Rent Heat (1995)

A Modern Masterpiece - Heat review by GI

A modern masterpiece and one of the defining American crime films of modern times. Director Michael Mann, a cinematic auteur if there has ever been one, has here made his greatest film and it bears all of his narrative and visual style, involves an intricate character study of two protagonists at opposite sides of the moral divide and is edited cleverly and uniquely opening up several small storylines that all seem to add to the mix of this fantastic film. Set in Los Angeles where a small yet highly professional criminal crew led by Neil (Robert De Niro) carry out a daring daylight armoured car heist. Their decision to use an untested and unreliable addition to their team who acts bloodthirstily during the robbery starts a chain of events that forms the basis of the film's plot. The robbery is investigated by the equally professional and dedicated police unit led by Vincent (Al Pacino). The two main characters of Neil and Vincent are the centre of Mann's story with Neil planning a big robbery and Vincent prowling around on the hunt for him and his team. The film has two famous scenes, the fast, realistic bank robbery that results in a street gun battle and a meeting in a coffee shop between Neil and Vincent who form a respect for each other. With Mann's typical but beautiful cityscape visuals especially at night and his eye for the close up juxtapositioned with sharp, quick violence makes this a compiling almost hypnotic film. There's also a great soundtrack that compliments the film perfectly. The support cast including Val Kilmer, Tom Sizemore, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd and others are all excellent. This is modern American cinema at its very, very best and you'll be hard pressed to find a better film.

A complete and utter masterpiece, stunningly remastered in 4K (4K Blu-Ray reviewed) - Heat review by TB

This is and always will be in my top films. It is a work of perfection. A wonderful script, flawlessly researched, shot beautifully, acted to perfection. Not for one second are you bored or anything other than totally engrossed in it.

For some, it is always about the face-off between Pacino and De Niro in the restaurant. For others, the bank heist shoot-out, which is still influencing media decades later.

For me, it is all of these things are more. It is a work of brilliance and I love it.

Finally, I deliberately referenced and did the review for the 4K Blu-Ray for one reason: Heat has had a chequered history in terms of its re-masterings over the years. When the original DVD was released, the transfer was absolutely terrible, particularly the colours which were washed out & almost lifeless. Then when the Blu-Ray was released, this was supposed to have been remastered, but again looked in many ways dire, especially when you were watching scenes which you knew would have looked stunning if properly realised. But, thankfully the 4K Blu-Ray just looks absolutely stunning, with a remaster overseen by Michael Mann himself.

After many years and failed attempts, there is finally a version of the film that properly does justice to the incredible story first shown in 1995. Rent the 4K Blu-Ray and see it on the biggest and best TV you can. Cinematic nirvana