"Killer Heat" originally landed on Prime Video on September 26, and has essentially been clinging to the No. 1 spot in the Prime Video top 10 movies list ever since.
On the surface, it's easy to see why "Killer Heat" has attracted viewers' attention. It's a sun-kissed detective tale filled with twists, with some big names in the cast. It sounds like it should be a recipe for success.
The emphasis in that previous sentence is on should, though. If you've taken a look at some of the reactions to this particular Prime Video release, you'll know that viewers just don't think it's very good at all.
When you consider that Prime Video is also home to movies like "Challengers" — easily one of 2024's best releases — that makes "Killer Heat"'s spot at the top of the list quite a surprise indeed.
Want to know what people have to say about director Philippe Lacôte's latest effort? Here's a little bit more info about "Killer Heat", plus a round-up of the (mostly negative) reactions that have sprung up since its release.
What is 'Killer Heat' about?
Billed by Amazon as "a thrilling, contemporary mystery in classic noir style," "Killer Heat" is a new detective tale that's based on "The Jealousy Man," a short story penned by popular Norwegian crime novelist Jo Nesbø.
The movie revolves around Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt). Nick is an American expat in Greece who is recruited to look into the supposedly accidental death of a young shipping magnate, Leo Vardakis (Richard Madden).
As he begins to investigate Leo's death on the island of Crete, Nick realizes that almost everyone could be a suspect in the case: the Vardakis family are powerful and tightly rule over the island. And jealousies apparently run deep.
What are people saying about 'Killer Heat'?
Broadly, people don't have anything too nice to say about "Killer Heat". At the time of writing, the movie has a paltry 15% critics' score on the review aggregate site, Rotten Tomatoes, and that 28% audience score is not 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 lukewarm."
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 blasted "Killer Heat" as "deathly dull," and said: "Aside from brief glimpses of beautiful scenery, this is as drably made, horribly lit and creatively uninspired as streaming films come, made more distracting by characters insisting on a luxury we never get to see." At least he thinks it's better than "The Snowman."
Variety's Owen Gleiberman wasn't all too complimentary, either. "Whatever intrigue it had on the page has been largely tamped down by the movie, in which the unraveling of twists feels more like the connecting of dots", Gleiberman said. "The director, Philippe Lacôte, does an okay job of unfurling the story, yet somehow it all lacks…heat."
If "Killer Heat" sounds like your jam, though, let it be known that the movie wasn't universally hated upon release. One of the few positive reviews came from Screen Rant's Ben Gibbons, who gave "Killer Heat" a 3.5/5 rating, calling it "a timeless, lovely film with a brilliant twist" and one which boasts "a clever narrative" and features an "excellent" turn from Joseph Gordon-Levitt's private investigator/narrator.
On the whole, though, the general consensus seems to be to stay away from "Killer Heat." But if that's left you without something to stream this evening, why not check out our guide to the best Prime Video movies or best shows on Prime Video to help you find your next watch?
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