Bolstered by the stellar performances of two screen giants, Al Pacino and Robert De Niro, Heat (1995) rather ambitiously portrays the relativity of good and evil in contemporary society, turning what might have been a routine crime thriller into a thought-provoking if melancholy reflection on modern life. Writer-director Michael Mann (Collateral) presents a sprawling narrative that pits obsessed, intuitive police detective Vincent Hanna (Pacino) against highly disciplined thief Neil McCauley (De Niro), whose latest caper is the robbery of a seemingly burglarproof bank in Los Angeles. McCauley has always managed to slip away from crime scenes--right out from under Hanna's nose--but this time things could be different: the heist's complexity requires employing thugs the master thief doesn't quite trust…with good reason, as it turns out. The story plays out along parallel tracks--De Niro and the crooks here, Pacino and the cops there--and the two leads don't confront each other until well into the movie's explosive third act, which builds to a suspenseful climax at LAX. Mann surrounds his stars with top-flight supporting actors, including Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, and Diane Venora. The production has the same stylishly gritty look that Mann has been using since his old TV show, Miami Vice, and the caper is presented in a cold, clinical manner that suggests documentary more than narrative film. At nearly three hours, Heat is slightly overlong, but the plot's intricacies and the rich character development make the time go by fairly quickly. Boasting a handsome widescreen transfer, DVD extras on this double-disc set include commentary by Mann, additional scenes, and five “making-of” documentaries, including “True Crime” on the film's real-life inspiration and “Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation.” Highly recommended. (E. Hulse)[Blu-ray Review—Nov. 10, 2009—Warner, 170 min., R, $28.99—Making its first appearance on Blu-ray, 1995's Heat features a fine transfer with Dolby TrueHD 5.1 sound. Blu-ray extras include audio commentary by writer-director Michael Mann, a three-part hour-long “making-of” documentary (including “True Crime,” “Crime Stories,” and “Into the Fire”), a “Return to the Scene of the Crime” location featurette (12 min.), a “Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation” segment on a key scene (10 min.), deleted scenes (10 min.), and trailers. Bottom line: a fine extras package for a fine thriller.][Blu-ray Review—May 16, 2017—Fox, 170 min., R, $16.99—Making its latest appearance on Blu-ray, 1995's Heat features a fine transfer and a DTS-HD 5.1 soundtrack. Extras new to this release include an Academy Q&A moderated by filmmaker Christopher Nolan along with cast and crew (64 min.) and a Toronto International Film Festival Q&A with director Michael Mann (31 min.). Extras carried over from previous releases include audio commentary by Mann, a three-part “making-of” documentary (59 min.), a “Return to the Scene of the Crime” location featurette (12 min.), a “Pacino and De Niro: The Conversation” scene segment (10 min.), and deleted scenes (10 min.). Bottom line: Mann's propulsive crime thriller shines on Blu-ray in this definitive director's edition.]
Heat
Warner, 2 discs, 172 min., R, DVD: $26.99 Volume 20, Issue 3
Heat
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