A crime saga of epic proportions

Rating: 9/10 (13 January 2011)

I don't know that heist films get much better than this. Heat is a three hour long Los Angeles crime saga and there isn't a wasted shot in the entire film. It is pure unadulterated crime film intensity that should serve as the model for any good heist film today. The movie parallels the lives of two men on opposite sides of the law. Al Pacino is Lt. Vincent Hanna who is hunting down a gang of high profile bank robbers lead by Neil McCauley, who is played by the magnificent Robert De Niro. De Niro and his crew are planning one last robbery before retirement and Pacino will stop at nothing to stop them, even if it means shattering his relationship with his wife and daughter. There are a lot of subplots and side characters that all build towards one intensely unforgettable ending.
There is something so enticing about a good crime film, and whatever that is Heat has it. This film clocks in at 2 hours and 50 minutes, but it certainly doesn't feel like it. It doesn't feel drawn out at all. Every moment of the film counts and I was sucked in from the beginning, unable to turn away from the complex intensity of what was happening on screen. The film displays a broad range of tone. It is slowly paced at times, but it picks up at a brisk and exciting pace other times. The film doesn't feel disjointed or misconstrued though. It is consistent in its quality and caliber of acting, direction, and dialouge. It is a movie that keeps you enthralled and sinks you deep into its exciting bowels. There is not a wasted moment in this film and I absolutely loved it.
If you take anything from Heat it will most likely be its climactic shootout scene. Heat displays some of the finest and most pure sound editing I've seen. The film is loud and obnoxious, but all for good reasons. It has such an in your face feel to it. The action explodes on screen as loud as possible. The shootout scene doesn't waste time with cheese eaten dialouge or an overbearing score. It is just the crisp, sharp sounds of guns firing and smashing into cars, walls, and of course people. Heat is a technical masterpiece with its robust sets and masterful action cinematography that compliments the acting and action on screen without being overbearing. Technical prowess alone makes Heat a worthwhile watch.
But where would technical skill be without fine actors performing excellent dialouge to back it up? Heat boasts a great cast. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are both perfectly casted and their roles are more incredible. But even the supporting cast does a great job. Jon Voight plays a small and yet very important role. Tom Sizemore does an excellent job as one De Niro's croneys. Kevin Gage has one of the best supporting roles in the film as Waingro, a sociopath exiled from De Niro's gang for incompetence. Even Val Kilmer does a great job in this film as one of the main supporting roles. His character is very enticing and his final scenes of the film are some of the most heartfelt. De Niro and Pacino are undeniably the shining stars of the film though. But when it is two actors of this fine ability, thats not something you complain about.
Simply put, Heat is just awesome. It is a near perfect crime film. I normally prefer smaller scale films that employ more minimalist filmmaking techniques to epic productions like, but in this case I'll take the epic three hour long Heat to any knock-off cheesy crime film. Heat is an incredible movie that will undoubtedly be remembered for years and should hopefully serve as a model for all future crime films.