📺 Sometimes, love kills. Killer Heat, adapted from a short story by acclaimed Norwegian writer Jo Nesbø, is a murder mystery in the isolated Greek island of Crete, which is absolutely rampant with corruption and under the strong hold of the mafia.

The tragedy: Suspicion grows among the influential Vardakis family as they mourn the death of Leonides (Richard Maden), who fell climbing one of the island’s mountains despite his mastery of free climbing from a young age. Penelope (Shailene Woodley), the wife of his twin brother (also Madden), seeks out the help of private investigator Nick Bali (Joseph Gordon-Levitt) to uncover the truth about Leo’s death.

Not only does Bali unravel the secrets of the Vardakis family as he tugs at the string of the murder case, but he also unravels his own, bringing back memories of a past he ran away from.

The pitfalls: The film has been criticized for inconsistent pacing, a flaw that disqualifies it as a modern classic of the detective genre. The narrative goes off on a tangent that distracts from the main plot, but picks up the pace during the final third of the film, when threads of the mystery are revealed.

Woodley and Gordon-Levitt’s chemistry breathes life into the film, but Madden’s performance was at times too melodramatic. The soundtrack was also another high point, adding to the effect of certain dramatic events. Our verdict? It’s a solid film to watch for fans of thrillers and investigative movies.

WHERE TO FIND IT- You can watch Killer Heat on Amazon Prime, or watch the trailer on YouTube (runtime: 2:05).

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