Killer Heat (2024) Review!!

Synopsis – A thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style, Killer Heat follows private eye Nick Bali, an American expat in Greece, hired to investigate the supposed accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis on the island of Crete.

My Take – While we wait for Netflix to premiere their new mystery thriller series based on detective Harry Hole, after the messy disaster that was 2017’s The Snowman starring Michael Fassbender, a film that was released essentially unfinished, we have another Jo Nesbø feature adaptation to watch on Prime Video.

Adapted by Matt Charman (Bridge of Spies) and Roberto Bentivegna (House of Gucci) from the short story “The Jealousy Man” and helmed by Philippe Lacôte, the director’s first English-language film after his critically acclaimed French productions Run and Night of the Kings.

The film aims to explore the destructive nature of jealousy and sets up an intriguing noir murder mystery against the visually stunning backdrop of a Greek island, sadly, despite its potential, the end result is a decent enough feature that falls into familiar patterns, never fully capitalizing on its theme.

Sure, it’s well thought out and keeps you guessing, yet, it also feels strangely familiar. Nevertheless, the performances are commendable, and the narrative, though straightforward, serves its purpose.

And thanks to the refundable shoddiness of most Nesbø adaptations out there, with the exception of Headhunters (2011), this will at least not go down as the worst one, just probably the most forgettable one.

The story follows Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a former New York City cop turned private investigator who now living in Athens. For his latest case, he is called to a remote Greek island by Penelope Vardakis (Shailene Woodley), the wife of Elias Vardakis (Richard Madden), the scion of a wealthy and dangerous shipping company. Penelope wants Nick to investigate the death of Elias’ identical twin brother, Leo (Richard Madden) whose climbing accident she believes was murder.

Nick quickly ingratiates himself with local clean cop George Mensah (Babou Ceesay) as he looks into how Elias, Penelope, and matriarch Audrey Vardakis (Clare Holman) may or may not be involved. But as Nick delves deep into the case, his own dark past, marked by jealousy, alcoholism and suspicion, begins to surface.

As the film progresses, we learn that Nick’s unique insight into this investigation comes from an event in his past involving his wife, Monique (Abbey Lee), and their daughter, Cleo. What occurred to Nick comes into focus as the story develops and serves as an explanation for why he lives in Athens and why he has such a bad drinking problem. It is an interesting journey that has some well-done moments and others where it loses a bit of focus.

However, the memorable landscapes of Greece and soundtrack enhance Philippe Lacôte‘s direction that fulfills what it seeks to deliver within the limitations of its script. At the heart of the film is the idea that jealousy can distort relationships and lead to tragic outcomes, but this theme is explored with mixed results. While the film attempts to parallel the murder mystery with Nick Bali’s personal story, the execution falls short.

Nick’s obsessive jealousy over his wife’s affair destroyed his marriage and continues to haunt him, but this internal struggle rarely influences how he approaches the murder case. The investigation unfolds independently, as Nick’s personal issues are only explored in isolated flashbacks, rather than being used to shape his decisions or relationships with the suspects.

Predictability also plagues the narrative. As we can make an early guess who the killer is. Leaving little room for surprise. The film’s formulaic approach undermines any potential twists. The final reveal, while fitting with the theme of jealousy, feels inevitable rather than shocking.

Despite these issues, the performances are commendable across the board. Joseph Gordon-Levitt makes the most of his character. His interactions with the very likable Babou Ceesay are the highlight of the film. Shailene Woodley is a good femme fatale and is able to sell the complexities of her character.

Honestly, Richard Madden doesn’t have much to do here, but manages to be an affirming presence throughout. The same goes for Clare Holman and Abby Lee, however they are underused. On the whole, ‘Killer Heat’ is a moderately successful noir mystery thriller that struggles to distinguish itself from similar features.