Even after 30 years, Michael Mann's 'Heat' is still a must-watch masterpiece
More than just your average heist movie
Released in December 1995, Michael Mann’s crime drama Heat turns 30 this year. Following a cat-and-mouse conflict between Al Pacino’s LAPD Lieutenant and Robert DeNiro’s career thief, Heat continues to be a must-watch masterpiece because of (among other things) its stellar ensemble cast, exploration of the symbiotic relationship between police and criminals, and incredible attention to detail, all of which continue to resonate whether you’re watching it for the first time…or the five-hundredth.
Aside from being an engrossing movie that pulls you in from the beginning with its attention-grabbing opening sequence, Heat is a tale of two titans: Pacino and DeNiro. Sharing the screen for the first time, the cinematic superstars square off as veteran cop Vincent Hanna (Pacino) and criminal mastermind Neil McCauley (DeNiro). After a brazen armored car robbery, Hanna becomes obsessed with catching McCauley and his crew at the expense of his marriage, while McCauley continues planning his next score and romancing Eady (Amy Brenneman) who has no idea who he really is.
Though their characters are natural enemies, Pacino and DeNiro turn the normal hero-villain dynamic on its head in the span of a few minutes. In an iconic scene during which they share a cup of coffee, and insights into their own lives, Hanna and McCauley develop a mutual respect for each other. But beyond that, it humanizes them. They’re not just cop and criminal anymore.
And the humanization extends to the rest of the cast. Whether it’s Val Kilmer and Tom Sizemore as McCauley’s right-hand and enforcer, Amy Brenneman as his girlfriend, Ashley Judd as Kilmer’s wife, a young Natalie Portman as Hanna’s stepdaughter, or Diane Venora as his wife, the characters have a level of depth and relatability rarely found in movies anymore. Even as Hanna and McCauley try to outwit and outmanuever each other, the impact of their actions are felt by the people around them.
Perhaps the best examples of this are Venora’s heartfelt speech to Hanna about how she and her daughter are only getting leftovers because of Hanna’s relentless pursuit of his prey and Brenneman’s shocked reaction when she realizes McCauley is responsible for the movie’s climactic bank heist and the ensuing violence.
Speaking of the bank heist, it’s easily the best scene in a movie full of great scenes. As the climactic showdown between Hanna and the cops and McCauley and his crew, its intensity is off the charts. The two sides exchange gunfire in the streets of LA as the robbers try to get away their loot and the cops try to stop them, resulting in the deaths of several characters on both sides. But that’s not the only thing that makes the scene so spectacular. Mann’s choice to film on location in Los Angeles, and not on a soundstage, resulted in the most authentic, visceral, sounding and feeling shootout ever put to film.
Heat has a lot going for it. Pulse-pounding action, raw human drama, near-perfect casting, brilliant writing, masterful production, universal themes that stand the test of time, and a lasting legacy. It’s influenced movies and video games, continues to be lauded by fans and critics alike, and is a permanent fixture on best movie lists.
But it’s so much more than a spectacular movie. More than a masterclass in filmmaking. Heat is an experience. An experience everyone should take part in.
Oh, and in case you’re wondering…it’s available for free on YouTube.