Michael Mann's Masterpiece

Rating: Null/10 (31 July 2013)

I think it's fair to say that Robert De Niro & Al Pacino are not two of the greatest film actors of their generation, they ARE the best two actors. Making a movie that lives up to their talent was never going to be easy but Michael Mann's "HEAT" succeeds brilliantly. Led by De Niro, a crack team of professional thieves & bank robbers have carried out a number of unsolved crimes & detectives led by Pacino are determined to bring down the "crew" responsible. Along the way, Pacino's obsession for his job is causing his marriage to break down. Likewise, De Niro has fallen in love with a young lady causing him to forget the maxim taught him by his criminal mentor, "Never have anything in your life that you cannot walk away from in thirty seconds flat if you feel the heat coming round the corner". When the two adversaries finally meet over a cup of coffee in a cafe it is a spellbinding moment. Pacino coolly warns De Niro that he intends to take him & his gang down. De Niro responds by telling Pacino that if he gets in his way he will have no hesitation in killing him. Besides the two main men, there are many other great acting performances in a film which studies not only the crimes but characterisations of its participants. The final chase scenes between the two main protagonists is electrifyingly tense & "HEAT" is just a fabulous movie!