Michael Mann’s “Heat” masterfully described the fascination of co-dependency between cop and criminal, the Janus-faced relationship between law enforcement and outlaw, the struggle for recognition by the other side. The influence of the 1995 film can still be felt today, with Christopher Nolan describing the neo-noir thriller as instrumental in the cat-and-mouse game between Batman and the Joker in “The Dark Knight”. Apart from the shootout after a bank robbery that went down in action history, Mann’s staging was so subtle that Officer Hanna’s cocaine addiction didn’t have to be shown, let alone mentioned, in order to be permanently noticeable.
With its – fortunately unadorned title – novel, Mann and co-author Gardiner manage the unlikely feat of deepening the characters, although “Heat 2” offers exotic distractions, the scenes of the crime also shift to cartels in Paraguay, Mexico and Singapore . In three timelines between 1988 and 2000, the paths of Vincent Hanna, his antagonist Neil McCauley and the only survivor of the gang in “Heat”, Chris Shiherlis, cross again. All three suffer from failed marriages, all three do not give up hope of a family idyll, although they know that street fighting is their destiny.
As you read, the faces immediately reappear: Pacino as Hanna, de Niro as McCauley, the unsung hero of “Heat” Val Kilmer as Chris, whose life wasn’t so spoiled back then. They are anti-heroes who kill out of revenge and humiliation. And yet they are forgiven because they can’t help it – perfectly constructed drama characters.
Michael Mann, 79, wants to film the 700-page epic. Not as a series, as would be obvious nowadays, but as a film. Only the best can be wished for him. In fact, “Heat 2” is so overwhelming that another wish arises: that Mann write a novelization for the 1995 film (HarperCollins).
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