IMDb 5.7 1997 HD

Heaven’s Burning

Heaven’s Burning

1997
Action Crime Drama Thriller
96 min R Australia
5.8 / 10
5.7 IMDB

In Sydney, the newly married Midori is honeymooning with her husband, Yukio. She does not love him and fakes her own kidnapping to escape the marriage. Her lover…

Personnel // Cast & Crew

Director Craig Lahiff
Starring
Russell Crowe / Youki Kudoh / Kenji Isomura / Ray Barrett / Robert Mammone / Petru Gheorghiu / Anthony Phelan / Matthew Dyktynski

How Viewers Describe This Film

Common themes and sentiments

tense dramatic thrilling unpredictable compelling action-packed suspenseful chaotic engaging gritty desperate

Reviews

I
Isabelle Moreau
May 14, 2026
2.5 / 5
2.5

'Heaven's Burning' presents an intriguing setup: a woman's staged kidnapping goes spectacularly wrong, thrusting her into a life-or-death chase. The film certainly has its moments of intrigue, particularly in the early stages. However, the plot becomes somewhat convoluted…

A
Arthur Pendelton
May 14, 2026
4.5 / 5
4.5

What begins as a desperate gambit for freedom morphs into a thrilling cross-city chase in 'Heaven's Burning'. The film's strength lies in its refusal to settle for a single genre, deftly shifting between suspense, action, and character study.…

G
Genevieve Dubois
May 14, 2026
3.0 / 5
3.0

This 1997 thriller offers a whirlwind tour of Sydney under duress, as Midori's attempt to flee a loveless marriage inadvertently lands her in the middle of a violent bank heist. The subsequent chase, with multiple factions in pursuit,…

M
Marcus Thorne
May 14, 2026
4.0 / 5
4.0

A surprisingly effective blend of desperate romance and high-octane crime, 'Heaven's Burning' is a film that thrives on its audacious premise and relentless momentum. Youki Kudoh is captivating as a woman determined to escape her fate, and her…

E
Eleanor Vance
May 14, 2026
3.5 / 5
3.5

Russell Crowe anchors this Sydney-set thriller with his signature intensity, though it's Youki Kudoh as the desperate Midori who truly drives the narrative. The premise, a faked kidnapping that spirals into a bank robbery and a frantic chase,…

FAQs

While 'Heaven's Burning' is set in Australia and features a notable Australian actor in Russell Crowe, its directorial origins and specific thematic focus might place it in a broader category of international crime thrillers with an Australian setting. Its impact and critical reception would determine its status within the canon of Australian cinema, but it certainly offers a gripping narrative experience.