Review of Heat

Introduction

This is a film I rented on VHS (vile plastic boxes of analogue tape for those who have forgotten) when it first came out having unfortunately missed it at the cinema.

Featuring a stellar cast including arguably two of the best actors of modern times, De Niro and Pacino along with very strong support from Kilmer, Sizemore, Voight and Judd this is a film that delivers on its promise.

Before I go into any detail about the video and audio on this DVD, I`ll just advise you that if you`ve got a 5.1 setup and big television, this is as close to perfection as DVD has yet come...

Video

One word sums this up - awesome. From the opening Warner logo to the ending credits, the picture is stable and sharp throughout.

The image itself is 2.35:1 anamorphic - and the Director uses the width available with several scenes having characters at each extreme of the screen.

The night scenes are displayed perfectly, the clarity of the long shots is fantastic, there is no evidence of compression problems or jaggies.

Audio

If you don`t have a 5.1 system, go and visit a friend who does, take this DVD with you and remember your mobile phone - you`ll be ordering an amplifer and speaker system after hearing this DVD.

On VHS, the Heist sequence is one of the best shootouts ever committed to film. On DVD with a 5.1 speaker system and no neighbours, this is probably the best action sequence ever shot. Saving Private Ryan is reference material but in my opinion, this is better. This is the film that justifies the expense I`ve gone to putting together a Dolby Digital/DTS system.

And the rest is just as good, all channels are used properly and the ending sequence at the airport is better than any demo disc featuring plane flypasts that I`ve come across.

Features

Well, there are no extras. Disappointing I know, but the quality of the rest lets this DVD off here - lesser titles would be marked down for no extras, Heat doesn`t need them to be good value for money and a "must have" DVD.

(I would however love to have a special edition with the usual raft of extras!)

Conclusion

Watched on a VHS tape, this is an outstanding film, up in my top 10 of all time. On DVD, it goes even higher.

This film has it all - a great cast, great story, interest from start to finish, staggering action sequences, some of the best sound and video ever commited to DVD and despite being 164 minutes long - no tedious moments.

The sound is simply awesome - I watched this film with a friend who has a DVD player hooked up a Pro-Logic amplifier and he simply couldn`t believe his ears!

This is pretty much as good as it gets.