Harry Angel, a low-rent private detective, has been hired by Louis Cyphre to track down a man with whom he has some sort of contract. The investigation leads Harry from person to person, from New York to New Orleans, through many dark twists and turns. As he goes deeper into the case, he gets pulled into a world of Voodoo, the occult, and murder and finds that he himself is involved somehow. He struggles to find out the truth behind everything going on and when he does, it's quite the revelation for him.

It took me several viewings to finally grip Angel Heart. The film is a bit difficult, not in that it's hard to understand the plot but that there are so many details to sort through. You must pay attention to make sense of all the names mentioned, the flashbacks, the twists, and a tricky back-story that is given to us piece by piece. That said, when all the things come together, it does work well for the most part. Alan Parker's direction is both subtle and sharp, and he really does a fine job capturing the noir-type mood. He's also able to bring the 50's era to life without going overboard or relishing in it, he just simply shows it. The slushy New York locations contrasted with rainy, humid New Orleans suit the story very well (the change in climate being a reflection upon Harry's own comprehension and, indeed, fate), as does the bluesy/jazzy soundtrack. And that pounding heartbeat really helped to turn the tension levels up. Mickey Rourke is excellent as Harry. He's got just the right amount of New York accent and brings true emotions to his character; formidable, frightened, or distraught, he performs realistically. Now Robert De Niro, it's just a pleasure watching him as a sly Satan! His mannerisms, from a slight grin to a menacing glance to eating an egg, are wonderful. I've read some negative remarks about Lisa Bonet's acting in the film but I thought she did just fine with her role, as did the rest of the cast.

So, aside from the sometimes confusing plot points, I thought Angel Heart was a very good horror mystery and holds up well for being nearly 20 years old. I really do enjoy story-driven films dealing with such subject matter and was not disappointed with the one in Angel Heart.

Good supernatural thrillers with the incarnation of Satan himself as a pivot figure….we don't see enough of these films, if you ask me. Alan Parker's `Angel Heart' is one of the chosen few! Complex and confusing at times, but warmly recommended to fans of the occult and mysterious cinema. Mickey Rourke shines as protagonist Harry Angel. An unshaved, chain-smoking private eye with a chicken-phobia! The year is 1955 and the place is Brooklyn when Harry is hired by a malevolent Mr. Louis Cyphre (pronounce this name aloud a few times in a row) to find a missing crooner, who got severely traumatized in the war. The money is good and the job doesn't seem that risky, so Harry accepts. Pretty soon, the search takes him to all kinds of poverty, human misery, superstition and alternate religions. Every important figure in the search for Johnny Favorite (the crooner) finds a violent death after Harry talked to them and, apparently, our private detective is a lot more involved than he initially thought. As mentioned before, Angel Heart is a darn complex and very coherent film. One viewing is enough to understand the entire premise and main storylines, but a second (third or fourth) viewing sure isn't redundant. It would be a shame if any of the carefully worked out details and character-connections would go unnoticed. `Angel Heart' (and especially cinematographer Michael Seresin) also receives a huge plus for the dark and depressing portrayal of the film's surrounding. Angel Heart looks unattractive, vile and ominous which creates a superb horrific atmosphere. The supernatural aspects about the story are a bit overly stressed by clichés like silent and staring nuns or foggy New York suburbs. But this small negative element is largely made up by the subtle violence and compelling mystery this film features. The acting is outstanding with Rourke at the absolute top of his career. During the second half of the 80's, Mickey was the unforgettable star of several brilliant films such as `Barfly', `Year of the Dragon', `Nine ½ Weeks' and of course this `Angel Heart'. Robert DeNiro as Louis Cyphre was a downright brilliant casting idea! There isn't that much De Niro content in this film but, when he's on screen, evilness nearly drips from the screen. Bobby De Niro is probably one of the only actors who can make it look eerie to eat an egg! Lisa Bonet, in conclusion, isn't the world's most talented actress but Angel Heart sure is her best film. All in one, Angel Heart is a very good film that'll be appreciated by thriller fans and the admirer of slightly more intelligent horror.

Such an impressive movie, if like me you're a fan of noir, or neo noir, then you will absolutely love this movie.

The first thing you will be struck by is the appearance of the film, it is a visual masterpiece, the attention to detail is flawless, you could actually turn the colour off, and imagine this being made in 1955.

Secondly, the atmosphere, smoke filled rooms, the clothes, music, accents, just awesome to behold, they got the tone spot on.

It's a great story, it takes a few moments for you to know what's happening, and get the direction, but you will.

Finally the acting, Rourke is at his absolute best, one of the best films I've seen him in, he is tremendous, it's so nice to see him in his handsome pre surgery years. De Niro, what can you say, he's just incredible.

Captivating, 9/10.