Abandon all subtlety, ye who enter here...

Rating: Null/10 (23 November 2003)

It was twenty years ago, probably at this very moment, that I hurried to the theater as a rabid fan of all things Brian De Palma, anxious to see this movie after all the controversy it had stirred up. The threats of an 'X' rating because of the excessive violence and language, the anger it had raised in the Cuban community at the portrayals of the main characters, (and none of the principal actors were Latino, either!), and just the sheer fact that it was teaming up one of the hottest directors of the day, no stranger to controversy by any means, with another maverick figure: writer/director Oliver Stone.
Stone and De Palma. If that's not an indicator of what you should expect from this kind of movie, consider also that it was De Palma's first foray into the genre of gangster films, (to be followed later by CARLITO'S WAY and THE UNTOUCHABLES.) The big splash he made into the horror pool with CARRIE was no fluke, by any means, and he had no intention of making any less of an impression this time around.
Mission accomplished. This unquestionably OTT Eighties-centric fable which is part-Shakespeare, part-Sam Peckinpah and everything in between answers the age-old question: what does it profit a man to gain the whole world and lose his soul?
So begins the story of one Tony Montana (Pacino), a lucky beneficiary of Castro's Mariel boat lift back in 1980. Fidel was kind enough to send us a wide representation of Cuban society, including some of the best, but heavy on a lot of the worst, (Mr. Montana definitely included.) With best buddy Manny (Bauer), Tony proceeds to carve a name for himself into the Miami Underworld...which is literally how he begins to find his fortune. He's off and running with the assassination of a former Castro sympathizer, as a favor to crime bigwig George Lopez (Robert Loggia.) From there he makes it into the Big Leagues, wresting control from Lopez lackey Oscar Suarez, (F. Murray Abraham), getting in good with Lopez and eventually with Colombian kingpin Alejandro Sosa (Paul Shenar.) Once he sets his sights on his boss' girl, the comely moll Elvira Hancock (Michele Pfeiffer), is when SOME of the trouble begins.
On the other hand, there is the matter of his less-than-happy homecoming, as he faces his estranged mother and discovers that his baby sister Gina (Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio in her first major role), isn't quite a baby anymore, but DEFINITELY a babe. A fact that stirs something more than just a little brotherly in Tony...which proves to be another nail in his coffin...
But why go on and on about the details? Most of you reading this have already seen it more than once or twice, (and apparently, so has Quentin Tarantino. You'll laugh out loud at some of the obvious visual references from SCARFACE that turn up in KILL BILL, VOLUME ONE, which makes this movie seem quaint when it comes to violence.)
For those who haven't, I can't stress enough how important it is that you accept it as a film that is still, obviously, a product of its time, (note the hair, costumes, cars, sets and MOST of all, the Giorgio Moroder score.) And even with that said, how hopefully, you will appreciate the commitment that all the principal actors made to their performances, especially the moment that the movie turns the corner, going from tragic crime drama to terrific camp with the blink of an eye, (or more accurately, the snort of a nostril.)
But to temper commentary that may seem judgmental, maybe there is no way that a story of this scope COULD be told with any sense of subtlety. Even though Pacino does manage to sneak in some moments of surprising pathos here and there. Plus, with a treasure trove of character actors speaking in outrageous, almost Pythonian Latino accents, how can you not have a ball with this in spite of yourself? (Though kudos should go to OZ favorite Mark Margolis, for actually speaking Spanish in his role as if it were his first language.)
And yeah, KILL BILL'S current influence not withstanding, the infamous "chainsaw-in-the-shower" sequence still packs a mean wallop, proving as always that what you DON'T see is just as affecting as what you do...
Everyone in this film (and the makers themselves) have done better and worse work since SCARFACE'S initial release. If all you want to know is: is this film really worth the price of a rental? My answer would have to be an emphatic "F--k, yeah!"
And if you can't find it, rent WHITE HEAT instead. Same results, with better acting.