There’s no rule that lists every single movie you have to watch during your lifetime, but we’ve all spent plenty of time on either side of the “you haven’t seen…?” conversation nonetheless. A full 27 years after its initial release, though, and Michael Mann’s Heat continues to win over a new wave of supporters – which is understandable because it’s one of the all-time great action thrillers.
Almost three decades on from shattering eardrums around the world with its deafeningly intense shootouts, complex plotting, rich characterization, and the long-awaited showdown between acting legends Robert De Niro and Al Pacino, Heat remains as gripping now as it ever was – whether you prefer the original or Mann’s Director’s Definitive Edition.
Literary sequel Heat 2 was recently rolled out onto bookstore shelves everywhere, with plans tentatively in store to give it the feature film treatment. Based on the overwhelming outpouring of praise being pointed in the first chapter’s direction on Reddit, it’s clear that new and old fans alike need that follow-up to happen as quickly as possible.
Inspiring such disparate projects as the Grand Theft Auto video game series and Christopher Nolan’s Dark Knight trilogy is a bizarrely unique accomplishment, but one that just goes to show how much of a lasting impact Heat has had over the entire entertainment sphere, and not just cinema.
Mann is currently working on his first movie since 2015’s disastrous Blackhat, so who’s to say that he won’t be heading back to the streets of Los Angeles after that?