Killer Heat

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1:54

Killer Heat

R

2024

1h 36m

Crime

Drama

Mystery & Thriller

Romance

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

17%

Tomatometer

29 Reviews

30%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

A thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style, Killer Heat follows private eye Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), an American expat in Greece, hired to investigate the supposed accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden) on the island of Crete. The victim's sister-in-law (Shailene Woodley) doesn't believe the official police report. But what exactly happened to Leo, and why? Despite the sun-drenched beauty of its exotic Mediterranean locale, Nick finds darkness at every turn: where the rich and powerful Vardakis family rule like gods, where jealousies run deep, and anyone could be a suspect.

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Critics Consensus

A modern noir utterly lacking in intrigue, Killer Heat is disappointingly lukewarm.

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Craig Mathieson

The Age (Australia)

Adapted from a short story by Jo Nesbo, this sun-drenched Mediterranean noir pushes hard-boiled menace and private eye diffidence to a tiring degree, but it lacks for a decent plot and even a hint of intrigue.

Oct 3, 2024

Full Review

Owen Gleiberman

Variety

The director, Philippe Lacôte, does an okay job of unfurling the story, yet somehow it all lacks… heat. Maybe that’s because he wants the dots he’s connecting to be sentimental.

Oct 1, 2024

Full Review

Benjamin Lee

Guardian

Killer Heat will not go down as the worst Nesbø adaptation out there but it will definitely be the most forgettable.

Rated: 1/5

Sep 26, 2024

Full Review

Matthew Koss

The Wandering Screen (YouTube)

Shailene Woodley is a highlight, and it’s a shame she didn’t get more screen time at the expense of Joseph Gordon-Levitt’s uninspired detective, Nick Bali, who should sooner be in therapy than on our screens.

Rated: D

Aug 16, 2025

Full Review

Dennis Schwartz

Dennis Schwartz Movie Reviews

Sluggish noir thriller.

Rated: C

Nov 19, 2024

Full Review

David Nusair

Reel Film Reviews

...familiar subject matter that’s employed to watchable yet entirely forgettable effect...

Rated: 2.5/4

Oct 23, 2024

Full Review

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Scott W

Meh. Enjoyable cast. The effort to make it noir is commendable but the execution is poor. Crete is lovely but a bit sunny for the noir tone. I correctly predicted the big twist reveal in the opening scenes.

Rated 2 out of 5 stars

07/09/25

Full Review

Jerod S

The parallel marriage story lines doesn't work - but the whodunnit of the free solo death is entertaining. Make it twins, to boot.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

04/15/25

Full Review

Richard D

I would give this movie a zero. So the wife conspires to kill her husband with his twin brother. The wife then hires a private detective to expose the twin brothers involvement to his mother who then kills her only son left??? Then instead of arresting the wife for murder, the private detective tells her she is free??? So the message of the movie is a woman can kill her husband and set the wheels in motion to kill his twin and NOTHING happens to her. Sounds like true modern feminism. No accountability, entitlement, and society's rules don't apply to them.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

08/01/25

Full Review

D E

So hard to watch this hallmark like movie.....cheesy and Gordon's BeeGee beard is TOO distracting!

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

03/24/25

Full Review

Iman R

CRECIANT a divergiant series: Tris grows up, marries the psycho twins of Crete then hires a 1940s gumshoe to escape them.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/30/25

Full Review

Matthew G

It’s weird because I feel like I would actually like all the people in this movie if I met them, and I want to see them all be successful, but damn, this movie is terrible. But not like terrible, terrible. It’s still entertaining to watch.

Rated 1 out of 5 stars

01/18/25

Full Review

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Philippe Lacôte

Director

Joseph Gordon-Levitt

Nick Bali

Shailene Woodley

Penelope Vardakis

Richard Madden

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Killer Heat: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

A thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style, Killer Heat follows private eye Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), an American expat in Greece, hired to investigate the supposed accidental death of young shipping magnate Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden) on the island of Crete. The victim's sister-in-law (Shailene Woodley) doesn't believe the official police report. But what exactly happened to Leo, and why? Despite the sun-drenched beauty of its exotic Mediterranean locale, Nick finds darkness at every turn: where the rich and powerful Vardakis family rule like gods, where jealousies run deep, and anyone could be a suspect.

Director: Philippe Lacôte
Producer: Brad Weston
Screenwriter: Matt Charman, Roberto Bentivegna
Distributor: Prime Video
Production Co: Amazon Studios, Makeready, Faliro House Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Crime, Drama, Mystery & Thriller, Romance
Original Language: English
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 26, 2024
Runtime: 1h 36m

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