terrific Michael Mann style

Rating: 8/10 (5 February 2015)

Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) leads a group of robbers including Chris Shiherlis (Val Kilmer), Michael Cheritto (Tom Sizemore) and Trejo (Danny Trejo) to rob an armored truck. The job doesn't go exactly as plan and the guards are killed. Their fence Nate (Jon Voight) tries to sell the bonds back to the owner, underworld money launderer Roger Van Zant (William Fichtner). Police Lieutenant Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino) leads the investigation.
Michael Mann shows himself to be the master of the tense crime drama. The criminals are slick without being greasy. They are more the tough and quiet type. Following the criminals elevates the tension and the style points. De Niro is terrific and his encounter with Pacino is the stuff of legend. It's the first on-screen meeting between these two giants. The final bank shootout is something else entirely. It is pure tense gun action for the true fans.