Santa Cruz Sentinel from Santa Cruz, California • Page 42

Passion play Pacino, De Niro take 'Heat' beyond the standard cops and robbers fare movies ftr-. fob j. Review Pacino and De Niro sizzle in Michael Mann's WHAT: 'Hear RATING: (Violence) WHO: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Vat Kilmer WHERE: Del Mar Theater, 1124 Pacific Santa Scotts Valley Cinema, Kings Village Shopping Center, Scotts Valley. INFORMATION: Del Mar, 425-0616; SV, 438-3260 HOW A time building this movie. In "Heat" all men are tragic, they just have different tragedies.

And while love and passion and even vengeance define us as human, they too often undercut our intelligence. How fine that Mann was able to make a movie this good with roles so perfect for actors this great. "Heat" could have been better, but not by much. ISNE0 Pictures presents er. But he uses his camera to such great effect his bluntness isn't bothersome.

When Pacino is set loose from a personal tragedy late in the film, Mann captures him gaining speed as he goes down a flight of stairs, taking off on the hunt. When De Niro thinks his life might actually come together, he drives from freeway night into a tunnel of blinding light. Mann is one of the few directors around who knows how to make his images one with his characters. He takes risks throughout this film and they all pay off. Aside from the electrifying action sequences, Pacino and De Niro only have one scene together, but it is worth the cost of admission on its own.

Right in the middle of everything Pacino pulls De Niro over and asks if he'd like to get a cup of coffee, so the hunter and hunted sit down to get to know one another. They know how far apart they are and they know how close they are. It's great stuff. Mann has two somewhat clumsy side plots that don't work, one about a former employee of De Niro's who's a serial kilier, the other about a parolee trying to make it in the straight world. Neither puncture the movie but neither is needed.

Otherwise, the abundance of fine supporting roles here Kilmer, Ashley Judd as Kilmer's frustrated wife, Diane Venora as Pacino's suffering spouse, a weathered looking Jon Voight as De Niro's main resource for information simply allows Mann to take-, his By TOM LONG Sentinel entertainment editor THE "HEAT" IN director Michael Mann's latest film refers to neither police nor guns, though both those elements are certainly featured in abundance. Instead, the 'Heat' Mann deals with is the heat of passion. Playing off two dissimilar but equally driven characters Al Pa-cino's obsessed police detective and Robert De Niro's ultra cool and repressed master thief Mann Vice," "The Last of the takes fully three hours to explore the pain passion can produce. Both lead characters have empty lives. Pacino because he can't control himself, De Niro because he tries to follow a creed of complete control.

In the end, both men have to face what and who they care for. Anyone who cares for anything in this movie loses out. but Mann drives home again and again the idea that a life without caring isn't worth living. This essential tension keeps "Heat" from ever dragging and despite a few missteps. Mann has produced the best crime epic since "Goodl'ellas" and one of the best films of the year, an absolute must-see for anyone who likes good (heck, great) acting and modern cinema.

That he has managed to harness the powers of the two most electrifying actors of a generation within this film is ail the more impressive. Both actors deliver the goods you expect Pacino is wild-eyed one minute, wracked the next: De Niro is too cool in the self-image he's erected and they're helped along mightily on their way by a superb (and huge) cast. De Niro is a super-thief, completely cold and calculating. The film's opening robbery sets the tone for his approach to business and life: elaborate, intricate and violent, although in this professional world violence can make sense but is no fun on its own. After the opening strike is made, Pacino is fv.

put on the case. Pacino's got his team (Ted I.evine. Wes Studi, Mykelti Williamson), De Niro has his (Val Kilmer. Tom Sizemore). all consummate pros at what they do.

Pacino knows somebody this sophisticated is going to strike again. And the hunt is on. Mann returns to the theme of his first film. "Thief," that of social misfits trying to build some semblance of normalcy. We see De Niro's cohorts with families, hugging their kids, going through marital discord, just like anybody else.

Except they're not like anybody else. And on the cop side, we see those supposedly living the normal life and suffering for it Pacino's third marriage is slipping away, his stepdaughter is a nervous wreck and he can't let go of the job long enough to fix everything. Mann is rarely subtle. He sets up these contrasts with two separate social gatherings one after the oth MMMoaiuiHTinifit'WiKM urn ten utm SPECIAL ADDED ATTRACTION FRI. SAT: 1:10, 3:15.

5:25, 7:35. 9:40 (1:10 SUN.) 3:15, 5:25, 7:35 (9:40 MON.) NO VIPS UNTIL 15 ROCKERS wwvy uin, iiMiu mmtrnmrn sciwvju 'Tiis is one satisfying savvy movie. I wish more films were as intelligent and observant as this one." Jedrly Lyont. SNEAK PREVIEWS WCU NEWS NOW I is A VIDEO -3. I RENTAL Rent one movie, aet the eernnri FRFF Pav for i VI WHITNITHOUSTON ANOILABASSETT higher video.

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