Review of Scarface (1983) by Sidney S — 14 Jul 2012

Brian De Palma's classic revolutionized the gangster genre with this great masterpiece, Scarface. Al Pacino gives one of his greatest and most memorable performances as Tony Montana a drug dealer who comes to Miami in search of the American dream. Pacino transforms into his character like never before from his every movement, to his look, the attitude and notably the accent of Tony Montana. Pacino was intense, angry, paranoid and powerful in this performance. Notably within the last 20-25 mins of the film once he is in New York, he shows the redeeming quality of the character but once he returns it shows Montana's overprotective dark side that he soon regrets. Scarface is one of the definitive gangster film's truly showcasing the rise and fall of such a powerful figure.

The directing by De Palma is top notch, and beautifully shot from the scenery of various Miami (filmed in LA) locales. The story is very well paced from its beginning with Tony's arrival in America, to his first deal gone wrong, to meeting the boss and eventually becoming the boss. This film is great because it shows the dark nature of this business, no one can be trusted and there is no way out.

The film is graphic, violent and truly amazing and one of my all time favourite movies. The film has many memorable lines and some very famous scenes. Notably the infamous ending scene showcasing Montana's downfall. The music is great, very 80's and very fitting of this type of film. I love this film because in both halves it tells a different story, the first it shows the rise of Tony from a low level street thug to becoming a boss, and in the second half you see him as a boss, he has money, power, respect but he is greedy, and paranoid and it then begins to show the fall. De Palma and Pacino truly crafted a great retelling of the 1930's classic giving it the update from prohibition to cocaine, from an Italian American to a Cuban, and making the film much more in depth, much more complex, emotional, dark and with an ending that is remembered by all. The World Is Yours, Scarface is truly a film masterpiece.