Engrossing!!!!!!!!!!

Rating: 9/10 (21 May 2008)

"Scarface" has a major cult following even now, 25 years after its release. In 1983, Director Brian De Palma set out to make a film about the rise and fall of an American gangster. He did it with the help of a terrific screenplay by Oliver Stone and some impeccable work by an outstanding cast. The result was 'Scarface,' starring Al Pacino in one of his most memorable roles.
The story is about an immigrant Tony Montana (Al Pacino) from Cuba who has come to live the American dream. He is a hard core criminal and starts by being in detention, where he plots a murder. Next, he moves in the Florida where he starts working as a dish washer on a road side joint. The attraction of money and power drives him into taking chance with one drug deal that goes miserably wrong where his friend is killed, and he in turn kills other gang members. With his daring, he starts climbing the ladder of drug dealers, and reaches the pinnacle of power and wealth and gets more and crazier (due to drug addiction). Finally he is shot by his own beloved sister before being brutally killed by invading gang in his own palatial home.
It's the one role which you can't imagine Al Pacino playing. This was his comeback film after a short break and what it comeback film it is. I think when Pacino leaves the ungodly earth and people talk about the role he will be remembered for, a lot will say Michael Corleone in The Godfather Trilogy but I will remember him as Tony Montana in Scarface.
"Scarface" is quite simply one hell of a movie, especially such an epic example of its genre. It is controversial among both movie fans and critics. The main reasons are because the film contains excessive violence and has become a sort of inspiration for "gangsters". I think both are wrong, because the miss the message that it tries to give out. If these people didn't just skip to the final 10 minute shootout, then they would realize what the film really says.
Some of the scenes, especially the infamous chainsaw scene, are disturbing. Scarface is as savage as they say and much more. I'll advice parental guidance while watching this movie in front of kids.
"Scarface" is rightly acclaimed throughout the film industry as a genre-defining classic, up there with the giants of crime-capers, worthy of an Oscar it never had.