Machinegun-tastic

Rating: 9/10 (30 July 2001)

Heat is an exceptional film whose only flaw is that it is too long. The character development showing the personal lives of the hunter and the huntee is done brilliantly but perhaps there is just too much of it.
The action scenes contain arguably the most impressive gunplay ever, striking the delicate balance between excitement and realism. The fact that the 'baddies' are not all black, and similarly the 'goodies' are not all white, shows that remarkable thought has gone into penning the characters.
The very notion of similar people on opposite sides of the law is a strong one, and is executed brilliantly here by the two leads - Pacino and De Niro, as well as a strong supporting cast including Ashley Judd, Tom Sizemore, Danny Trejo and Val Kilmer.
Action fans will get itchy feet waiting for the gunfights, but they are well worth the wait, trust me.