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[master15]

I love Heat, for precisely some of the reasons people dislike it. Yes it's long and has many deviations from the core story but it's those little side-tracks and side stories which makes the characters and universe that much richer.

If there was one compliant from me was the Deniro and Eady relationship felt rather hollow, I know it was born out of both characters loneliness and needing someone but even still it didn't quite compare with the other relationships we saw.

I just love the tonne and atmosphere of the film which is a Mann special.

 

[dskillzhtown]

I love Heat, for precisely some of the reasons people dislike it. Yes it's long and has many deviations from the core story but it's those little side-tracks and side stories which makes the characters and universe that much richer.

If there was one compliant from me was the Deniro and Eady relationship felt rather hollow, I know it was born out of both characters loneliness and needing someone but even still it didn't quite compare with the other relationships we saw.

I agree on all of that. I do feel that Deniro and Eady's relationship was completely hollow in comparison and if anything was a desperate move by both of them. Deniro lonely and Eady bored with life.

The many deviations that made the characters deeper are exactly what is missing in today's movies. Every movie wants to cut-cut-cut and you don't have much of a story in the end.

 

[-tetsuo-]

I think Michael Mann is a hack and I don't like this movie. It's as average as a movie with Pacino and DeNiro facing off against each other could possibly be.

Ashley Judd falling for De Niro's character makes no sense. He's twice her age, rude to her, doesn't call for two weeks after their one night stand and she doesn't even know who he is or what he does. This is the guy she's going to leave her whole life for and run away with to a country she knows nothing about!?

De Niro totally phones in his performance, mumbling and underacting the whole way through, while Pacino is in complete I'M AL PACINO AND I'M JUST GOING TO RANT AND YELL BECAUSE I'M PAST IT AND THAT'S HOW I ACT IN EVERY MOVIE THESE DAYS mode.

The bank robbery scene is retarded. Cops spraying gunfire into a crowded financial district in the middle of a work day? Firing off down a street after cars? A freaking Wal Mart parking lot??? You have to turn your brain off for it to work.

Pacino is a jerk to everyone in the movie, throwing his weight around. Then he meets arch criminal De Niro and wants to have coffee? How does this make any sense? Just because the director wanted to have them act together in an extended scene where they're not yelling. That's it.

De Niro's life motto is to never get involved with anything so deeply he can't walk away from it. So why does he go back for Val Kilmer? Why does he waste his life going for stupid revenge at the end? Are we to believe his motto's just talk? So then why waste our time having him repeat the speech like three times in the movie?

Pacino catches him breaking & entering - but they leave half way through, oh no, we can't charge him with anything! - What!? That 's too stupid for words. That's not even the way the law works, and these guys are incredibly dangerous, what cop would ever let them walk waiting to catch them doing something bigger? It's not like he needs to, they all have rap sheets.

Haysbert's character is pointless and pretty much exists just for a cheap death.

Pacino is blindly firing guns into the dark on an airport runway. While planes are taxiing. WTF???

This movie goes on way too long, I just wanted it to end and for the characters to stop doing stupid things. I think Mann's high-key lighting and compositionally bankrupt style are cheesy to watch. He directs everything like an extended episode of Miami Vice. No, that's not a good thing.

Thoroughly overrated movie, if it weren't for the names on the marquee I don't think it would have any special appeal to anyone.

My DVD copy is for sale, btw.

 

[dmshaposv]

It's an enjoyable action film, with the highlight being pacino and de niro acting together. Collateral is the better film, though.

 

[AndersTheSwede]

Is it bloated? Yes. Does it need serious editing? Yes.

But it is still one of the best "crime dramas" ever made.

It far an away eclipses everything else Mann has made except Last of the Mohicans and Collateral (a fucking fantastic movie as well).

Great, great movie.

 

[Brimstone]

Mann is working on a Blu-Ray version. I'm guessing it is getting the full blown treatment like Blade Runner got.

 

[NotWii]

It's an enjoyable action film, with the highlight being pacino and de niro acting together. Collateral is the better film, though.

Amadeus is better than both

 

[BioHazard]

I don't think that I have seen a more strange picture...

 

[Anticitizen One]

The Bank manager in Dark Knight is played by the same bank manager in HEAT

 

[whytemyke]

I think I'm gonna watch Collateral tomorrow. Might as well make it a Michael Mann weekend. Maybe i'll even man up and go thru another viewing of Miami Vice.

 

[master15]

Maybe i'll even man up and go thru another viewing of Miami Vice.

Such a flawed film, but god so I ever love the cinematography and atmosphere established in the film;

 

[ourumov]

I dunno where I read that for that movie De Niro and Pacino never actually met in the same room.

 

[master15]

I dunno where I read that for that movie De Niro and Pacino never actually met in the same room.

They met alright (And not forgetting final scene their share in penultimate shoot out). However Mann being the director he is, wanted to rehearse and try the scene multiple times, although Deniro thought the scene would work much better as with the characters if it was more spontaneous like these two characters met for the first time.

As I understand a mixture of both approaches sort of were used in the end.

 

[JB1981]

Its actually one of my least favorite Mann films. I greatly prefer The Insider, Manhunter, The Last of the Mohicans, and, for relevance to the genre, Collateral. Heat feels so bloated to me while Collateral is lean and mean.

None of this is to say Heat is bad, because it clearly isnt, but I do think its a bit overrated.

Ugh x 3. HEAT shits on these movies.

 

[master15]

HEAT shits on these movies.

Though I'm not especially fond of Manhunter or Mohicans (Outside a few scenes), Collateral in many ways is a focused, lean version of Heat.

While Heat's strength is it focuses on all the side-stories and background characters, Collateral is the exact opposite distilled down to a key few players. The very fact we learn so little about Vincent outside a few telling remarks, makes his character even more of an enigma.

Great films, both of them.

 

[Solo]

Have you listened to Mann's Collateral commentary, master? If not, highly recommended.

 

[master15]

Have you listened to Mann's Collateral commentary, master? If not, highly recommended.

Yeah it's one of my favourite commentary tracks, as far as delving deeper into the film. From my memory, Mann had a detailed dossier file on Vincent and had mapped out a time-line as to where this character was at each stage of his life.

The very fact both Cruise and Mann knew some of his actions were based partly on this unseen history, just fascinates me. That and the revelation that the Vincent character was breaking down the moment you see him in the film.

Did he ever to a commentary track for Heat?

 

[Tobor]

Miami Vice gets a lot of unfair hate, IMO. After seeing the film, I went back and watched some episodes of the show, and realized how dead on the movie was. I would have preferred the movie be period, but I can't imagine a scenario where that wouldn't be campy.

Not Mann's best work, but it was Miami Vice, warts and all.

 

[Solo]

I like Vice too. Its got a shitton of flaws, but it overall works for me.

 

[hiryu]

Heat is one of the best movies ever made. I think I love every film Mann has done. Even Miami Vice and Ali. Mann is a master at his profession.

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

Did he ever to a commentary track for Heat?

Yeah, there's one on the more recent DVD release. I didn't like it as much as the Collateral one, but it's still quite good.

I really like Miami Vice. I think it just wasn't the movie a lot of people were expecting or wanted.

Edit: Thining on it for a secone, I'd put Miami Vice on the same level as Collateral as far as Mann movies go. Behind Heat and The Insider.

 

[chase]

O'errated.

 

[BruceLeeRoy]

Mann is working on a Blu-Ray version. I'm guessing it is getting the full blown treatment like Blade Runner got.

HD was created for a movie like HEAT has anyone seen a release date?

 

[Solo]

Edit: Thining on it for a secone, I'd put Miami Vice on the same level as Collateral as far as Mann movies go. Behind Heat and The Insider.

I love Miami Vice, but I could never in good conscience put it on the same level as Collateral. I think MV is Mann's second weakest film, ahead of only Ali. Now, thats not saying much because I like all of Mann's films, but its no where near the level of The Insider, Collateral, or Heat.

 

[Kabuki Waq]

I really think the movie is overrated as well. It has severe pacing issues. I think people just get wowed by the sound design and performances.

 

[Doc Holliday]

Ashley Judd falling for De Niro's character makes no sense. He's twice her age, rude to her, doesn't call for two weeks after their one night stand and she doesn't even know who he is or what he does. This is the guy she's going to leave her whole life for and run away with to a country she knows nothing about!?

Ashley Judd was Chris'(kylmer) wife. ione sky was Deniros girl Dont you know what being older and treating a girl like shit is the perfect way to pick up hot women?

edit:

Amy Brenneman was deniros girl..how the hell did I get Ione sky

 

[Count of Monte Sawed-Off]

I love Miami Vice, but I could never in good conscience put it on the same level as Collateral. I think MV is Mann's second weakest film, ahead of only Ali. Now, thats not saying much because I like all of Mann's films, but its no where near the level of The Insider, Collateral, or Heat.

My only problem with Collateral (and mind you it's a small one) is that after Max wrecks the taxi it almost becomes a different kind of movie. It's a change in tone that I thought was jarring on initial viewings but I've come to terms with somewhat. If I wasn't supposed to be writing a big ass paper right now I think I'd put it on. I havn't seen it in a couple of years at least.