Deep, intellectual character study, with...guns!

Rating: 9/10 (14 December 2011)

Usually I'm not a gigantic fan of character studies, although analysing a personality type can be interesting viewing for a period of time, I tend to bore somewhere around the mid-point of the film, I'm left thinking, "OK I understand that this guy is sensitive... popular or aggressive... but now what? What else can you offer me. Well that where Scarface takes the cherry, It not only delivers a deep, intellectual character study on an internal level but also presents us with an exciting external narrative, a perfect mix between the two, complimenting each other to ensure boredom is never an issue.
The film revolves around a Cuban refugee, who after escaping holding camps in Miami, seeks to rise to the top of the international drug empire. Tony's characteristics and actions take the centre stage throughout the majority of the film, admittedly they are some of the most intriguing I've ever seen, more so then any other recent character I can remember. From act one we are presented with this reckless, dominant and highly ambitious man who doesn't seem to feel fear, he has a certain unstoppable momentum about him, incredible stage presence for a character that in reality is just a mere man. Excellent facial expressions throughout adds to Tony's larger than life persona, he looks so calm, almost bored in the mist of drug deals and shootouts, as if reality isn't worthy of his attention.
He is one of those people who is never satisfied, they want it all and will do whatever it takes to get it, possessing a certain warped ego that says the world owes it them. Off course as Tony dreams of grandeur are met, his descent into madness truly begins, he slowly becomes more and more detached from himself and any common values, destroying everything he holds dear. I loved this sense of impending doom, every time a major event occurred to Tony I felt this incredible pressure building, one more string snapping in his head. The actions external from Tony's mind were also compelling, an interesting look at the drug running operations and gang culture of the time.
All in all I highly enjoyed Scarface, it had enough action sequences to satisfy my bloodlust along with an array of interesting characters to bring meaning and substance to the film. The message portrayed is one to remember, don't obsess over wealth and power, nothing good ever comes out off being overly materialistic, value what's real.. and coke is a hell of a drug.