A cop (Al Pacino) tracks down crooks (Robert De Niro & Val Kilmer).
I typically enjoy Michael Mann's work, so I figure this film should be a kick-ass watch w\ De Niro & Pacino. Kilmer looked like a dirty hippie the entire film. First off, this looks like it was shot w\ the same technique & equipment Mann used to shoot Miami Vice. I'd swear to Christ some of the set pieces looked like Sonny & Tubbs should've been standing next to them. The music reeks of mid '90s synth strings, particularly during the final scene. While mainly fiction, I should note that, as a touch of reality, the female characters existed solely to be pains in the ass to the male characters. Pacino, De Niro, & Kilmer all've some chick that makes their life more difficult than it already is.
The acting is relatively good. By no means are we talking performances of a lifetime, but if it was anyone other than Robert & Al trying to pull off some of these lines, the dialogue would just sound disconnected from any logic. When not being bitched at by his wife, Val turns in a decent supporting role.
This film is kind of like the band Audioslave. With the immense amount of talent, you think it'd be the bad-ass, mind-blowing nexus of entertainment heard of but once in a lifetime. But what is left feels like an above average, professional performance that is lifted to the much coveted next level by the celebrity involved in the project. Am I saying the movie sucked? No, I enjoyed it. Kicked some ass. Was it the cosmic, end-all, be-all, Pacino vs. De Niro kick-ass, dragdown, no holds barred, supernova causing, universe smashing, big bad motherfucker of moviedom for here & ever after? Uh, no.
Take away Pacino & De Niro, this film goes into the 2.5 - 3.0 star range no questions asked.
Verdict : 4.0 stars. Oh, so close to the legendary five-star rating. Script revision, a few reshoots, less tired ending, etc., could've made this iconic.
At 'Dem Flicks w\ Malcolm - Heat
I'd say without DeNiro and Pacino the rating drops even farther. This is a bad script held up by phenominal acting.
"Happy slaves are the worst enemies of freedom." - Marie Von Ebner
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell
"It was always the women, and above all the young ones, who were the most bigoted adherents of the Party, the swallowers of slogans, the amateur spies..." - Orwell