Review of The Untouchables (1987) by Luc L — 06 Sep 2014

There is a lot to like about this movie. It has a historically interesting subject, impressive cast, visual richness, and it packs some quality excitement. The streetscapes and interior shots of the Prohibition Era Chicago setting look great.

It has tons of charm as a period piece. It is not full force action, but it moves right along and there are some very intense moments. The climax scene in the end is particularly enjoyable. Sean Connery is memorable in his Oscar-winning performance.

He helps build a character lively that is full of fire. It is not perfect though, for all the strong points, it has it still fails to develop a potentially interesting set of characters. Kevin Costner and Robert De Niro are not as lucky as Connery with their characters.

They do not develop the depth or personality, and the writing does not give them same opportunity to spread their wings. I want more from Elliot Ness and his family life; maybe get into his back-story to understand what drives him.

Similarly, Al Capone is a larger than life character, but he does not get the focus required to capture who he is.