I think that's a good enough reason to see any movie, but even if it weren't for those two brilliant actors, Heat is a must-see film. The script is utterly brilliant, full of action and three-dimensional people doing what they must. The shootout scene is quite spectacular and the "supporting" cast is an embarrassment of riches: Tom Sizemore, Val Kilmer, Ashley Judd, Natalie Portman, Jon Voight, Hank Azaria, etc. This is a long movie (almost three hours) and every scene, shot and minute are utterly riveting.

Fabulous Los Angeles based cops and robbers movie, full of action without the Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels nonsense that is all too pervasive these days. Robert DeNiro plays bad guy Neil McCauley with brilliant subtlety. Val Kilmer is a good shamefaced gambler in love with and doing it all for Ashley Judd. But Al Pacino. My god, the man is incapable of delivering a line without either inserting. a . pause . between . each. word or SUDDENLY HOLLERING WITH BULGING EYES AT INAPPROPRIATE TIMES. He is clearly trying to trade on his 'dangerous man nearly unhinged' persona of Godfather days, but he is just embarrassing. He can't play a love scene worth beans either - he is blank eyed, monotone and unlikeable (Scent of a Woman - dire). Shame, because the movie is otherwise a corker.

A great movie. It redefined the cops and robbers genre. DeNiro and Pacino on the big screen together makes for some great scenes and some really strong dialogue. And, without a doubt, the best gunfight scene ever filmed. At three hours, it does run a bit long.

I think this might be my most favorite movie ever. I can watch it again and again. I love De Niro and Pacino not to mention Kilmer, Judd and all of the other actors. John Voight is in this movie and I didn't even recognize him, at first. Nonstop action from beginning to end. You won't be disappointed!

Crime doesn't Pay. I had a hard time understanding certain parts. well put my honey said. Just get job. I replied. Lets see if I can find one today. I told her I may work. At red white & blue. Called. City Bank. My honey replied tres bien. Bon Soir. You know when and where to find each other again.

Pacino and De Niro were perfectly cast for this movie. Jon Voight is the guy who gives De Niro and his crew "the scores." Pacino is the cop who tries to nail De Niro's kind before they can "take down scores." Great acting, great plot. Bad Guys vs. Good Guys. Bad Guys vs Bad Guys......

The bank robbery shootout was a masterpiece. For once a movie portrayed the "professional bad guys" as actually knowing how to shoot. And boy, do they hand the cops their BEE-HINDS in their hats. They basically kicked cop-butt. Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore join De Niro with their assault rifles in the mayhem they lay out on the streets of L.A. This is the kind of movie that's get cops wailing and whining that they're out-gunned in the streets, when in reality, all you gotta' do is to practice shooting your weapon, and lay off the freakin' donuts.

William Fitchner plays a double-crossing bad guy who gets his just desserts toward the end of the movie. The scene where his men try and double-cross DeNiro's crew in the abandoned drive-in was just another example of the difference between the pro's and the amateurs.

The dialogue between Pacino and De Niro in the restaurant should have been an "Oscar" winner.

"Heat"

Robert Deniro and Al Pacino head a star studded cast (including Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd, Tom Sizemore) which has some brilliant dialogue throughout, but an unrealistic ending.

While both Deniro (playing a young Vito Corleone) and Pacino (reprising his role as Michael Corleone) starred in the "The Godfather Part 2", they didn't appear in any scenes together so you can say that this is their first time together (if only for a short time).

Their only real dialogue is a sequence at the center of the movie that clarifies the movie's real subject. As it begins, a Los Angeles police detective named Hanna (Pacino) has been tracking a high-level thief named McCauley (Deniro) for days. McCauley is smart and wary and seems impossible to trap. So, one evening, tailing McCauley's car, Hanna turns on the flashers and pulls him over.

McCauley carefully shifts the loaded gun he is carrying. He waits in his car. Hanna approaches it and says, "What do you say I buy you a cup of coffee?" McCauley says that sounds like a good idea.

The two men sit across from each other in a diner: Middle-aged, weary, with too much experience in their lines of work, they know exactly what they represent to one other, but for this moment of truce they drink their coffee.

McCauley is a professional thief, skilled and gifted. When Hanna subtly suggests otherwise, he says, "You see me doing thrill-seeking holdups with a `Born to Lose' tattoo on my chest?" No, says the cop, he doesn't. The conversation comes to an end. The cop says, "I don't know how to do anything else." The thief says, "Neither do I." The scene concentrates the truth of the moviw, which is that these cops and robbers need each other: They occupy the same space, sealed off from the mainstream of society, defined by its own rules.

They are enemies, but in a sense they are more intimate, more involved with each other than with those who are supposed to be their friends.

Beyond that, Heat is anti-climatic.

I cannot praise this film enough; Heat is an absolute GRAND SLAM by brilliant director Michael Mann. Even though there may be a few spots in which the movie drags on a little, you just have to get past that. Heat was filmed ENTIRELY on location, and every single frame in this film is magnificent, a testament to Mann's sheer genius. It has the greatest bank heist and subsequent shootout scenes in cinematic history, and the ending is phenomenal and heartwrenching enough to practically leave you in tears. Do not hestitate to buy this true masterpiece of American cinema.

Great movie at a great price.Local retailer had it for twice the price. Got it quick too. I'm very satisfied with this purchase. If you have never seen this movie and like Deniro and Pacino. It's a MUST have.

I've been a Heat fan since I caught it on VHS years ago. I also have found Michael Mann to be a pretty consistently solid director, with a few exceptions. After seeing Miami Vice on DVD, and being blown away by a movie that I had LOW expectations of, I had to revisit Heat. I was not dissapointed.

This movie FLIES by, and at 2:45, thats no small feat. I honestly missed some of the character development the first time, but I caught it and savored it this time. Mann shows all sides of these complex characters in the time he's given, and makes you alternately love and hate the aspects of them, but ultimately UNDERSTAND them. Pacino is who he is. Deniro is who he is. Conventions such as laws and marriage wont change them, and make us appreciate (with some reservation) people who have found such singular purposes.

The thing I find the most gripping about this movie is its authenticity. There is a genuine quality to the dialogue and the actions of the players that really remove the suspension of reality that you often have to have in an action movie. Some say the side stories of the serial killer and Pacino's disfunction at home were unncessary, but I feel there isnt a minute of this movie that should be cut. Like Miami Vice, every scene in some way enriches the experience, and make this one of the best movies I've ever seen. It just took me a few years to realize it.

So far I have not been dissapointed by anything directed by Michael Mann. This is an outstanding movie with a complete 5 star cast. Anyone who enjoys gritty, crime dramas and armed robbery should see this movie. Mann shows both sides of the coin(especially in the greatest scene of the movie where Pachino, the cop, has a face to face conversation with De Niro, the crook). A definite must have for movie collectors

You can't expect anything less than a quality movie with 2 incredible actors such as DeNiro and Pacino. Awesome to see them battle against each other. My favorite part is when they sit down to chat and you'll see why. Long movie, so you better have time to watch it. For as long of a movie as it is, there were some ends left untied. Either way worth the watch.

Theres not much I can add to what has already been said. However if by some miracle you've missed this film over the last 12 years then here is a quick overview of one of the best crime movies ever made.

Al Pacino and Robert DeNiro star as respectively dedicated cop and master criminal. Pacino as Cop Vincent Hanna is so dedicated that he neglects his family and his 3rd marraige is falling apart. DeNiro as Neil McCauley is a man who is prepared to walk away from any relationship in order to maintain his criminal lifestyle. A previous reviewer gave the acting honours to Pacino, which I'd have to disagree with. Lets be clear here both are excellent, and I like both actors, they are amongst the best ever. But for my money DeNiro steals it in perhaps his last great performance. Pacino just overplays his part just a little bit, which allows me to give it to DeNiro - but only just.

The remainder of the cast are excellent and Michael Mann directs with his usual skill. Some of the action sequences in this film are brilliantly done. I recently saw Mission Impossible III, which has some impressive action sequences in it but they aren't in the same league as the ones in this film. Why? Because Heat does not rely on CGI effects and the camerawork is vastly superior. Furthermore action sequences do not need to contain explosions every 30 seconds to make them work!

This is quite a long film at 164mins but you will find that it passes very quickly - always the sigh of a good film.

DeNiro, and Pacino together in one movie. Enough said. Buy this movie if you like explosions and gunplay.

Since its release I've seen it a 100 times - The way Pacino and Deniro are dressed is just extravagant! The Deniro's French Cut and the Hair style of Pacino, the Tatoo on Tom Sizemor's Arm and the makeup on Val's Eyes -whoo! its just GREAT. The two sides of the law - the rules to follow and the disciplines and loyalties of Partners and Families. It all comes together in each of Michael Mann's movies and HEAT was just the beginning. I recommend every one of his films to be bought and watched again and again.

havnt watched in forever but i remember i really liked it. i didnt see much interplay between deniro and pacino. seemed just ok. i was rooting for deniro the whole movie! then they freakin kill him at the end? pacino shoulda got shot. the robbery scene was awesome. i love how kilmers wife saved him. i like how amy decides to give deniro a chance. deniro got greedy and wanted to off that guy. he shoulda got away with it. thats the only thing that killed the movie for me or else 5 stars.

Possibly the best shoot-out scene I've ever witnessed during the climatic robbery. Solid acting by believable people. Good entertainment.

The Good - Al Pacino versus Robert DeNiro
The Bad - Val Kilmer
The Ugly - A Michael Mann film

And the winner is...no drum roll needed here...the ugly. Michael Mann can't stop sucking. No surprise there.

We begin with minimal dialogue and exposition through words, a MM trademark. Then they did finally "act" and were howlingly bad, another MM trademark. The writing, the delivery, and the overblown "action" scenes. Give me a medal for lasting 15 minutes. Okay, 10. It felt like many more. Please, MTV, give MM a job before he films again.

Both a fascinating character study and a slick, tense, exciting heist movie. Al Pacino AND Robert De Niro; does it get any better than that? Some speculate that the movie inspired a 1997 North Hollywood bank robbery that ended in a prologned and spectacularly violent gunfight with police.

This is a long, involved, and generally superior caper movie, something on the order of "The Asphalt Jungle" but with a cop thrown into the sauce. In addition, as a kind of subplot, we have a duel of wits between Pacino who represents LA's Robbery and Homicide, and DeNiro as the head of the honorable gang betrayed by a renegade member.

The cast on the whole is splendid. Pacino gives a wide-eyed arm-waving, thoroughly enjoyable performance. As his third wife, Diane Venora with her feline eyes is the sensible spouse who feels she is not sharing her husband's life because he doesn't feel she should know about the rottener side of his work. If this sounds a bit familiar, it may be because you've run into this conflict in so many other movies, including "Bullit", "The Godfather," and others. She is the only character who is given lines that make her sound as if she's gone to college -- "What you do is sift through the debris, then pick up the scent and follow it," describing how she views her husband's job. DeNiro is more restrained, thoughtful, solemn, always seeming to be strangling his passion. His motto: "Never get involved in anything you're not ready to turn your back on and walk out of in thirty seconds flat." Until he meets Amy Brennerman, a pretty young woman who turns in an understated performance filled with nuance. Val Kilmer's pinched face has now progressed beyond prettiness and has acquired real character, matched by his acting here. Two performances are absolute standouts. John Voight as the avuncular source of street information, a kind of Mentor to the gang, is flawless in the role. He has turned into a marvelous character actor. And Ashley Judd as Kilmer's love interest has to be one of our more underused and underrated actresses. She has plump lips, darting dark eyes, and a most mobile face and expressive body, able to convey more with a smile or a gesture than imaginable. She is a magnetic presence in this movie and in some others, so much so that when she is on screen she seems to command it without trying.

All the major characters have domestic problems, including an African-American driver recruited by the gang at the last minute. But these conflicts are secondary to the main thread of this complex plot, which involves two big heists, several shoot-outs in crowded streets, and a couple of murders in between, some of them off screen. The film is as admirable for what it leaves out as what it includes. There are -- this may be difficult to believe -- there are no slow-motion scenes of violence and not a single car chase. A man trying to escape in a pickup is shot while speeding away. The traditional, moribund thriller/action scenario DEMANDS that this vehicle either blow up like a Claymore or end its earthly existence in a spectacular slow-motion crash. But, no. The director has the truck with the dead man at the wheel slow down and roll to bump gently against a cyclone fence. Yes, folks, it's true. See it for this reason if for no other.

...he'd be a man of my dreams if he wasn't a criminal...
I love Al Pacino and every movie he's done except "The Devil's Advocate"... Al's performance here is flawless and I expected nothing less... His character, however, is not nearly as impressive... In his third failing marriage, this guy's priority is clearly not his relationships... Incapable of intimacy, poor pathetic soul chases the bad guys so intensely that he has nothing left to give to the woman he supposedly loves... Why not stay single instead and concentrate on what you're good at?... Nope, did not like this guy in the least... I found myself mesmerized by the character played by De Niro instead... To my surprise, De Niro's performance was top notch as well... I'm not a big fan of De Niro - I don't consider him as talented of an actor as Pacino - but I was blown away by his performance in "Heat"... How can a bad guy be so good?... His brand of self-control and self-discipline gave me goosebumps!... His ability to make a split-second decision and stick to it without looking back would make him a top notch candidate for an executive...Instead, he robes banks...Like his opponent, Pacino, he is very good at what he does, so good in fact, that he earns an admiration and respect of the man desperately trying to chase him down... De Niro has not been in a relationship before - unlike Pacino he understands the demands of his livelihood and stays clear from anything that he can't walk away from on a moment's notice when he "feels the heat around the corner"... This will change, but I don't want to completely spoil the movie for you... De Niro kills - once hesitantly (5 seconds of a pause is an eternity for a man who can make decisions in a fraction of a second) when forced by a trigger happy sociopath who unfortunately took part in one of his gigs, and twice to settle a score... Paradoxically, this criminal has a strong sense of honor, loyalty and justice... Yes, I like him, I like him a lot... He reminds me of Pacino's Carlito in "Carlito's Way", another movie I love...