by Derek Smith 4/03/05
Michael
Mann's 1995 crime epic masterpiece Heat
contains all of the director's typical thematic concerns, but over the
course of the near 3 hour runtime creates depth of characters, plot
intricacies, emotional weight, and a sense of visual mastery than none
of his other films have achieved. Since it's release, it is often
referred to as the
only film to put acting giants Al Pacino and Robert De Niro up
against one another (both were in The
Godfather, Part II but only appeared on screen together here),
but rarely mentioned as a key entry in the genre
and one of the best films of the 90s. The rhythm and pacing
allow it to move at its own speed leaving room for roundly developing
several of the characters and their backgrounds as well as a number of
brilliant action set pieces, each of which must stand among the best
sequences Mann has ever filmed. It is risky in its attempts to
humanize the criminals, but by showing them as actual human beings with
normal problems without sympathizing with their criminal activity, Heat places itself in the gray area
where good and evil are not as clearly defined as most films make them.
De
Niro's Neil and Pacino's Vincent are the central characters, each
standing in as representatives of good and evil. Through
carefully
crafted character arcs, their similarities and shared human traits and
flaws are brought to the forefront stressing the thin line between
crime and justice and between a good man and a bad one. While the
film devotes a significant portion of its
time to the details of Neil and his close friend and partner, Chris's
lives, it never attempts to justify their criminal acts. These
are flawed men, but like Vincent, they do what they do best and the
consequences of their professional devotion have dire effects on their
personal relationships. Mann presents us with the essence of his
characters - their professionalism and high level of expertise -
through the parallel's that exist on both sides. For a crime
drama, it is surprisingly quiet and pensive for long stretches and the
extended action sequences serve as reminders that for all the
similarities between all the men, these criminals are infinitely brutal
and although they go to great length's to avoid resorting to violence,
they're willing to harm the police and innocent bystanders if they
stand in the way of their score. These scenes stand out as much
for their emotional impact as for the pure visceral charge and intense
energy they contain. Since the main characters involved are
presented as multi-dimensional, the audience is led to identify and,
on some level, root for their success. It is a feat that a number
of films aim for, but few have ever taken the go-for-broke approach
that Heat does in presenting
its protagonists and antagonists from both points of view, vilifying
the criminal's actions while showing appreciation for their skill and
professionalism and presenting their flaws in the context of the film
rather than through outright condemnation from the outset.
The
film's visual scheme, containing recurring tints of blue, evokes the
character's isolation and disconnect from those they love and the
underlying melancholy that exists because of the trappings of their
professional lives. Mann's use of the widescreen frame has always
been impressive, but never have his compositions held the emotional and
thematic weight they do here. The visual texture is much more
than a stylistic background to act as the setting. The hopes,
dreams, frustrations, flaws of his characters are brought to life
through the almost dreamlike imagery in a number of scenes.
Vincent and Neil are men of action, but are often fighting off past
mistakes and in a state of thought about setting things right in the
future. Take the scene with Neil and Eady framed over the bright
Los Angeles. The backdrop is excessively fake stressing the frame
of their faces over the very thing they are trying to escape.
Neil's livelihood and everything he stands for is underneath those
lights, but because of the nature of his existence, it has a hold on
him that he realizes he must escape even if it means leaving everything
behind. Similar scenes exist for Vincent who struggles to balance
marriage and fatherhood with his demanding job. Close ups are
used throughout, but none are quite as effective as the ones capturing
Vincent's growing frustration when his target continually avoids him
while his wife slips further away. It is through small scenes
like this that Mann is able to create a strong emotional core that
equals his brilliant action scenes. The expertise and technical
proficiency of Heat's main
characters is topped only by Mann's own mastery. He has made what
is as close to the perfect epic crime film that I have ever seen - one
that dives into the emotional nature of these men while crafting a
compelling story that is effectively told through dialogue and a unique
visual style. It is a remarkably powerful, entertaining and
invigorating piece of cinema that hits on more levels than seemingly
possible.
Cinematic
Reflections
