Prime Video's new mystery thriller has taken the top spot

“Killer Heat” was originally released on Prime Video on September 26th and has remained virtually #1 on Prime Video’s Top 10 Movies list ever since.

On the surface, it’s easy to see why “Killer Heat” captured viewers’ attention. It’s a sunny detective story full of twists and turns and with some big names in the cast. It sounds like it should be a recipe for success.

The emphasis in the previous sentence is on shouldalthough. If you’ve looked at some of the reactions to this particular Prime Video release, you know that viewers don’t think it’s particularly good at all.

Considering that Prime Video also has films like Challengers – easily one of the best releases of 2024 – Killer Heat’s place at the top of the list is quite a surprise indeed.

Want to know what people are saying about director Philippe Lacôte’s latest work? Here’s some more information about Killer Heat, as well as a summary of the (mostly negative) reactions it’s received since its release.

What is “Killer Heat” about?

Killer Heat – Official Trailer | Prime Video – YouTube

Keep looking

Billed by Amazon as a “thrilling, contemporary crime thriller in a classic noir style,” “Killer Heat” is a new detective novel based on “The Jealousy Man,” a short story written by noted Norwegian crime writer Jo Nesbø.

The film revolves around Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Nick is an American expat in Greece who is recruited to investigate the alleged accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden).

As he begins to investigate Leo’s death on the island of Crete, Nick realizes that almost anyone could be a suspect in the case: the Vardakis family is powerful and strictly rules the island. And the jealousies obviously run deep.

What are people saying about “Killer Heat”?

Joseph Gordon-Levitt (l.) sits at a table opposite Richard Madden in the original Prime Video film

(Image credit: Patrick Redmond/Prime Video)

By and large, people don’t have anything too nice to say about “Killer Heat.” At the time of writing, the film has a paltry 15% critic score on the review site Rotten Tomatoes, and that 28% audience score isn’t exactly a badge of honor either. The site’s critical consensus describes “Killer Heat” as “a modern noir utterly lacking in intrigue” and dismisses it as “disappointingly tepid.”

And if you thought that was harsh, just wait until you see some of the individual reviews.

In his 1-star review for The Guardian, Benjamin Lee called “Killer Heat” “deadly boring” and said: “Aside from brief glimpses of beautiful scenery, this film is as darkly made, terribly lit and creatively uninspired as streaming films.” can only be.” , made more distracting by characters who insist on a luxury we never get to see.” At least he thinks it’s better than “The Snowman.”

Variety’s Owen Gleiberman wasn’t too complimentary either. “Whatever intrigue was on the side was largely mitigated by the film, where unraveling the twists feels more like connecting dots,” Gleiberman said. “Director Philippe Lacôte does a good job of unfolding the story, but somehow everything lacks…heat.”

However, if Killer Heat sounds like your cup of tea, let us know that the film wasn’t generally hated upon release. One of the few positive reviews came from Screen Rant’s Ben Gibbons, who gave “Killer Heat” a 3.5/5 and called it “a timeless, beautiful film with a brilliant twist” that features “a clever narrative.” and a… “Excellent” turn from Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s private eye/narrator.

By and large, however, the general consensus seems to be to stay away from “Killer Heat.” But if you don’t have anything left to stream tonight, why not check out our guide to the best Prime Video movies or best series on Prime Video to help you find your next watch.

Prime Video’s new mystery thriller has taken the top spot – but there’s a problem

Recent Posts