This timeless crime epic will probably always be my favorite film of all time.

Rating: 10/10 (20 February 1999)

Michael Mann is THE MAN! "Heat (1995)" affected me in a way that I cannot describe. It is long, yet concise; a complex story told with sweeping epic about two men, one on each side of the law, and the fateful events that bring them together. It is a collision of monumental proportions; one that sparks a chaotic downward spiral as each antagonist grapples for control of his respective world.
Mann appears to do little to draw his audience in and make them care about his characters; he merely presents them for our viewing. Yet for certain people, DeNiro's Neil McCauley and Pacino's Vincent Hanna will lift off the screen and live forever in our minds, never to be forgotten even in the off-chance that we should get amnesia.
On the surface, "Heat" appears to be an action film, a showdown. But it is much more: a love story, a friendship, fate, respect, suicide, and ultimately, a story of great sadness. The infinite detail which Mann injects into this artistic palette makes for a film that can be watched again and again. I will gladly return to this realm periodically for the rest of my life, and I doubt that I shall ever find a better film.