10 Film Remakes That Are Better Than The Original
7. L.A. Takedown (1989) / Heat (1995)
The Original
In many respects, L.A. Takedown is something of a dummy run for the movie which would eventually become Heat.
Directed by Michael Mann, Takedown is a smaller, TV version of the epic crime thriller; essentially a stylish late-80s game of cops and robbers from the guy who gave us Miami Vice.
The Remake
There’s a moment in Wayne’s World 2 when Mike Myers steps out of character to complain about the acting prowess of one of the bit-part characters, replacing him with Charlton Heston to deliver more heft.
This is basically what Mann did for Heat.
Out went Scott Plank, Alex Arthur and one of the lesser known Baldwins from Takedown, in came Al Pacino, Robert DeNiro and Val Kilmer.
Uber-stylish and with director and actors all on top form, the film is an iconic piece of 90s cinema, if not quite the masterpiece it purports to be.
But it does have THAT Pacino-DeNiro moment.