This slick, intense crime thriller arrived with the first ever on screen pairing of two of Hollywood's living legends - Al Pacino and Robert De Niro. That alone is enough to get most people to hold their breath for this film.

A tight script and slick direction complement the intensity of the performances. Investigating an armed robbery which has left three security guards dead, Vincent Hanna (Pacino) - a brilliant LA cop whose devotion to his work is currently threatening his third marriage - follows a trail that leads him to suspect a gang of thieves headed by Neil McCauley (De Niro).

The battle ground is an LA devoid of any glamour. As Hanna and his crew close in, McCauley and his crew ( including an impressively unhinged Val Kilmer) plan a Grande finale of a bank robbery. Although this sounds very run of the mill what elevates Heat to a different plane is the importance that director Michael Mann has given to the depth in characterization - his dedication to creating innerlife for all the characters.

There is a genuine sense of loss for those who die, and for those who strive. Add to this Dante Spinotti's superb camera work, a throbbing score and excellent all round performances. Pacino and De Niro live up to their billing and although they meet only twice through the film, their scenes are pivotal and crackle with the intensity of an electrical storm.

De Niro, aided by the more sympathetic role comes out on top by a whisker. Mann's film is a must but transfer to video will lessen its impact considerably, especially some of the stunning action sequences (hold your breath in the ferocious thumpingly loud gun battle).