For the past 30 years, the legendary downtown Los Angeles shootout in Heat has been considered one of the best of its kind. Though not my favorite scene from one of the best ‘90s movies, this legendary (and incredibly loud) action sequence is peak cinema and has influenced countless imitators. However, upon rediscovering a classic Boston movie with my Netflix subscription, I realized there’s a scene that gives it a run for its money.
If you thought I’m talking about The Town, winner winner chicken dinner, because the Ben Affleck-directed crime saga about Boston criminals pulling off an unlikely heist in one of the cultural landmarks of New England has one of the loudest, baddest, and most killer shootouts ever caught on film.
First Off, The Downtown Shootout In Heat Is The Stuff Of Legends
Before I get too carried away with the adrenaline rush that is the Fenway Park shootout in The Town, let me just say that Heat’s loud-as-hell downtown sequence immediately following the McCauley crew’s brazen bank robbery is the stuff of legends. The visuals, the sound design, the progression of the narrative centering on the cat-and-mouse game played by Al Pacino’s Lt. Vincent Hanna and Robert De Niro’s Neil McCauley is top-notch and some of Michael Mann’s best work.
I mean, there’s a reason this scene and this all-time great heist film continue to influence filmmakers, showrunners, and even video game creators decades after the echo of the final shot dissipated in downtown LA.
But The Shootout In The Bowels Of Fenway Park From The Town Is A Cinematic Masterpiece
All that being said, the shootout between a group of lifelong friends from Charlestown and the combined forces of the Boston Police Department and the FBI is a full-on cinematic masterpiece. While I’ll admit that I’m still partial to the construction of Michael Mann’s sequence 15 years earlier, this battle in the bowels of Fenway Park and surrounding streets is just the gift that keeps on giving.
Like so many other shootouts over the years, this one starts small, quiet, and unassuming before it explodes into a massive firefight where no one is left untouched. The physicality, the deafening and explosive firepower, and the confusion of the nearly five-minute battle just continue to pick up steam before coming to a satisfying end. Brilliance!
Also, Coughlin’s Final Stand Should Be In The Crime Film Hall Of Fame
This isn’t a hot take or anything like that, but I’ll be damned if The Town doesn’t feature Jeremy Renner’s best performance. Nothing against his work in some of the best Marvel movies or the frightening and thrilling Wind River, but his portrayal of Jem Coughlin is in a league of its own. The commitment to the personality, voice, and physical presence of the career criminal shows a different side of Renner, and his performance steals the show right up until his character’s death.
Speaking of which…
Coughlin’s final stand while trying to escape with a duffle bag of cash should be in the crime film hall of fame, it’s that incredible. Yeah, the shooting in this brief sequence is great and all, but it’s the small moments that really make this shine. The look on his face when trying to escape, then when he realizes he’s caught, and finally in the final act of rebellion, all give the character a fittingly violent and poignant end.
I still think that Michael Mann’s LA shootout is the best ever captured on film, but I’d happily put The Town and its use of Fenway Park right behind it on that list of all-time greats.
