Killer Heat

Directed by Philippe Lacôte, Killer Heat follows American private investigator Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) as he arrives on the island of Crete to look into the mysterious death of Richard Madden’s wealthy Leo Vardakis. It’s familiar subject matter that’s employed to watchable yet entirely forgettable effect by Lacôte, as the filmmaker, armed with a screenplay by Roberto Bentivegna and Matt Charman, delivers a sluggish endeavor that never quite becomes as engrossing or compelling as one might’ve intended – with the arms-length atmosphere perpetuated by a midsection that drags to a fairly palpable extent. There’s little doubt, then, that Killer Heat‘s decent-enough vibe is due primarily to the gorgeous Greek scenery and its raft of terrific, engaging performances, and it’s clear, too, that the movie’s second half, which is virtually overflowing with twists and turns, admittedly does ensure that the whole thing concludes on a relatively memorable note – with the end result a passable film noir that generally feels like it should be better.

**1/2 out of ****