44 reviews
As I stumbled upon the 2022 action comedy "High Heat", here late in 2022, I had never heard about the movie. But seeing that the movie had Don Johnson and Olga Kurylenko on the cast list, and having read the movie's synopsis, I was actually having some expectations for the movie.
And now as the movie has come to and end, I am sitting here with an overwhelming sensation of having been cheated out of something grander and somewhat having been wasting my time on a subpar movie. Writer James Pedersen didn't exactly churn out a grand script here for director Zach Golden to work with. Sure, "High Heat" was watchable and had good production value to it, but the storyline was rather flaccid.
It was nice definintely nice to watch Don Johnson and Olga Kurylenko in the leading roles, but they didn't have a wholesome script to work with. And I have to say that the option for bringing on Dallas Page to play the main bad guy in the movie wasn't exactly a stroke of genius.
"High Heat" came and went without leaving a lasting impression, and it is a movie that will slowly, quietly, but surely, dwindle into the mists of oblivion and never be brought out and viewed as second time. It was, in fact, a rather forgettable and sort of pointless action comedy.
My rating of "High Heat" lands on a four out of ten stars.
And now as the movie has come to and end, I am sitting here with an overwhelming sensation of having been cheated out of something grander and somewhat having been wasting my time on a subpar movie. Writer James Pedersen didn't exactly churn out a grand script here for director Zach Golden to work with. Sure, "High Heat" was watchable and had good production value to it, but the storyline was rather flaccid.
It was nice definintely nice to watch Don Johnson and Olga Kurylenko in the leading roles, but they didn't have a wholesome script to work with. And I have to say that the option for bringing on Dallas Page to play the main bad guy in the movie wasn't exactly a stroke of genius.
"High Heat" came and went without leaving a lasting impression, and it is a movie that will slowly, quietly, but surely, dwindle into the mists of oblivion and never be brought out and viewed as second time. It was, in fact, a rather forgettable and sort of pointless action comedy.
My rating of "High Heat" lands on a four out of ten stars.
- paul_haakonsen
- Dec 22, 2022
- Permalink
Well, seeing Don Johnson and Olga Kurylenko work on the same project is always tempting and interesting, however doesn't necessarily mean that it will be a winning combination. This movie is kind of a mixture between Mr & Mrs Smith meets Desperate Housewifes meets Boiling Point. The director wanted to put this all together and hope for a fun outcome, but it ended up being a drag although it is only 80 minutes... The side roles appear suddenly like they fall from the sky with no whatsoever background story or connection, just a few sentences between them to get it over with. The story is the cheesiest possible and reminds of an old school action movies when everyone was a former KGB or Cia agent etc.. In the end very boring and dragged out movie although with Don and Olga on board had the potential for more fun.
- jamesbwithdvfilmworks
- Jan 2, 2023
- Permalink
As much as I love Olga Kurylenko and I do! Even she couldn't carry this mess of a film. It has nothing one can sink their teeth into. I hate to bash on a film but some are "so" bad it can't be helped. The story goes nowhere and ends nowhere. Plus, it's all been done before. Makes me ask myself what is going on with Hollywood Film Making? Their just throwing out pieces like this bomb and not paying attention to their viewers likes. Olga has become one of the best in her field and is truly is a joy to watch. Don Johnson is a well established actor, watching them play off one another wasn't bad. But this film is just a waste of time I'll never view again.
- battlebuckships
- Dec 19, 2022
- Permalink
This was horrible to watch ... From the first moment, the 2 main characters, Kurylenko and Johnson play a couple but the 30 years of age difference ruins it from the first moment. Why did grandpa Johnson not retire instead of making this crappy movie ? The moment her friend, who comes to help her, is driving the car is hilariuous. The image through the rear window is the same, she keeps talking but you hear the car several times acceleration fast which is not logical. Then you see the road ahead one moment : no cars but behind there were all the time cars. When the masseuse Gary must go to the restaurant, the character is a complete idiotic someone that acts like in a slapstick movie ...
I will feel bad all day long because I was forced to give one star and I prefer giving it a zer, but unfortunately, one is the minimum you can give on IMDb...
- clementgermain-67862
- Dec 18, 2022
- Permalink
- LordCommandar
- Dec 19, 2022
- Permalink
I've never seen anyone make so much hay out of: 1. A section of a parking lot on Orange Grove in downtown Burbank, 2. A probable commercial kitchen and, 3. A maybe 1,000 sq. Ft. Soundstage.
You've got to give them Kudos just for that, if not for the most convincing catfight I've ever seen.
The animated opening works, all the actors are above serviceable, some of the pacing gets iffy, but more than half the jokes made me smile. Olga is still very watchable, and her facility with languages adds a veracity you don't often see. The twins are hilarious, as is Gary the masseur. Last but not least, while not incredibly original, it's got more originality and flair than the majority of big tent productions.
I'm guessing they shot this in a few days. Give them all a break. They entertained, and they punched well-above their budget tranche.
Bravo everyone.
You've got to give them Kudos just for that, if not for the most convincing catfight I've ever seen.
The animated opening works, all the actors are above serviceable, some of the pacing gets iffy, but more than half the jokes made me smile. Olga is still very watchable, and her facility with languages adds a veracity you don't often see. The twins are hilarious, as is Gary the masseur. Last but not least, while not incredibly original, it's got more originality and flair than the majority of big tent productions.
I'm guessing they shot this in a few days. Give them all a break. They entertained, and they punched well-above their budget tranche.
Bravo everyone.
I figured with Don Johnson in it the film (movie) would be decent but I was wrong. The actors are mostly forgettable. The script seemed like something a student writer would be encouraged to seek a different career over. Meandering, uninteresting, muddled, boring, flavorless, not comedic engaging or dramatic. I think someone had budget money left over and needed to spend it so they gave Don and Olga 80% of it and then hired volunteers to fill in the cast leaving them with just enough left over to rent a street, a parking garage, 4 vehicles, and part of a commercial kitchen.
In my next life I will not watch this movie.
In my next life I will not watch this movie.
I wasn't expecting much, but I was pleasantly surprised after watching this well-paced 84 min action-comedy film. This is newb filmmaker Zach Golden's second full length feature film as director, and he did not disappoint. It is also James Pedersen's first ever writing credit, and although not perfect, it was still fun. Although some characters were your typical cliched mobsters with cliched dialogue, it still worked, and actually had some laugh out loud moments. All casting and performances were spot-on and convincing, and Golden did a great job directing his cast, especially for a newb director. Even the action scenes were exceptionally filmed and well choreographed. The dark humor was mostly hit with a few misses. Johnson and Kurylenko (who looked stunning) worked very well together, as did Kaitlin Doubleday and Chris Diamantopoulos and their twin daughters, who were a hilarious family right out of the Griswold's playbook. Even the score and cinematography were great, especially for a B film. It's not a perfect film, but it's one of the better and more entertaining B films I've seen this year, and worth a one-time watch. It's a well deserved 7/10 from me.
- Top_Dawg_Critic
- Dec 19, 2022
- Permalink
Where do I start??? This movie was absolutely trash from start to finish. Probably had a budget of $20. All they needed was a car park, restaurant and a few cars. The plot is so childish and not believable for a second. Acting is worst I've seen, not to mention the script! It's like the director and the studio have no standards, no respect for themselves or their loved ones to make this. I can understand from Don Johnson's perspective, just take the money and run, but the Director?? You just ruined your career. Don't watch this movie, unless you have nothing better to do with your life.
It will be two hours you'll never get back.
It will be two hours you'll never get back.
Whoever is saying the movie is bad, must be very depressed person looking for non-sense violence Absolut drama and ZERO humor. This is exactly the opposite.
The movie starts in a restaurant kitchen where the lady chef, Ana, is dealing with the employees. She is the incredible good (in many senses) Olga Kurylenko. It is the opening night so she is very stressed.
Her husband and partner on the other side (Don Johnson, incredible charismatic) is just a "von vivant" doing the best to inflate the restaurant sales and make it important and exclusive.
Some mediocre criminals come by but Johnson ignores them asking to come back the next day. Things get ugly, uglier and ugliest. Mostly because Ana does not want to get her restaurant burn and she used to be an EX-KGB agent.
The movie is played with light humor and the actors are good to carry and enjoy it too. Johnson sympathetic enough to make a believable scam artist that really loves his wife and trust things to go OK. Olga is physically gifted and very believable as a (almost) retired killer.
In brief; it will not get OSCARS,do not have the highest production values but is VERY VERY ENTERATING MOVE.
The movie starts in a restaurant kitchen where the lady chef, Ana, is dealing with the employees. She is the incredible good (in many senses) Olga Kurylenko. It is the opening night so she is very stressed.
Her husband and partner on the other side (Don Johnson, incredible charismatic) is just a "von vivant" doing the best to inflate the restaurant sales and make it important and exclusive.
Some mediocre criminals come by but Johnson ignores them asking to come back the next day. Things get ugly, uglier and ugliest. Mostly because Ana does not want to get her restaurant burn and she used to be an EX-KGB agent.
The movie is played with light humor and the actors are good to carry and enjoy it too. Johnson sympathetic enough to make a believable scam artist that really loves his wife and trust things to go OK. Olga is physically gifted and very believable as a (almost) retired killer.
In brief; it will not get OSCARS,do not have the highest production values but is VERY VERY ENTERATING MOVE.
High Heat is a bit of a wacky Action/Spy/Thriller complete with Assassins and Mercenaries and Mobsters and Psychopathic ex-best friends!
Anna (Olga Kurylenko) is a chef and she and her husband Ray (Don Johnson) own and operate a restaurant together. But on the the restaurants opening night the celebration is interrupted by the local mobsters coming to collect on Ray's debt. Now what they did not expect was a top ex-KGB agent Anna.... a highly trained ex-KGB agent.
The restaurant turns into a bloody battleground as Ray and Anna team up to defend their restaurant.
I really like High Heat... Really good actors, Don Johnson, Olga Kurylenko and Caitlin Doubleday as Mimi Is absolutely brilliant.
The script does fall a bit short on the comedy side, I think some of the humorous dialogue goes on way too long. But still a fun popcorn movie night.
Anna (Olga Kurylenko) is a chef and she and her husband Ray (Don Johnson) own and operate a restaurant together. But on the the restaurants opening night the celebration is interrupted by the local mobsters coming to collect on Ray's debt. Now what they did not expect was a top ex-KGB agent Anna.... a highly trained ex-KGB agent.
The restaurant turns into a bloody battleground as Ray and Anna team up to defend their restaurant.
I really like High Heat... Really good actors, Don Johnson, Olga Kurylenko and Caitlin Doubleday as Mimi Is absolutely brilliant.
The script does fall a bit short on the comedy side, I think some of the humorous dialogue goes on way too long. But still a fun popcorn movie night.
- disnotbetty-10195
- Apr 3, 2023
- Permalink
I feel awful only rating this at a 2 because I love Olga Kurylenko. But either this was a payday movie for her, or she thought it was going to be funny.
She was wrong on the funny part.
I actually thought it was supposed to be a thriller when I first put it on, and it took me a while to work out that it was a spoof. The comedic elements were just not funny, I didn't even smile once during the entire film.
The high action parts were badly done and didn't convince me that an ex KGB agent was killing everyone with cold, steely determination.
I gave it 2 stars and 1 of them was for Kurylenko's butt in her leather pants, the other for Doubleday's funny all American Mom assassin presentation.
The film is an utter flop even at less than an hour and a half which felt like 3. Don't waste your time on it.
She was wrong on the funny part.
I actually thought it was supposed to be a thriller when I first put it on, and it took me a while to work out that it was a spoof. The comedic elements were just not funny, I didn't even smile once during the entire film.
The high action parts were badly done and didn't convince me that an ex KGB agent was killing everyone with cold, steely determination.
I gave it 2 stars and 1 of them was for Kurylenko's butt in her leather pants, the other for Doubleday's funny all American Mom assassin presentation.
The film is an utter flop even at less than an hour and a half which felt like 3. Don't waste your time on it.
- Boristhemoggy
- Dec 27, 2022
- Permalink
A one-location and "defend the fort" type of movie, with an attempt at colorful characters and a bunch of bad guys that rush in to their death under the pretense of a thin-layer of a story.
I'll be honest! The alluring, creative and simple intro credits won me over! Then the repetitive and dull dialogue started to lose me.. Doesn't help that most of the cast is comprised of boring roles (with a few exceptions that probably shine when compared) and their interactions forgettable. The pacing is meandering and the sporadic "action scenes" aren't worth it. Even if the camerawork is commendable. I also noticed strange and choppy editing cuts, including sounds abruptly ending.. as if rushed. And when Olga's stunt double is SO visibly-not-her on screen (and doesn't even look like her) for longer than she is, you mark this as a disappointing night.
If you see the SABAN Films logo, you tone down your expectations.
I'll be honest! The alluring, creative and simple intro credits won me over! Then the repetitive and dull dialogue started to lose me.. Doesn't help that most of the cast is comprised of boring roles (with a few exceptions that probably shine when compared) and their interactions forgettable. The pacing is meandering and the sporadic "action scenes" aren't worth it. Even if the camerawork is commendable. I also noticed strange and choppy editing cuts, including sounds abruptly ending.. as if rushed. And when Olga's stunt double is SO visibly-not-her on screen (and doesn't even look like her) for longer than she is, you mark this as a disappointing night.
If you see the SABAN Films logo, you tone down your expectations.
- daisukereds
- Jan 13, 2023
- Permalink
A quick look at the movie poster will tell you all you need to know about this movie. The "trained operative" is double fingering the trigger. So lame. Why does Hollywood even try to make movies with guns anymore? They all hate guns. They don't know how to use them...they don't even know how to hold them. They should just give up on trying to make movies like this. We need an independent film studio to be the sole producer of action movies...with former military/police input for every single scene involving a firearm. There is so much crap out there these days. You can't even begin to take these movies seriously.
Despite the run time is 1h24m which is in movie terms a little above being a short , you'd still feel the pace is really slow that you can do errands at time of watching and not miss much .
As for the plot , basically the upcoming hints are incorporated in trailers , so hardly a spoiler yet at least not from my behalf .
So they tried to kill her "kitchen" so this ex spy go on a hunt to kill all Mafia elements involved in this plot , they keep throwing at her multiple assassins but she get rid of them all .
If this doesn't remind you of John Wick (a lite version of him perhaps) then you probably haven't seen John Wick (Needless to say they do not reach the fight scenes level) .
Funny enough even both are Russians in their plots .
As for the plot , basically the upcoming hints are incorporated in trailers , so hardly a spoiler yet at least not from my behalf .
So they tried to kill her "kitchen" so this ex spy go on a hunt to kill all Mafia elements involved in this plot , they keep throwing at her multiple assassins but she get rid of them all .
If this doesn't remind you of John Wick (a lite version of him perhaps) then you probably haven't seen John Wick (Needless to say they do not reach the fight scenes level) .
Funny enough even both are Russians in their plots .
- nIGHTmAYOR
- Dec 18, 2022
- Permalink
I just recently saw this movie, mainly because Don Johnson was starring did I even want to see it in the first place, possibly because it reminded me of his heyday on Nash Bridges. I wasn't even aware until watching the movie that Diamond Dallas Page costarred, that was a surprise to say the least, and he was great as Dom, a very amusing character. Page shows he can play funny and a jerk, and be liked at the same time.
The writing wasn't the best, but there were some good scenes, and great dialogue between the cast, and they made it watchable. The character Tom, played by Chris Diamantopoulos was my favorite of all. He was very rounded, and went through a change during the movie, from a follower taking orders to a leader giving them.
The interaction between Mimi and Ana was pretty interesting as well, and a highlight of the movie. I thought that this was kind of a throwback to the cheesy action-comedy flicks of yesteryear, and I loved it. The ending was good in my opinion. I was genuinely surprised at what happened, and how it happened. And it makes me wonder if they will make a sequel.
The writing wasn't the best, but there were some good scenes, and great dialogue between the cast, and they made it watchable. The character Tom, played by Chris Diamantopoulos was my favorite of all. He was very rounded, and went through a change during the movie, from a follower taking orders to a leader giving them.
The interaction between Mimi and Ana was pretty interesting as well, and a highlight of the movie. I thought that this was kind of a throwback to the cheesy action-comedy flicks of yesteryear, and I loved it. The ending was good in my opinion. I was genuinely surprised at what happened, and how it happened. And it makes me wonder if they will make a sequel.
- Hollywood_Yoda
- Oct 25, 2023
- Permalink
THERE'S SOME SERIOUSLY DERANGED REVIEWS FOR THIS FILM-
anyone giving this film less than a 6 is being hypercritical and probably missing the point of this OVERTLY COMIC BOOK action adventure- why all the hate ?
What separates this film from so many other contemporary films is that it clearly had some IMAGINATIVE and CREATIVE minds making it, who wanted to actually entertain their audience.
This is well directed, decent production values using the best of a limited budget, and some effort has been made to write decent dialogue and decent characters... Gary the masseur is BRILLIANT !
It makes no pretence to be a masterpiece or to pave new ground- or even be seen to be absolutely realistic- it is a typical action film, done well, and in a typically short run time.
There are no indulgent, meandering vacuous distractions- unlike many films these days.
There has been an incredible lack of even decent films the past few years, and a barrage of REALLY BAD ones.
This film is a welcome return to GOOD B-MOVIE sensibilities, some action some laughs and some slightly surreal characters.
Sure, more could have been made of this , but the premise is COMIC BOOK ACTION, not a realistic portrayal of ex KGB assassins and local gangsters with ex-pat militia.
To expect more from this film would be madness.
I'm usually annoyed with 'stupid' plot films, however with most action films like this it is very easy to just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. And in that regard this film is recommended.
What separates this film from so many other contemporary films is that it clearly had some IMAGINATIVE and CREATIVE minds making it, who wanted to actually entertain their audience.
This is well directed, decent production values using the best of a limited budget, and some effort has been made to write decent dialogue and decent characters... Gary the masseur is BRILLIANT !
It makes no pretence to be a masterpiece or to pave new ground- or even be seen to be absolutely realistic- it is a typical action film, done well, and in a typically short run time.
There are no indulgent, meandering vacuous distractions- unlike many films these days.
There has been an incredible lack of even decent films the past few years, and a barrage of REALLY BAD ones.
This film is a welcome return to GOOD B-MOVIE sensibilities, some action some laughs and some slightly surreal characters.
Sure, more could have been made of this , but the premise is COMIC BOOK ACTION, not a realistic portrayal of ex KGB assassins and local gangsters with ex-pat militia.
To expect more from this film would be madness.
I'm usually annoyed with 'stupid' plot films, however with most action films like this it is very easy to just sit back and enjoy the spectacle. And in that regard this film is recommended.
- rossmcdee1
- Dec 21, 2022
- Permalink
- rebeltaz-18705
- Jun 26, 2023
- Permalink
Looking at some of these reviews and I cannot believe how low ppl are rating this movie. It had action, comedy, gore. The whole package not boring at all. Someone said it has been done before, ANNND!? There are PLENTY of movies that have been done before. What matters is how they do it and IF they can act in a way to make a movie stand out. I think for the person who said this movie has been done before. They need to be asked "could you come up with a better movie idea, that has not been done before?". My bet is they couldn't, and so h8er'z gonna h8! I say to all the ppl who lied and rated this movie anything less than a 5 at LEAST "Bless Your Hearts!". I honestly loved this movie and will be watching it again. As always be your own judge but at least watch the whole movie, IF you plan on actually rating it.
- nightringer-76840
- Dec 29, 2022
- Permalink
Not sure if this was supposed to be a comedy or a drama.
It was awful.
Try this on for size. A former KGB agent (Olga Kurylenko) now has her own restaurant. Her husband (Don Johnson) owes a ton of money to mobsters. They want to burn down the restaurant for the insurance money.
Not realizing Johnson's wife has talents other than being a chef, let's just say the thugs find it difficult to achieve their goal.
I gave this thing 4 stars because one of the actors was a riot - Jackie Long as Gary the masseuse. He steals the movie. That's not saying much, but he's certainly better than this drivel.
Lots of violence, some of it left to the imagination. But just some of it.
It was awful.
Try this on for size. A former KGB agent (Olga Kurylenko) now has her own restaurant. Her husband (Don Johnson) owes a ton of money to mobsters. They want to burn down the restaurant for the insurance money.
Not realizing Johnson's wife has talents other than being a chef, let's just say the thugs find it difficult to achieve their goal.
I gave this thing 4 stars because one of the actors was a riot - Jackie Long as Gary the masseuse. He steals the movie. That's not saying much, but he's certainly better than this drivel.
Lots of violence, some of it left to the imagination. But just some of it.
The premise sounds fun, and with Olga Kurylenko and Don Johnson also involved I had high hopes. I see the sparks of potential in James Pedersen's screenplay, with hard-hitting action counterbalanced by wry humor; a story of mob and KGB ties returning to haunt Ray and Ana is adjoined with notes of domestic squabbles. The stunts, effects, and otherwise action violence is sharp and terrific, the humor is far too variable but ranges from mildly amusing to cheekily funny, the music adds delightful flavor wherever it raises its head, and the production values reflect the best of modern standards. The cast give excellent performances full of personality, with Kurylenko absolutely standing out with the hard-nosed severity she carries as trained assassin Ana; given smaller supporting parts, I dare say Kaitlin Doubleday, Chris Diamantopoulos, and Bianca and Chiara D'Ambrosio steal the show from all others, and threaten to also upstage Kurylenko.
Yet speaking of those supporting figures, therein lies a prime example of the troubles 'High heat' faces. Kurylenko and Johnson are the stars, but for as much as everyone else dominates the screen, Kurylenko and Johnson almost feel like the support. It's D'Ambrosio and D'Ambrosio who earn the first of only a couple laughs at about the 53-minute mark, and though it's not true across the board, it's the twins, and Doubleday and Diamantopoulos, who seem to benefit from some of the strongest writing. On the other hand, Jackie Long and his character Gary have way too much screen time and aren't as clever as anyone thought. As the picture switches moods to and fro - seen not least in a scene between Long and Diamantopoulos, and also exemplified in Max Di Carlo's music - the pacing drags even more than it already was with excessive scenes of dialogue between Dallas Page, Ivan Martin, and other mafia figures, all of whom seem to speak with an especial droning cadence and timbre. There's unfortunate imbalance between the different ideas here: the action really does look great, but it's deemphasized; the humor adds a bit of fun, though is inconsistent both in its quality and in its dispensation; the narrative in and of itself, and the simple drama it should carry, is smaller than one would ever suppose.
In a runtime of 84 minutes we're one-quarter through before the action kicks up; following the climax, the last beat to resolve the plot in the denouement sails past with a strangely casual, almost indifferent tenor. The diminished presence of Kurylenko and Johnson may have worked if the screenplay were structured differently - say, if it were built to show the persistent efforts and failures of bad guys to bring down Ana, Ray, and the Etoile Rouge, and being foiled at every turn; a more high-octane rendition of 'Home alone, if you will. In that hypothetical circumstance, too, the more selective bursts of action may be fitting, provided a more comedic edge in their stead. As it stands, all too little of 'High heat' feels like it's coming together just right, and the proportions are off in too many important ways. Director Zach Golden has a hard time finding the right tone, too, demonstrating that Pedersen and Di Carlo weren't the only contributors to be dogged by these issues. The crew behind the scenes turned in fine work, and I appreciate the cast, but the end result is an action-comedy where neither the action nor the comedy are particularly satisfying, and a vehicle for two stars who take the back seat to their co-stars.
None of this is to say that I didn't enjoy the feature, and for something light and uninvolved it's a decent enough way to spend one's time. The problem is that too many elements feel a little wrong, and there's no major stroke of brilliance or jolt of vitality to help carry the day. It's entertaining, but no more so than the least of most titles. I'm glad for those who get more out of 'High heat' than I do, and I admire what it does well, but I think this dish needed a different mixture of the same ingredients, cooked longer and more thoroughly, to have really met with the desired success.
Yet speaking of those supporting figures, therein lies a prime example of the troubles 'High heat' faces. Kurylenko and Johnson are the stars, but for as much as everyone else dominates the screen, Kurylenko and Johnson almost feel like the support. It's D'Ambrosio and D'Ambrosio who earn the first of only a couple laughs at about the 53-minute mark, and though it's not true across the board, it's the twins, and Doubleday and Diamantopoulos, who seem to benefit from some of the strongest writing. On the other hand, Jackie Long and his character Gary have way too much screen time and aren't as clever as anyone thought. As the picture switches moods to and fro - seen not least in a scene between Long and Diamantopoulos, and also exemplified in Max Di Carlo's music - the pacing drags even more than it already was with excessive scenes of dialogue between Dallas Page, Ivan Martin, and other mafia figures, all of whom seem to speak with an especial droning cadence and timbre. There's unfortunate imbalance between the different ideas here: the action really does look great, but it's deemphasized; the humor adds a bit of fun, though is inconsistent both in its quality and in its dispensation; the narrative in and of itself, and the simple drama it should carry, is smaller than one would ever suppose.
In a runtime of 84 minutes we're one-quarter through before the action kicks up; following the climax, the last beat to resolve the plot in the denouement sails past with a strangely casual, almost indifferent tenor. The diminished presence of Kurylenko and Johnson may have worked if the screenplay were structured differently - say, if it were built to show the persistent efforts and failures of bad guys to bring down Ana, Ray, and the Etoile Rouge, and being foiled at every turn; a more high-octane rendition of 'Home alone, if you will. In that hypothetical circumstance, too, the more selective bursts of action may be fitting, provided a more comedic edge in their stead. As it stands, all too little of 'High heat' feels like it's coming together just right, and the proportions are off in too many important ways. Director Zach Golden has a hard time finding the right tone, too, demonstrating that Pedersen and Di Carlo weren't the only contributors to be dogged by these issues. The crew behind the scenes turned in fine work, and I appreciate the cast, but the end result is an action-comedy where neither the action nor the comedy are particularly satisfying, and a vehicle for two stars who take the back seat to their co-stars.
None of this is to say that I didn't enjoy the feature, and for something light and uninvolved it's a decent enough way to spend one's time. The problem is that too many elements feel a little wrong, and there's no major stroke of brilliance or jolt of vitality to help carry the day. It's entertaining, but no more so than the least of most titles. I'm glad for those who get more out of 'High heat' than I do, and I admire what it does well, but I think this dish needed a different mixture of the same ingredients, cooked longer and more thoroughly, to have really met with the desired success.
- I_Ailurophile
- Nov 13, 2023
- Permalink
A bad, bad, bad film.
I hadn't watched a movie in well over a month and 'High Heat' turned out to be the one that I chose to try and get 'back in the groove' with... quite the poor decision in hindsight! Everything about this is just simply awful, the only part saves it from an even lower rating is the run time - 20 minutes longer and it'd be 1/10 from me, easy.
Olga Kurylenko is the sole 'OK' part of this 2022 flick, she doesn't do anything wrong and performs alright given what she has to work with. Similar goes with Don Johnson. The rest are below average, at best. Worse, somehow, though is the Mimi/Tom/Becky/Kaitlyn family thing, genuinely some of the most annoying and uninteresting characters I've ever seen - severe eye rolls every single time they appeared onscreen, including for one painfully overlong car scene.
It would be harsh to only call out the actors though, given they are only doing what they are requested to do of course. Zach Golden & Co. Did just a weak a job as the acting talent. The dialogue is woeful, as is the humour, the editing, the pacing and probably anything else you could think of. A real disappointing attempt all round, unfortunately.
I hadn't watched a movie in well over a month and 'High Heat' turned out to be the one that I chose to try and get 'back in the groove' with... quite the poor decision in hindsight! Everything about this is just simply awful, the only part saves it from an even lower rating is the run time - 20 minutes longer and it'd be 1/10 from me, easy.
Olga Kurylenko is the sole 'OK' part of this 2022 flick, she doesn't do anything wrong and performs alright given what she has to work with. Similar goes with Don Johnson. The rest are below average, at best. Worse, somehow, though is the Mimi/Tom/Becky/Kaitlyn family thing, genuinely some of the most annoying and uninteresting characters I've ever seen - severe eye rolls every single time they appeared onscreen, including for one painfully overlong car scene.
It would be harsh to only call out the actors though, given they are only doing what they are requested to do of course. Zach Golden & Co. Did just a weak a job as the acting talent. The dialogue is woeful, as is the humour, the editing, the pacing and probably anything else you could think of. A real disappointing attempt all round, unfortunately.