Val-Kilmer Movie Reviews

Great Job Kilmer!

NeilMcCauley, played by Robert De Niro, is a master thief, who has only one rule in life: Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out in thirty seconds flat when you feel the heat around the corner. Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, is a supersmart detective with a troubled family life. Vincent became obsessed with catching McCauley and his gang while they're preparing a challenging bank robbery. The two characters figure out that they are too focused on their job and don't have a normal life, but they love that and won't change it. They are kind of similar while their jobs are antagonists.

The Acting is simply outstanding. Pacino is experienced and very intuitive while De Niro is cool and intelligent, depending on reason rather than instinct. The bank robbery is an excellent scene. It seems so real. However, the scene, which I like most, is the one in the coffe shop, where the two stars meet for the first time, where they discuss about their lives, jobs and "devotion". This scene brings a particular level of excitement without resorting to action. You can feel the acting power.

I don't think this movie is for children, however some teenagers and especially adults should appreciate it, but not those who dislike violence. Cinematography and music especially suit the ambiance of the film, and the script is very intelligent, mostly realistic.

As a conclusion, I think this film is a bit long, but it's never boring. It's worth three hours of your time. I recommend it to any action/crime movie lovers, Mafia movie lovers or anyone who loves good movies.

Both leads, as the story evolves, are cut from the same cloth: professional and dedicated to their chosen crafts--to a fault. Everything revolves around their jobs and nothing gets in their way, including the women in their personal lives: Justine Hanna (the very underrated Diane Venora) and the soon-to-be enlightened Eady (Amy Brenneman). It's the long-suffering Justine that nails her husband's true nature with her wifely realization: "You don't live with me, you live among the remnants of dead people. You sift through the detritus, you read the terrain, you search for signs of passing, for the scent of your prey ... and then you hunt them down. That's the only thing you're committed to. The rest is the mess you leave as you pass through."

And it's with that predator's sense that Vincent spots MacCauley's crew after the inital, spectacular armored truck robbery. He knows that a crew is in town who are good, skillful, and very dangerous ("At the drop of a hat, these guys will rock 'n roll."). Which is also the exact description of their leader. However, in this case, the master thief is also growing weary of his trade...and the emotional discipline it requires."I am alone...I'm not lonely." he tells Eady after they first meet. His is a life that requires him be able to "walk out on in 30 seconds flat if (he) feels the heat around the corner." Neil is the moral antithesis for Vincent, but both will do whatever it takes to do what they do best. Eventually, both find out about the other half-way through the story.

The meeting on-screen for Neil and Vincent (a first for actors DeNiro and Pacino) is the movie's key dramatic sequence. This wary confrontation over coffee is one of the best moments put to film. It's not long, but it's one of those powerfully quiet scenes that resonates throughout the rest of the film. The irony of the situation is that each recognizes themselves in the other...and appreciate the professionalism they find. Both, through their conversation, also are cognizant of the fact that each will put the other down permanently, if need be. Some other reviewers have stated that is the only time they'll share the screen time in this movie. Not true. Heat's tense climax on the outskirts of LAX is another one of those great film scenes. Mann skillfully brings their chase and relationship to a poignantly moving close.

This film also has one of the best ensemble casts ever on celluloid: Pacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Venora, Ashley Judd, Brenneman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, and a young Natalie Portman. All of them giving excellent performances to an equally well written Michael Mann script. Filmed all over my hometown, and in some of the best and bad spots of Los Angeles, Heat makes great use of the locales with some breathtaking cinematography. It also has one of my all-time favorite action sequences, the Bank Heist in downtown (tragically, a real-life bank shootout in L.A. of hauntingly similar proportions would happen a couple of years later). At almost three hours in length, it takes a committment, but the viewer will be well rewarded with drama highly praised for its depth in character development and exciting sequences. This was not only one of the best films of 1995, it was one of the best for that decade. Okay, I've convinced myself: it is Michael Mann's best.

NeilMcCauley, played by Robert De Niro, is a master thief, who has only one rule in life: Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out in thirty seconds flat when you feel the heat around the corner. Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, is a supersmart detective with a troubled family life. Vincent became obsessed with catching McCauley and his gang while they're preparing a challenging bank robbery. The two characters figure out that they are too focused on their job and don't have a normal life, but they love that and won't change it. They are kind of similar while their jobs are antagonists.

The Acting is simply outstanding. Pacino is experienced and very intuitive while De Niro is cool and intelligent, depending on reason rather than instinct. The bank robbery is an excellent scene. It seems so real. However, the scene, which I like most, is the one in the coffe shop, where the two stars meet for the first time, where they discuss about their lives, jobs and "devotion". This scene brings a particular level of excitement without resorting to action. You can feel the acting power.

I don't think this movie is for children, however some teenagers and especially adults should appreciate it, but not those who dislike violence. Cinematography and music especially suit the ambiance of the film, and the script is very intelligent, mostly realistic.

As a conclusion, I think this film is a bit long, but it's never boring. It's worth three hours of your time. I recommend it to any action/crime movie lovers, Mafia movie lovers or anyone who loves good movies.

Both leads, as the story evolves, are cut from the same cloth: professional and dedicated to their chosen crafts--to a fault. Everything revolves around their jobs and nothing gets in their way, including the women in their personal lives: Justine Hanna (the very underrated Diane Venora) and the soon-to-be enlightened Eady (Amy Brenneman). It's the long-suffering Justine that nails her husband's true nature with her wifely realization: "You don't live with me, you live among the remnants of dead people. You sift through the detritus, you read the terrain, you search for signs of passing, for the scent of your prey ... and then you hunt them down. That's the only thing you're committed to. The rest is the mess you leave as you pass through."

And it's with that predator's sense that Vincent spots MacCauley's crew after the inital, spectacular armored truck robbery. He knows that a crew is in town who are good, skillful, and very dangerous ("At the drop of a hat, these guys will rock 'n roll."). Which is also the exact description of their leader. However, in this case, the master thief is also growing weary of his trade...and the emotional discipline it requires."I am alone...I'm not lonely." he tells Eady after they first meet. His is a life that requires him be able to "walk out on in 30 seconds flat if (he) feels the heat around the corner." Neil is the moral antithesis for Vincent, but both will do whatever it takes to do what they do best. Eventually, both find out about the other half-way through the story.

The meeting on-screen for Neil and Vincent (a first for actors DeNiro and Pacino) is the movie's key dramatic sequence. This wary confrontation over coffee is one of the best moments put to film. It's not long, but it's one of those powerfully quiet scenes that resonates throughout the rest of the film. The irony of the situation is that each recognizes themselves in the other...and appreciate the professionalism they find. Both, through their conversation, also are cognizant of the fact that each will put the other down permanently, if need be. Some other reviewers have stated that is the only time they'll share the screen time in this movie. Not true. Heat's tense climax on the outskirts of LAX is another one of those great film scenes. Mann skillfully brings their chase and relationship to a poignantly moving close.

This film also has one of the best ensemble casts ever on celluloid: Pacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Venora, Ashley Judd, Brenneman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, and a young Natalie Portman. All of them giving excellent performances to an equally well written Michael Mann script. Filmed all over my hometown, and in some of the best and bad spots of Los Angeles, Heat makes great use of the locales with some breathtaking cinematography. It also has one of my all-time favorite action sequences, the Bank Heist in downtown (tragically, a real-life bank shootout in L.A. of hauntingly similar proportions would happen a couple of years later). At almost three hours in length, it takes a committment, but the viewer will be well rewarded with drama highly praised for its depth in character development and exciting sequences. This was not only one of the best films of 1995, it was one of the best for that decade. Okay, I've convinced myself: it is Michael Mann's best.

NeilMcCauley, played by Robert De Niro, is a master thief, who has only one rule in life: Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out in thirty seconds flat when you feel the heat around the corner. Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, is a supersmart detective with a troubled family life. Vincent became obsessed with catching McCauley and his gang while they're preparing a challenging bank robbery. The two characters figure out that they are too focused on their job and don't have a normal life, but they love that and won't change it. They are kind of similar while their jobs are antagonists.

The Acting is simply outstanding. Pacino is experienced and very intuitive while De Niro is cool and intelligent, depending on reason rather than instinct. The bank robbery is an excellent scene. It seems so real. However, the scene, which I like most, is the one in the coffe shop, where the two stars meet for the first time, where they discuss about their lives, jobs and "devotion". This scene brings a particular level of excitement without resorting to action. You can feel the acting power.

I don't think this movie is for children, however some teenagers and especially adults should appreciate it, but not those who dislike violence. Cinematography and music especially suit the ambiance of the film, and the script is very intelligent, mostly realistic.

As a conclusion, I think this film is a bit long, but it's never boring. It's worth three hours of your time. I recommend it to any action/crime movie lovers, Mafia movie lovers or anyone who loves good movies.

Both leads, as the story evolves, are cut from the same cloth: professional and dedicated to their chosen crafts--to a fault. Everything revolves around their jobs and nothing gets in their way, including the women in their personal lives: Justine Hanna (the very underrated Diane Venora) and the soon-to-be enlightened Eady (Amy Brenneman). It's the long-suffering Justine that nails her husband's true nature with her wifely realization: "You don't live with me, you live among the remnants of dead people. You sift through the detritus, you read the terrain, you search for signs of passing, for the scent of your prey ... and then you hunt them down. That's the only thing you're committed to. The rest is the mess you leave as you pass through."

And it's with that predator's sense that Vincent spots MacCauley's crew after the inital, spectacular armored truck robbery. He knows that a crew is in town who are good, skillful, and very dangerous ("At the drop of a hat, these guys will rock 'n roll."). Which is also the exact description of their leader. However, in this case, the master thief is also growing weary of his trade...and the emotional discipline it requires."I am alone...I'm not lonely." he tells Eady after they first meet. His is a life that requires him be able to "walk out on in 30 seconds flat if (he) feels the heat around the corner." Neil is the moral antithesis for Vincent, but both will do whatever it takes to do what they do best. Eventually, both find out about the other half-way through the story.

The meeting on-screen for Neil and Vincent (a first for actors DeNiro and Pacino) is the movie's key dramatic sequence. This wary confrontation over coffee is one of the best moments put to film. It's not long, but it's one of those powerfully quiet scenes that resonates throughout the rest of the film. The irony of the situation is that each recognizes themselves in the other...and appreciate the professionalism they find. Both, through their conversation, also are cognizant of the fact that each will put the other down permanently, if need be. Some other reviewers have stated that is the only time they'll share the screen time in this movie. Not true. Heat's tense climax on the outskirts of LAX is another one of those great film scenes. Mann skillfully brings their chase and relationship to a poignantly moving close.

This film also has one of the best ensemble casts ever on celluloid: Pacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Venora, Ashley Judd, Brenneman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, and a young Natalie Portman. All of them giving excellent performances to an equally well written Michael Mann script. Filmed all over my hometown, and in some of the best and bad spots of Los Angeles, Heat makes great use of the locales with some breathtaking cinematography. It also has one of my all-time favorite action sequences, the Bank Heist in downtown (tragically, a real-life bank shootout in L.A. of hauntingly similar proportions would happen a couple of years later). At almost three hours in length, it takes a committment, but the viewer will be well rewarded with drama highly praised for its depth in character development and exciting sequences. This was not only one of the best films of 1995, it was one of the best for that decade. Okay, I've convinced myself: it is Michael Mann's best.

NeilMcCauley, played by Robert De Niro, is a master thief, who has only one rule in life: Don't get attached to anything in life that you can't walk out in thirty seconds flat when you feel the heat around the corner. Vincent Hanna, played by Al Pacino, is a supersmart detective with a troubled family life. Vincent became obsessed with catching McCauley and his gang while they're preparing a challenging bank robbery. The two characters figure out that they are too focused on their job and don't have a normal life, but they love that and won't change it. They are kind of similar while their jobs are antagonists.

The Acting is simply outstanding. Pacino is experienced and very intuitive while De Niro is cool and intelligent, depending on reason rather than instinct. The bank robbery is an excellent scene. It seems so real. However, the scene, which I like most, is the one in the coffe shop, where the two stars meet for the first time, where they discuss about their lives, jobs and "devotion". This scene brings a particular level of excitement without resorting to action. You can feel the acting power.

I don't think this movie is for children, however some teenagers and especially adults should appreciate it, but not those who dislike violence. Cinematography and music especially suit the ambiance of the film, and the script is very intelligent, mostly realistic.

As a conclusion, I think this film is a bit long, but it's never boring. It's worth three hours of your time. I recommend it to any action/crime movie lovers, Mafia movie lovers or anyone who loves good movies.

Both leads, as the story evolves, are cut from the same cloth: professional and dedicated to their chosen crafts--to a fault. Everything revolves around their jobs and nothing gets in their way, including the women in their personal lives: Justine Hanna (the very underrated Diane Venora) and the soon-to-be enlightened Eady (Amy Brenneman). It's the long-suffering Justine that nails her husband's true nature with her wifely realization: "You don't live with me, you live among the remnants of dead people. You sift through the detritus, you read the terrain, you search for signs of passing, for the scent of your prey ... and then you hunt them down. That's the only thing you're committed to. The rest is the mess you leave as you pass through."

And it's with that predator's sense that Vincent spots MacCauley's crew after the inital, spectacular armored truck robbery. He knows that a crew is in town who are good, skillful, and very dangerous ("At the drop of a hat, these guys will rock 'n roll."). Which is also the exact description of their leader. However, in this case, the master thief is also growing weary of his trade...and the emotional discipline it requires."I am alone...I'm not lonely." he tells Eady after they first meet. His is a life that requires him be able to "walk out on in 30 seconds flat if (he) feels the heat around the corner." Neil is the moral antithesis for Vincent, but both will do whatever it takes to do what they do best. Eventually, both find out about the other half-way through the story.

The meeting on-screen for Neil and Vincent (a first for actors DeNiro and Pacino) is the movie's key dramatic sequence. This wary confrontation over coffee is one of the best moments put to film. It's not long, but it's one of those powerfully quiet scenes that resonates throughout the rest of the film. The irony of the situation is that each recognizes themselves in the other...and appreciate the professionalism they find. Both, through their conversation, also are cognizant of the fact that each will put the other down permanently, if need be. Some other reviewers have stated that is the only time they'll share the screen time in this movie. Not true. Heat's tense climax on the outskirts of LAX is another one of those great film scenes. Mann skillfully brings their chase and relationship to a poignantly moving close.

This film also has one of the best ensemble casts ever on celluloid: Pacino, DeNiro, Val Kilmer, Venora, Ashley Judd, Brenneman, Jon Voight, Tom Sizemore, Mykelti Williamson, Wes Studi, Ted Levine, Dennis Haysbert, William Fichtner, and a young Natalie Portman. All of them giving excellent performances to an equally well written Michael Mann script. Filmed all over my hometown, and in some of the best and bad spots of Los Angeles, Heat makes great use of the locales with some breathtaking cinematography. It also has one of my all-time favorite action sequences, the Bank Heist in downtown (tragically, a real-life bank shootout in L.A. of hauntingly similar proportions would happen a couple of years later). At almost three hours in length, it takes a committment, but the viewer will be well rewarded with drama highly praised for its depth in character development and exciting sequences. This was not only one of the best films of 1995, it was one of the best for that decade. Okay, I've convinced myself: it is Michael Mann's best.

First off, there's the attempt to create Ramses as more than a one-dimensional villain. I agree with one reviewer here that it was a good idea, but in the end they perhaps tried too hard. When Moses comes back and Ramses suddenly becomes a hardcore villain, its almost like his character has done a complete 180. Its not too believable.

There's also the songs. Oh my god...how I hated the songs. There were perhaps one or two good ones, but the rest were...ugh. They sound like the writers were saying, "Oh! We're making an animated film! Well...you CAN'T make an ANIMATED film with out adding SONGS in there!" It didn't matter to them if the songs slowed down the pacing or the singers didn't sound like the characters they were supposed to be (Steve Martin and Martin Short's characters especially), but they're added in any way.

At last, of course, is the attempt to make the story of Exodus "nice." As usual, Moses killing the Egyptian is an accident. Read the Bible: Moses did it on purpose. God is a nice loving blue orb with a sweet, gentle voice. However the film later on, with the tenth plague, shows God killing only children. Apparently all the first born in Egypt were under the age of 5. In "The Ten Commandments" they showed first born of all ages dying, making it far more realistic...and making it look better for God. Honestly, did the writers think that we would side with a God that indiscriminantly kills children?

Accuracy comes into play here too. When the Hebrew people are leaving Egypt, two Egyptian soldiers drop weapons and join them. Huh?! Isn't that like having an SS character in "Schindler's List" being Jewish? Who the hell came up with that? And also, when the Hebrew people walk through the parted Red Sea, we see the image of a whale against the water. I hate to burst your bubble, but the part of the Red Sea in the Bible (also known as the "Sea of Reeds") is not connected to the ocean, and last I heard there were no whales living in it.

This film has so many more flaws in it I could write a book, but I'm limited on size and I've already said so much. Read my words: this movie is overrated. Do not watch it.

This film works out pretty well for a young audience, but not too young. Some scences, like the Plagues, may scare them. And the DVD features only make the film better. Here's a breakdown:

* Audio Commentary with Directors: Perfect if you've seen the movie before, like me. The directors, all three of them, do voice-overs throughout the entire film, talking about how certain scenes were made, the steps they took to make them, etc.)

*The Making of: A little featurette.

*"When You Believe" Multi-Language Presentation: The "When You Believe" sequence in multiple languages to show how they made the songs perfectly in-sync no matter how many languages it had to be translated to.

*"Chariot Race" Basics of Animation: The process used in making the "Chariot Race" scene.

*Focus on Technical Effects: A look at the special effects in the film.

*Theatrical Trailers, Cast & Filmmaker Bios, Production Notes: No explanation here.

*Special Sneak Preview: Special trailer for "Road to El Dorado" and "Chicken Run".

I hope this clears up a few things about the film and I hope you and you family enjoy this movie for years to come.

This film opens its gates with a musical number, as slaves in Egypt regale their turmoil as well as their hope that God will bring them to deliverance from the hands of their taskmasters. The plan to kill off all the firstborn is merely implied here: there is no chamber where women and their first-born babies go to die, neither is there a conversation explaining these actions. They are presented with a single baby's mother, whose song of hope for her son's success in life wills him down the river in a basket, where he is plucked out of the river by the Pharaoh's Queen, who names him Moses and raises him as her own. This all happens within the first ten minutes of the movie, but instead of seeming rushed, it tells us everything we need to know that is vital to our understanding of future events, without melodrama or lengthy twists.

Years later, Moses (voiced nicely by Val Kilmer), along with his "brother" Rameses (given a glorious treatment under Ralph Fiennes), have a strong relationship of brotherhood and friendship, so it is extremely difficult for Moses when he is set upon by his blood brother and sister (Sandra Bullock and Jeff Goldblum), finally realizing the truth of his situation and fleeing from Egypt after taking the life of an abusive taskmaster. His wandering lead him to a small gathering in the desert, where he soon is married, meets God in the form of a vibrant bush, and is sent back to his past home in hopes that Pharaoh shall free his people from his clutches. Of course he doesn't, causing Moses to bring down on Egypt the ten plagues of God, ultimately leading to their release from captivity and their walk to freedom.

Like the 1956 classic, there are some flaws in accordance with the accounts stated in the Bible, for instance the close bonds between Rameses and Moses. The movie chooses to focus majorly on this aspect, which works extremely well for the story because when the time comes for them to pit themselves against one another, it is so much more difficult for them to do so because of the past they shared. This works for the movie, but seems a bit of a stretch in terms of accuracy. However, the movie tells us that this account is not based solely on the historical, and that dramatic license was taken during the making of this movie, so that lets us know right away we're not dealing with the exactly, fact-is-all-here story.

The story, on its own terms, is magnificent and spectacular, a marvel for the ages along the ranks of other epics and sagas that bring a true story to life with grandeur and grace. The movie oozes with ambition and no sense of fear, and we can sense this because of its boldness in how it handles the story. The most intensified of these is the brilliant animation used for the movie, whose use of colors and depth bring to life the suffocating atmosphere of the grand halls of the palace, while giving us such feelings as warmth, coldness and chills. The animation will simply take your breath away with its grand scale, leaving you awestruck and touched.

This story is a true marvel in terms of courage and emotion, and the plot brings out both of those feelings wonderfully. Moses' struggle to free his people is told with utmost perception and grace, bringing us into his own mind's emotions and feelings as we watch him do God's work. His interaction with the other characters keeps the story moving, and the relations between he and Rameses in the second half of the movie is powerful and intense. We know who is going to be the ultimate loser of their battle, but it's still interesting to watch the two of them battle things out. We pretty much know the entire story, but that doesn't stop us from taking it all in again.

The key aspect to bringing out the emotion of this movie is its music, which is composed of some of the most haunting chords and upbeat melodies of any soundtrack I've ever heard. With original songs from Stephen Schwartz, whose previous work includes many Disney classics, and score composer Hans Zimmer, every emotion of the movie has its own piece of music, while the songs sung by the characters and the theme "When You Believe" bring to life the power and the struggle of the characters as they flee from bondage. While there are too many to mention here, the voice talents used are truly wonderful, composed of big name stars and bringing their characters to life as vibrantly as the animation does the setting.

"The Prince of Egypt" is an intense and glorious movie experience for the senses and the mind, taking us on one of history's most perilous and rewarding journey into a struggle for freedom and strength. The film's integrity and masterful storytelling capability make it pleasurable for adults and children alike, while keeping itself in line with its epic scope and scale.