Review of Heat

Introduction

The cops `n` robbers genre has been done many times before, but the majority either flopped when they did the straight-to-video gig, or flopped at the big screen. Either way, they flopped. So what makes this movie different? Is it different? Or is it just another a tacky B-movie? No it`s not. The reason that Heat is already full of promise even before the opening credits have started to roll is the driving force of Michael Mann (who did the 80s TV show hit, Miami Vice, another crime-related production) and the sheer experience and downright acting talents of the ensemble cast.

The movie opens to a team of armed robbers heisting a truck, but things go wrong when one of the team shoots dead the three guards. The team is headed by master-thief Neil (played by the excellent and ever-intimidating Robert De Niro), backed up such guys as Slick (played by Tom Sizemore - Saving Private Ryan, Enemy of The State et al), and the marksmen of the team (played by Val Kilmer - Batman Forever). On their tail is an LA cop, played by another screen legend, Al Pacino. But one heist isn`t enough. A bank robbery is in the works. The clock is ticking...

Instead of focusing on guns and action, Mann (who also wrote this, as well as directing it) focuses on the human side of the story - the emotions running through each character, and how they deal with what they do. Whether you`re watching Val Kilmer and Ashley Judd going through a very tough patch in their marriage, or Pacino trying to leave his work behind him and come home as often as possible to his wife Justine and his step-daughter (played by the excellent Natalie Portman), you get the real sense of fleshed out characters, not just puppets in a set-piece after bloody set-piece movie. But that doesn`t mean Heat doesn`t have action scenes. The vicious gun battle halfway through the hefty running time (163 minutes - quite a long time for a thriller these days) is so well choroegraphed and directed, it will keep you in your seat, not daring to move.

Video

It is presented in 2.35:1 Anamorphic Widescreen, and the transfer is excellent. The palette is used well, with the visuals constantly deep and crisp, and there are no compression signs. The print is also clear throughout.

The set-pieces are built up to excellently, with a sense of depth before resorting to action. The butchered heist at the start of the movie sets the pace - and from then on in expect the unexpected before it reaches its conclusion after a few twists and turns along the way.

Audio

A DD 5.1 track is on offer, and every bullet and every line of sharp dialogue is reproduced with crystal-clear clarity by the audio stream. The subwoofer and the surrounds are given a hell of a workout during the gun battles, and the main audio stream is constantly crisp and clear during the moments of dialogue. The ambience level is excellent throughout as well.

Mann`s script, although not original or groundbreaking, does possess a flair that sets it aside from the action genre, and most other recent Hollywood thrillers. It allows every character to develop, to breathe amidst the story, not just be wasted pawns amongst the action.

Features

What extra features? Warner Bros. have committed a serious crime whilst compiling this disc`s extra material. The crime is, to put it bluntly, is they didn`t do anything. There is not even a measly trailer or illegible production notes. The only thing you could call a special feature is the scene access. Even this is presented poorly - the first being the disc automatically starts the movie, so to get to the static menu to select the scene access option you have to press the Menu key...the `luxury` of the main menu booting up automatically is even absent on this disc.

It is appalling that a DVD containing a movie of such stature may be released without any extras...no doubt a Special Edition will eventually appear in the near future, but the fact that this was released in the first place completely lacking really hacks me off.

Conclusion

Although this is not a masterpiece, Heat is a very enjoyable movie, with a strong script and great acting. Special mention must go to Pacino and De Niro, who square off superbly, and it`s good to see them in the same shot for once. The rest of the widely-experienced cast back them up excellently, some real thought has gone into casting this movie. People like Val Kilmer, although not the best actor alive, does deliver a good performance, and his haunted look just adds to the ambience.

Disc wise, the transfer is top quality; the audio is as crisp as you can get from DD 5.1 - from the moment the first line of dialogue is delievered to the crack of the last shot in the final gun battle totally immerses you in the plot; but in the case of the extras, pride comes before a fall, and in this instance the fall is massive.

I managed to get this disc for a mere £5.99, an excellent price considering the content and quality of the presentation, but because of the total absence of extras, anything more than £10 is a bit steep. Nonetheless, this is a definitely worth a rent, and if you don`t mind not having any bonus material, then go ahead and try and find it somewhere, hopefully limgering around in a bargain bin. What a pity.