Joseph Gordon-Levitt dons a Panama hat and swills booze as a classic gumshoe investigating a murder mystery in sun-soaked Greece. Killer Heat, adapted from a short story by famed Norwegian author Jo Nesbø, is chock-full of what you'd expect from an old-school detective story. There's the requisite gorgeous "dame" with shady motives, her powerful husband, a controlling matriarch, and more twists than a bag of pretzels. The cheese factor runs a tad high, and the big reveal can be seen from a mile away, but the film keeps your interest with a likable lead and its pulpy delivery.
Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden) carefully places his chalked hands in a crevice as he scales a steep cliff without ropes. Sweat pours down his face as his chiseled body advances upward. A voice-over from protagonist Nick Bali (Gordon-Levitt) begins with a warning about the ancient myth of Icarus. He flew too close to the sun and was burned. We then see a screaming Leo flailing as he plummets to his death.
Penelope Vardakis (Shailene Woodley) and, drum roll please, Elias (Madden), Leo's twin brother and her husband, lead a somber funeral procession through Crete. They're photographed from afar by police inspector Georges Mensah (Babou Ceesay). A short time later, Nick, a former NYPD detective, lands at the airport and is secretly met by Penelope. He's earned a reputation in Athens for finding cheating husbands. Penelope was a dear friend of Leo, who she met before Elias. His death wasn't an accident. Nick must find out what really happened, but no one can know she hired him.
A Throwback to Traditional Private Eye Stories
Nick, an unabashed alcoholic, drinks himself to sleep before beginning his job. He dreams of his daughter and wife left behind in America. A hungover Nick bribes the mortician to see Leo's autopsy report. Everything looks like he died from the fall, but one discrepancy stands out as suspicious. Nick pretends to be an insurance investigator at the police station. Georges doesn't buy it for a second. He warns Nick that the Vardakis family owns Crete, and Elias was not a man to be trifled with.
Killer Heat hits the intrigue button with Madden dying in the opening scene and popping up in the next. He's good at playing both Leo and Elias as the narrative progresses. They're vastly different characters with one thing in common. Nick assumes correctly from the start that Penelope's love was a source of contention. Could Elias murder his own twin out of jealousy? But Penelope married him and not Leo. Why resort to such a drastic act, or is another sinister conspiracy afoot?
Penelope could have been cut from a Philip Marlowe novel. Woodley isn't given much to do; it's rare to see her in such a one-note performance, but she's a believable femme fatale. Nick has been in the game long enough to not take her word at face value. Penelope isn't discounted because she's paying his bills. Director Philippe Lacôte (Run, Night of the Kings) establishes Nick as thorough. His personal demons drag down the plot, but scenes of him being diligent and searching for clues are believable.
A Predictable End to a Basic Mystery
Killer Heat's second act slams the brakes on swift pacing with an excessive flashback structure. Penelope's history with Leo and Elias is explained, as well as Nick's shattered family life back in New York. We did need critical exposition of why Penelope would become romantically involved with twins. Their bizarre collective relationship takes a predictable turn that could have been taken from a daytime soap opera. The same goes for Nick's drunken lamenting about his ex and kid. These parallel subplots are overdone to a fault. They sap the film's energy just as the puzzle deepens.
You don't have to be Sherlock Holmes to figure out the culprit. Most of the surprises can be deduced with logic and keen observation. That said, this isn't a case where the audience knows something obvious and has to watch in boredom while the characters catch up. Nick is leaping headfirst into an unfamiliar situation. He doesn't know who can be trusted. The time he takes turning over stones and ruffling feathers is part of the entertainment factor.
Gordon-Levitt saves the film with his wry smile and charisma. He imbues Nick with an affable personality and a quest for justice earnestness. The drunk bit also works in the present. Nick's the textbook private dick. A wounded tough guy who cares, rights wrongs, and looks good in a brimmed hat. There's no fedora, but it's a welcome nod to the Sam Spade archetype. Killer Heat admittedly has its downsides, but suffices as a watchable whodunit. There isn't a negative feeling when the credits roll. You also can't go wrong staring at gorgeous Greek islands for 90 minutes.
Killer Heat is a production of Amazon MGM Studios, Makeready, and Faliro House. It's currently available to stream exclusively on Prime Video. You can watch through the link below.
Watch Killer Heat
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