Exceptionally well done though it's not the sort of film for everyone...but what movie is?

Rating: 9/10 (23 April 2011)

I have very little interest in most action films or violent movies, so I am not the sort of person that would normally watch a film like "Heat". However, on a lark and because it's apparently such a good film I decided to give the film a look. Well, I must say that thought I was not in love with the film it sure was exceptionally well made and had a lot to offer--even for folks like me.
The biggest reason I liked the movie and thought it was made so well was its rich and complex plot. At nearly three hours, there is lots and lots of time for the plot to slowly unfold. It also allowed for several concurrent plots to interweave themselves through the film--the story about the master criminals, the cops, another criminal as well as a rogue nut-job that just likes to kill. It's almost like a mini-series in this respect. I also loved how this was not a set-bound film but was made throughout LA--though I wonder how this was possible, as it must have tied up huge portions of Los Angeles! I also loved some of the characters--particularly Robert De Niro's oddly professional and scary criminal boss. It was one of his very best performances.
There's very little to complain about in the film, though I thought Al Pacino's character was a tad over-acted at times. Unlike De Niro, I had a harder time believing Pacino was real. Perhaps it's just me....
Overall, if you don't mind the violence and the occasionally frenetic pace, then this is a film well wroth seeing. Extremely well-directed and never dull.