Heat (1995) Dir: Michael Mann
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Michael Mann's iconic 90's crime thriller is often named amongst the most popular films of the decade. However, until now, I had somewhat avoided it - the main reason being its nearly three hour runtime. That said, I finally had the time and the energy to watch it, and it was certainly worth the effort.
A feature I absolutely adored about the film was its memorable soundtrack, which really helped to deliver the emotional tones - be they romantic, tense or combative. I was especially fond of those more romantic or sombre sounds, which felt very nostalgic and reminiscent of urban cityscapes at night.
The story was intense, enthralling and intelligently constructed. I loved how it showed a number of different character and story arcs, which not only unfolded simultaneously, but also overlapped seemlessly and to great effect. Everything was finely poised, and developed at a steady but very suspenseful pace.
I thought the way that the two protagonists mirrored and paralleled one another in so many ways was really satisfying to watch, and only made their rivalry and inevitable collision all the more riveting. The film's eventual climax typified this excellent storytelling, and made for a phenomenal and profound ending.
Robert De Niro was typically excellent in this leading role. His career is littered with gangster-type roles because he's just so consistently good at them. In this one, he provided some excellent character acting, which included some excellently subtle pieces of body language, especially in the final quarter of the film.
Al Pacino, for my money at least, was even better. I thought he portrayed his character masterfully, particularly the volatile nature of his persona, which he delivered with true gusto. The way he interacted with those around him was incredibly entertaining, especially when it was De Niro.
There were some pretty strong performances in the supporting cast, headlined by the likes of Val Kilmer, Diane Venora, Amy Brenneman, Jon Voight and Ashley Judd. Kilmer in particular stood out for some of his emotive delivery, which came as a little bit of a surprise.
Finally, I will give quick mentions to Tom Sizemore, William Fichtner, Danny Trejo and a very young Natalie Portman, for their smaller, but still pretty decent performances. I think credit should definitely go to Trejo, in this regard, who was very compelling in his last scene.
Overall, while I still feel justified in my hesitation - three hours is a big ask for any viewer - I am so glad that I have finally watched this 90's crime classic. Its got action, machismo, romance and tragedy - everything you could ever ask for from a cop versus gangster thriller.
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