Breathtaking

Rating: 9/10 (22 August 2008)

DeNiro's Neil McCaulley is so cool and crisp. Tom Noonan is great. The movie has tons of style and the best shoot out scene of all time. Sizemore and Kilmer are excellent as always. As are Diane Verona and Ashley Judd. Watching McCaulley's crew work was one of the great cinematic pleasures of the 90's. As Lt. Hanna says, "Their M.O. is that they're good."(in Pacino's sole bright moment) The only rough spot is Pacino, who hasn't been able to act his way out of a wet paper bag is almost twenty years. The sad thing is that all the lamest dialogue got handed to him as well. The music reminds you of Mann's days with Miami Vice; ultra-modern yet understated and elegant. The sound editing is appropriate; when you have a dozen different types of weapons all being fired simultaneously, you appreciate not having to listen yet again to a foleyed-in Hollywood "pow!" A full metric tonne of supporting actors all lend their little bits (Watch Hank Azaria as the mouthy Vegas paramour-Pacino has fun slapping him down to size). The ending does seem to a drag a little in my opinion-reminding us a little of the Mexican standoff in "The Good, The Bad and The Ugly". After a while you're ready to scream "Shoot already!" Heat is hands-down the best LA crime drama to come out in a long, long while and along with LA Confidential, stands to be one of the best of all time.