Why so much hype?

Plenty to Like, Plenty to Dislike

Memorable, crazy movie

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

The first 15 minutes of the movie occurs in Red Square in Moscow. Grim, Stone-faced, distant Moscow homicide cop Ivan Danko (Arnold Schwarzenegger) tries to apprehend Russian Georgian drug dealer Viktor Rostavili (Ed O'Ross) and his brother. Viktor escapes, but not before he shoots Danko's partner, Yuri. In turn, Viktor's brother is killed. Viktor escapes to Chicago, where he teams up with black thugs known as the Cleanheads. They are cocaine pushers. Danko is sent to Chicago where he teams up with vocal, wisecracking, plainclothes detective Art Ridzik (John Belushi) in order to track down Victor to extradite him. After he was captured and escorted by Danko and Ridzik, though, Viktor escaped when he was assisted by the Cleanheads, who were dressed like policemen. Ridzick's partner was killed in the mêlée. Thus the only plot of this action-thriller is to capture Viktor; there is neither mystery nor intrigue. There are, however, the obligatory shoot-outs and chase scenes. Note that neither Ridzick nor Danko believes in the Miranda Act. The ending involves a bus chase through the streets of Chicago at night, followed by a duel. This is the first movie in which an American director was allowed to film on location in Red Square. It was also filmed in Budapest and in Chicago.

In the 1980s, action movies had been handmade, live-action stunts, exploding blood-bags under costumes and special effect techniques with creaking metal, splintering glass and pyro-gun-shots. "Red Heat" directed by Walter Hill is no exception.Opening at Russian unisex bath house in steaming gritty atmosphere, the movie comes immediately to the point of action by crashing testosterone steeled bodies into a fist fight, which dives into a screen story of a Russian police officer, portrayed by Arnold Schwarzenegger at the age of prime 40, investigating further leads to a underground drug dealer, who eventually chases him onto the streets of Chicago, Illinois, USA where the movie finds bus chasing showdown at a factory sight.Supported by comedian/actor James Belushi, performing in the role of Chicago police detective Art Ridzik, Arnold Schwarzenegger presents his trademarks of minimalistic gestures, fast-shifting head movements and focused eye-lines, making "Red Heat" an enjoyable retrospective action movie, which keeps its pace throughout. Cinematography by Matthew F. Leonetti gives further spice in the unless simplistic story-line of no sophistication, in capturing the remarkable detailed production design by Michael Corenblith at a state of precisely blocked camera movements.Production Company Carolco Pictures, executively led by Mario Kassar and Andrew Vajna, about to experience its heights in the early 1990s showed the skill of having the right nose for establishing a professional on-set environment to deliver a quality picture, which keeps spectators in a satisfactory state at the movie houses until it is time to leave "Red Heat" behind with no further importance.© 2017 Felix Alexander Dausend (Cinemajesty Entertainments LLC)

No introduction needed here in regards to the story - at least there's quite a bit of humor to evenly match the brilliant action scenes, not many films are like this, and that makes one fact clear : it's a recipe for a very good script. This has to be one of my favorite 1980's Arnold Schwarzenegger films. As tough, stoic and uncompromising Captain Ivan Danko of the Moscow Police he is hunting a brutal Georgian drugs kingpin who has fled the Soviet Union and ended up in Chicago. Sent by his superiors to apprehend and discreetly return this elusive criminal to the Soviet Union Danko soon finds himself working with James Belushi's wise cracking 'slob-cop'. This violent thriller is very reminiscent of director Walter Hill's other male buddy action movie "48 Hours" as both protagonists defy police protocol in order to capture the man responsible for the death of their partners. The contrast between the chaotic capitalist excesses of Chicago and Danko's single minded Terminatoresque pursuit of his man forms the basis of much of the film's humour where Danko's pithy observations punctuate this entertaining action movie. And on to Belushi, who puts in his greatest performance, and steals the movie away from everyone else, and not many can do this with Schwarzenegger. Whenever Belushi is on screen, the film springs to life, and it turns from an average cop movie, to something a little bit more special.All of the above sounds pretty much the standard Hollywood cop story formula and that does not bode well but this movie wins on its execution and balance. It's very well edited with a constant but not overwhelming flow of action and a script that gives both Belushi and Schwarzenegger occasion to deliver moments of levity. Both leads are well cast and they do a good job together and you can believe not just in the characters but in the way that they rub along together. Despite the fact that parts of the movie were shot in Russia and Eastern Europe using local actors, the movie does not seem to move beyond a stereotyped view of the people and country. That is really just a small criticism though and the important thing is that this is one of the best buddy-cop movies around.Overall rating: 9 out of 10.

"Red Heat" is very much of the mismatched cops formula, but there's also a mutual respect bubbling underneath. That, coupled with wit that never hijacks the movie are its winning qualities. Also, Schwarzenegger's not bad as a Russian. And the culture-clash humor isn't as clumsy as you'd think. Arnold's reaction to hotel porn is pretty great. It's all in the way he plays that scene.Both actors are likable in their respective molds; Arnold as the unyielding honorable Russian, Belushi as the smart-mouthed jaded cop. But the leads really sell this thing, and I ended up liking Belushi a lot more than I'd expected. Package all of this in a violent Walter Hill actioner and it's a good movie indeed.7/10