Mann Delivers Real "Heat"

Rating: 10/10 (31 December 2000)

Two men, each a consummate professional in his respective field-- but on opposite sides of the law-- become adversaries in a high-stakes cat and mouse game from which only one can emerge victorious, in the action/drama `Heat,' directed by Michael Mann and starring Robert De Niro and Al Pacino. Neil McCauley (De Niro) is a professional criminal who makes his living by `Taking down scores;' it's all he knows, and what he does best. Vincent Hanna (Pacino) is a Detective with the L.A.P.D. whose main reason for `being' is to stop guys like McCauley from doing what they do best. It's what `he' does best. And when circumstances put them together on the same playing field, it becomes a battle of wits and tenacity, a matter of who will outwit whom and when; for each man is adamant in intent, and it becomes clear early on that neither will ever acquiesce, withdraw or concede the game to his opponent. McCauley lives by a code that allows him to walk away if he knows the heat is around the corner, but only to another space on the same board; and Hanna owns the board. What follows is an intense study in the dynamics of uncompromising conviction; and the tension begins with the opening sequence and continues to build throughout the film, right up to the very end.	In McCauley, De Niro has created a character that is more than just a bit disconcerting; a hardened criminal, ready to kill-- indiscriminately-- at the drop of a hat, anyone who gets in his way, but with an outward appearance that belies his true nature. This guy is anybody's next door neighbor; the software salesman or the manager of the local A&P who would blend in with the crowd anywhere because he is so nondescript. A man whose life is a ruse, hiding his psychotic, sociopathic instincts behind a facade of normalcy. And De Niro plays him with such integrity that it makes him one of the more terrifying characters he's ever brought to the screen, not because of what he seems to be, but because of what you know he is capable of. His portrayal of Max Cady in `Cape Fear' was, by comparison, the outward expression of what McCauley is underneath, and which he conceals so well; With Cady at least you could discern the evil of the man just by looking at him-- a man the likes of which you would cross the street to avoid if you saw him coming. McCauley is the one you would invite in, never suspecting the truth. And that is what makes him such a powerful character.	Pacino's Hanna, on the other hand, is the exact opposite. He's boisterous, loud, and in all ways larger than life; he swaggers and intimidates. And why? Because it gets results. The manner he affects gives him the presence he needs to ferret out the criminal element and to keep them in line; if someone chooses to play in his court, they're going to know he's there, and he's not going to let them forget it. It's his turf, his rules, end of story. It's a purposefully over-the-top performance, because that's who Hanna is, or at least that's the face he puts on for the job. Underneath he's just a man looking for a little peace in his life, a part of his own personal puzzle that has so far eluded him, in no small part due to the dedication he brings to his work. The necessity of dealing with reality at the level he must day in and day out is simply not conducive with the ability to leave the job at the door when the shift is over. For a man like Hanna, the shift is never over. And the fact that McCauley-- at the other end of the spectrum-- is made of the same cloth, is what gives this film such explosive intensity.	The exemplary supporting cast includes Val Kilmer (Chris), Jon Voight (Nate), Tom Sizemore (Michael), Diane Venora (Justine Hanna), Amy Brenneman (Eady), Ashley Judd (Charlene), Natalie Portman (Lauren), Hank Azaria (Alan) and Kevin Gage (Waingro). `Heat' is a hard-hitting, memorable film, impeccably directed and delivered by Mann; an entertaining and action-packed character study with an adrenaline rush that never lets you off the hook for a moment. And how great to see De Niro and Pacino together; that alone is worth the price of admission. If you're ready for some excitement, check this one out; it'll take you to the edge and keep you there, and by the time it's over you'll be ready for more of the same-- and that is what movies are all about. That is the magic. I rate this one 10/10.