Epic Crime Saga

Rating: 10/10 (23 September 2003)

An epic crime saga, indeed - as described on the back of the box. This is my favorite film of all time. I need not go into great detail about the knockout cast, though it does the film bounds of justice. This film's best quality is the fantastic acting meshed with Michael Mann's directing (See "The Insider", also directed by Mann and also starring Al Pacino and Diane Venora for comparison and like style). The film also has a well composed score. Regarding the use of music in Heat, the exclusion of background music from various scenes (like the bank robbery) forces the viewer to take in what's happening visually, and this is how power actors like Pacino and De Niro really make this film the masterpiece that it is. I voted this film a 10 because I think it excedes, and actually exemplifies, the criteria that viewers of good taste and quality want to experience when they see a movie. Fans of organized crime films such as Casino and Goodfellas will appreciate the up-to-date representations of crime in Heat. Heat presents a modern tale of cops and robbers without focusing on the protagonist or pushing the viewer towards favoring one particular character. This films blurs the lines between good guy and bad guy, and you'll be surprised who you'll root for in the end.