Heat Blu-ray

Heat

 (1995)

Crime | Drama | Thriller



Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are finally together on screen in this riveting story about an intense rivalry between expert thief Neil McCauley (Robert De Niro) and volatile cop Vincent Hanna (Al Pacino). McCauley will stop at nothing to do what he does best and neither will Hanna, even though it means destroying everything around them, including the people they love. With a solid supporting cast that includes Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Ashley Judd, and Natalie Portman, HEAT is a truly epic crime story.

For more details about Heat on Blu-ray, see the Heat Blu-ray Review

Starring: Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Val Kilmer, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore
Director: Michael Mann

Heat Blu-ray, Video Quality

 


Your appreciation of Warner's 1080p/VC-1 transfer will largely come down to the nature of your expectations. Anyone hoping for a faithful rendering of Mann's grim-n-gritty aesthetics, bleached palette, and oppressive shadows will be enamored with the results, while those looking for the latest and greatest high definition presentation will be slightly underwhelmed. I, for one, am more than happy with how it turned out. Colors and skintones are consistent with Mann's intentions, blacks are suitably deep, and dimensionality, though spotty at times, is altogether convincing. Detail is just as strong, especially when comparing the Blu-ray transfer to its standard DVD counterparts. Fine textures don't exactly pop, but they're more refined and revealing than ever; some minor edge enhancement is visible in high-contrast shots, but rarely becomes a distraction; and overall clarity should satisfy anyone who doesn't think every film needs to look like G.I. Joe to earn a high score. Sure, some scattered establishing shots are soft -- a few are downright blurry -- but such shortcomings should be attributed to the original print, not Warner's technical transfer. While a filmic veneer of grain permeates the proceedings, the image isn't undermined by any significant artifacting, unintentional noise, debilitating ringing or crush, or DNR.

You probably won't see the Blu-ray edition of Heat being used as a demo disc in your local electronics superstore, but that doesn't mean it boasts a lesser transfer. On the contrary, its presentation throughly outclasses Warner's previously released DVDs, renders Mann's stark imagery with care and respect, and represents another impressive catalog transfer worthy of a spot in your collection.

Heat Blu-ray, Audio Quality

 


Heat is also packing an excellent Dolby TrueHD 5.1 surround track; one that makes Warner's previously released DVD mixes sound like relics of a bygone age. Dialogue is crisp and nicely prioritized, leaving little to the imagination. Some lines are lost in the chaos of Mann's firefights, but it's always a product of intention, never an issue with the lossless track itself. LFE output is staggering, lending gunshots immense weight and other soundscape elements natural presence. Hanna and McCauley's mid-LA shootout proves itself to be a rousing, jaw-dropping experience, and other key scenes are just as strong. Likewise, rear speaker activity is aggressive and involving, enhancing the already immersive soundfield, the believability of interior acoustics, and the quality of ambient effects. Alas, the track isn't perfect. Low-end tones are sometimes frothy, directionality is a tad inconsistent amongst the film's quieter scenes, and I found myself bumping my volume up and down a bit too often. Still, these are minor issues that are easy to overlook. Fans and audiophiles will be most pleased.

Heat Blu-ray, News and Updates

• Heat, Logan's Run, Negotiator Delayed One Week - August 27, 2009


• Michael Mann Recuts Heat for Blu-ray - August 17, 2009


• Heat, Logan's Run, and The Negotiator Announced for Blu-ray - July 20, 2009

Heat Blu-ray, Forum Discussions

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