Heat
Rent/Purchase
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
What critics thought
Michael Mann's crime epic earned strong notices for its psychological depth, rich characterizations, and the weight it gives to both sides of the cop-criminal divide — though some critics found the procedural stretches talky and inert between the set pieces. Its reputation has only grown since release, with retrospective lists placing it among the defining crime films of its era.
“Stunningly made and incisively acted by a large and terrific cast, Michael Mann's ambitious study of the relativity of good and evil stands apart from other films of its type by virtue of its extraordinarily rich characterizations and its thoughtful, deeply melancholy take on modern life.”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
“It's not just an action picture. Above all, the dialogue is complex enough to allow the characters to say what they're thinking: They are eloquent, insightful, fanciful, poetic when necessary. They're not trapped with cliches.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Mann's action scenes ... have an existential, you-are-there jitteriness”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“sleek, accomplished piece of work, meticulously controlled and completely involving. The dark end of the street doesn't get much more inviting than this.”
Kenneth Turan·Los Angeles Times
Genres
Action, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorMichael Mann
StarringAl Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore
ComposerElliot Goldenthal
Heat
Obsessive master thief Neil McCauley leads a top-notch crew on various daring heists throughout Los Angeles while determined detective Vincent Hanna pursues him without rest. Each man recognizes and respects the ability and the dedication of the other even though they are aware their cat-and-mouse game may end in violence.
What critics thought
Michael Mann's crime epic earned strong notices for its psychological depth, rich characterizations, and the weight it gives to both sides of the cop-criminal divide — though some critics found the procedural stretches talky and inert between the set pieces. Its reputation has only grown since release, with retrospective lists placing it among the defining crime films of its era.
“Stunningly made and incisively acted by a large and terrific cast, Michael Mann's ambitious study of the relativity of good and evil stands apart from other films of its type by virtue of its extraordinarily rich characterizations and its thoughtful, deeply melancholy take on modern life.”
Todd McCarthy·Variety
“It's not just an action picture. Above all, the dialogue is complex enough to allow the characters to say what they're thinking: They are eloquent, insightful, fanciful, poetic when necessary. They're not trapped with cliches.”
Roger Ebert·Chicago Sun-Times
“Mann's action scenes ... have an existential, you-are-there jitteriness”
Owen Gleiberman·Entertainment Weekly
“sleek, accomplished piece of work, meticulously controlled and completely involving. The dark end of the street doesn't get much more inviting than this.”
Kenneth Turan·Los Angeles Times
Genres
Action, Crime, Drama
Cast & Crew
DirectorMichael Mann
StarringAl Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore
ComposerElliot Goldenthal
Rent/Purchase