Dead Heat (1988)

If you ever left Re-Animator, feeling that it was a good movie, but were disappointed that it wasn't enough like a buddy-cop action movie, then Dead Heat is the movie for you! Pull up a chair and I'll tell you all about it...

Roger Mortis and Doug Bigelow are two beat cops, working the streets of San Francisco when they're engaged in a bizarre shootout. No matter how many times the robbers get shot, they just won't go down. After some explosive persuasion, the duo put an end to the heist and begin an investigation into where these people came from. This takes them to a mysterious facility, where everything seems above board, until Roger digs a little deeper, and is caught in a lethal trap. His friends find a strange device that resurrects him, and now they must race against time to solve the case before Roger's body decays permanently...

Dead Heat is a surprising time! I had never heard of it back when I bought the DVD, and didn't know what to expect. What I got was some high concept horror meets buddy cop comedy, that never pulls its punches. It gets to business very quickly, and introduces lots of crazy elements, while still remaining a police story at heart. Roger may be dying (again), but that won't stop him from solving his last case before he goes.

The movie can get a little overzealous at times (how many police officers died in that opening shootout?!), and the endless zombie shootouts can get a little tiring by the end, but at least the usually fun tone alleviates this slightly.

We have a likeable cast here, who all complement each-other well. They fit fairly common buddy cop roles (including a briefly appearing grumpy black chief), but they also move beyond that, showing that the movie isn't just wasting its time retelling obvious cliches and nothing else.

The characters are thankfully quick to adapt to the science fiction elements that gradually surround them. I really like an early moment when the leads are speculating on these unstoppable robbers. Roger suggests it could be PCP, but then the movie actually debunks that myth, with Doug flat out saying "But against bullets, Rog? Nah man, it's bullshit."

Aside from being funny in general, Dead Heat is also extremely quotable!

Said after another undead shootout: "Remember the good old days when guns killed people?!"

Doug on revenge: "I'll personally rip his heart out with my bare hands, Roger, hold the heart in the palm of my hand, and we'll watch it stop beating together."-"That's good, Doug. But let's find him first."

"Mind if we ask you a whole lotta questions?"

"Hey, you're hurt!"-"Lady, I'm fuckin' dead."

And the great "Welcome to zombieland, Doug."

Where Dead Heat starts to fall down is the plot! The setup is a great one, and it's very seamless for such a mix of genres. But the first problem some might have is that the movie gets a bit too downbeat after a while. Too much death and misery, not enough laughs. I wouldn't say it ever gets overbearing or depressing, but it's still a bit of a bummer. Especially after what happens to Dough. And with him dies the comic relief, because god knows straight man Roger's not the life of the party.

More damning are the plot holes! They are numerous and impossible to ignore. Why were goons sent to kill Randi? Why'd she have that tape in her purse? How come she's XX when there's at least 4 different reasons that's impossible? Just what is the villain's game? Who wrote the number in the crypt? And do the baddies have a longer resurrection process or don't they?? These are so numerous and egregious that they actively spoil one's enjoyment of the plot. One could be overlooked, but half a dozen? And that major? It's hard to have fun and get invested when the story doesn't feel focused or thought-out, and fights your attempts to figure it out. A zombie cop film should not be this confusing!

The acting in Dead Heat is all good! Treat Williams and Joe Piscopo are great leads. Lots of fun, with good chemistry. Lindsay Frost is nice as Randi, as is Claire Kirkconnell (who sadly phases out of the movie halfway through). The villains are a real special attraction here, played by Darren McGavin, Keye Luke, and Vincent Price! A shame they never really share the screen as a trio until the end, but ah well, if it means the movie's not crowded, I can deal with that.

My only issue with the casting is that they cast VP as a dead man. That is, a character who's already dead before the movie began. Obviously you want as much Vincent as you want  so to cast him as the already deceased victim of the villain's conspiracy, which means the movie has to bend over backwards to bring him back, hampering the plot in the process. I wish they'd have just cast him in a different role, or changed the script.

The effects are another highlight, with cool zombie make-up, great (and plentiful) violence, a few monsters and strange creatures, and some impressive set design. The gunplay is all handled very well, and with experience.

Overall, despite its issues Dead Heat is a fun time! Brisk, rewatchable, crazy, and does not skimp on the gore, it's a ball, and well worth checking out...