Nothing exceeds like excess

Rating: 9/10 (6 March 2017)

Tony Montana came to America from Cuba in 1980 and from the moment he arrived he intended to make it big. After a month in a refugee camp he murders a man in exchange for help getting his green card. Once out he is soon working for a local drug dealer; he is unwilling to stay at the bottom of the business and is willing to risk everything to progress. He is keen to make deals, sometimes without clearing it with his boss first. He is also obsessed with his boss's girlfriend and excessively protective of his younger sister. After a few close encounters with death he soon appears to have everything he wants; the beautiful wife, the huge mansion and even a tiger chained in the garden however he forgets some of the main rules of the business; firstly 'don't get high on your own supply' and secondly don't become a liability to those higher up the food chain.
This is a classic '80s gangster film; violent and excessive. Al Pacino is delightfully over the top as Tony Montana; as a character it is impossible to like him which makes it easier to enjoy his inevitable downfall. Like most of the characters he has little depth; he is just a greedy punk who thinks the world owes him a living and will do just about anything to attain it. The look of the film is also excessive with some horrendous '80s fashion; massive collars and unbuttoned shirts for the men and huge hair for Tony's sister it all looks delightfully tasteless; just like Tony and his associates who believe money must be flaunted. There is a lot of violence throughout the film; the most shocking moment being an early scene that featuring a chainsaw if you can get past that the rest of the film should be okay! There is also a lot of drug use; although this is hardly glamorised as we see the effect it has on Tony and his wife. Overall I'd recommend this if you want a dose of '80s excess; just don't expect much character depth.