Common Sense Media Review
By Barbara Shulgasser-Parker
,
based on child development research. How do we rate?
Criminal, police face off in bloody '90s action-adventure.
Parents Need to Know
Why Age 16+?
Any Positive Content?
Where to Watch
Videos and Photos
Heat (1995)
Parent and Kid Reviews
Based on 9 parent reviews
Based on 16 kid reviews
Kids say this is a classic crime drama known for its intense action, strong performances, and complex character relationships, particularly between the lead cop and the master thief. Many reviewers praised its cinematic quality and storytelling, despite noting its long runtime and excessive violence, which could be unsettling for younger viewers.
- intense action
- strong performances
- complex relationships
- excessive violence
- long runtime
Summarized with AI
Summarized with AI
What's the Story?
Police lieutenant Vincent (Al Pacino) solves a murderous bank robbery and brings on the HEAT as he lays in wait for the ringleader, Neil (Robert De Niro), and his crew to make their next moves. The cop comes to respect the criminal, who is as exacting and professional in his illegal undertakings as the cop is in his detective work. In pursuit of their individual kinds of excellence, both shortchange their personal lives and immerse themselves in violence and loss.
Is It Any Good?
At nearly three violent hours, this movie embodies the term "overkill" on many levels of meaning. Director Michael Mann brings too much of everything -- bodies, blood, plot complications -- to his rumination on the oft-cited observation that cops and criminals are alike, separated only by the law. By the third hour, thoughtfully paralleling the overly complex life of a master criminal with that of a master cop devolves into improbability and a lack of logic. The killer, cold-blooded and smart through the first two hours, turns incredibly sentimental and stupid, allowing himself the luxury of bloody revenge, which seals his own unfortunate fate. Heat takes far too much time to bring De Niro and Pacino together for the first time in their long careers, but their two scenes together do sparkle.
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about the relationship between police officers and the criminals they pursue. Do they have to think like criminals to catch them? How is that relationship portrayed in Heat?
Under what circumstances might a police officer come to respect a criminal he or she is tracking?
Do you think very smart criminals could do well in legal ventures if they attempted to go straight? Why, or why not?
Do you think this movie is still relevant, or does it feel dated? Why?
Movie Details
- In theaters : December 8, 1995
- On DVD or streaming : September 4, 2007
- Cast : Robert De Niro , Al Pacino , Val Kilmer
- Director : Michael Mann
- Studio : Warner Home Video
- Genre : Drama
- Run time : 172 minutes
- MPAA rating :
- MPAA explanation : For violence and language
- Last updated : October 9, 2025
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