Masterpiece

Rating: 10/10 (27 October 2006)

One of my MOST favorite movies. It lasts as long as it should, every second of it filled with the unique atmosphere of the approaching outcome. ALL of its characters are worth talking and talking about... But the confrontation of the two men is absolutely thrilling; awesome acting by Pacino and De Niro... Hanna and McCauley are almost twins, two 'aces' in everywhere but private life, it's shown throughout the whole plot, and is confirmed in that fantastic restaurant scene. What a dialogue between two enemies who suddenly understood each other so well...
Vincent: I don't know how to do anything else. Neil: Neither do I. Vincent: I don't much want to either. Neil: Neither do I.
And, though one of them finds his end before closing titles, the other barely has a future, too. Indeed, both of them live this 'disaster zone' existence which Hanna talks about - on both sides, professional (willingly) and private (NOT willingly, but...). "Picnics" :) Yeah, that (or almost that) actually IS the very future, the very normal life that both of them (Neil too, though not openly) greatly desire, but just CANNOT achieve - they would then have to change what for so long had been the basis of their personalities. As they both say, they don't' much want to... Moby's theme starting to play... The airport; landing airplanes carrying hundreds and thousands of people with normal, more or less happy lives, and there Vincent is, standing under them with a gun beside his finally defeated alter ego, with nothing but his 'disaster zone' ahead... Kilmer's Chris is the only one from the gang who did manage to escape from the Heat, he, his faithful and loving wife and their child may still hope to reach some future, at least better than Vincent's - but only if he WILL 'much want to'. My great respect and gratefulness to Michael Mann and ALL of the cast. The soundtrack is a gem, all the tracks adding a huge lot to the overall atmosphere. I find Moby's 'God Moving Over the Face of the Waters' theme marvelously enriching the final scene's impression; after I watched the movie several times I couldn't resist searching the web for info on the OST and getting me this magic-like track. I wholeheartedly recommend the film to everyone. To me, 'Heat' is a pure masterpiece.