Riveting, sweeping, violent...masterpiece

Rating: 9/10 (14 January 2014)

Well here I am....1500 reviews. Clearly I watch too many movies...and couldn't care less. I love them, eat them up and I've seen many amazing (and many awful) and even more in between those two films in the last 1500. The last few milestones of reviews I've hit I was determined to watch and review Scarface because its one of those movies that people go "You haven't SEEN that!!" Nope I hadn't seen it. But I knew 1500 was going to be it, I was going to watch THEE Scarface. I heard good things, I heard terrible things so I went in with mixed expectations. I knew there was the possibility of me hating it, but I didn't, not for a minute.
Scarface is not a perfect experience and I absolutely understand why some people don't like it. Its a massive film clocking in at (what I believe is a mostly unnecessary) 3 hours. There is a lot of business, a lot of dialogue, and as one review pointed out it is quintessential 80's. It reeks of the 80's from the mostly unknown, less popular soundtrack, to the clothing, to the Discotheques and beyond. Parts of it do indeed seem unintentionally funny or at least satirical and because this film is such an indelible piece of pop culture history it has been made fun of to death so its almost hard to see the seriousness in it. All of the above I mentioned could be a negative review or it could be reasons some people love it...like me. I was completely entranced by the twisted and disturbing plight of Tony Montana. Al Pacino is completely jaw dropping (more on that in a moment.) Gamers like myself who sunk thousands of hours into Grand Theft Auto 3 will find themselves reminiscing fondly by the music in the film. I only mention that because Scarface is very clearly the inspiration for every Grand Theft Auto video game (a series I hold near and dear above all others.) The setting of Miami makes for a vibrant, neon filled, 80's dream and only makes the violent turmoil all the more vivid. Honestly, for as shocking as I heard Scarface was I didn't think it was top of the pile for violence, language or nudity. There are absolutely some violent scenes, some of the most memorable and iconic I've ever seen but to put it as any sort of exploitation film would be pushing it.
Would this film have been the same without Al Pacino? I honestly don't think so. He is Tony Montana. He brings him to life and uses every ounce of his incredible charisma to make a character that will forever be remembered. His rise from low level Cuban refugee to drug Kingpin is unforgettable. By the end of the film you literally feel disgust for him (which is the point) and he embodies the iconic film character. I already loved Pacino but to finally see him in one of his most revered roles was terrific. Steven Bauer is the ultimate sidekick. He is in nearly every scene with Pacino but unfortunately for him he gets buried by the performance of Pacino. Still he is there to support Tony and he does that. He is memorable, gives a subtle solid performance and is very good. Michelle Pfeiffer is okay. She is actually the weakest link in the film. Her character is very prissy and irritating and very stand offish. That is the point but it makes her hard to relate to or appreciate. Her chemistry with Pacino is average at best and she doesn't add much to the story. I actually didn't even realize she was in this and that's not surprising because she is forgettable. The supporting cast includes very good performances from Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio, Robert Loggia and F. Murray Abraham.
I suppose it is worth giving kudos to director Brian DePalma and Oliver Stone (who wrote the film) that this was obviously an epic project for them. They fought with ratings boards and fought to keep the film exactly the way they wanted it. The problem is that it drags significantly once Tony "gets made" so to speak and his downfall in the last hour of the film. It almost feels like the film starts to fall apart a little bit towards the end or perhaps they were rushing to finish this epic story. Certainly Peter Jackson would have split this into three parts and rightfully so in some ways. It simply feels like more time is spent in the first two hours and then the last hour rushes into his infamous demise. The film is still captivating, a sweeping crime epic that others have constantly tried to live up to. It is a dark, very dark, twisted, disturbing dramatic bio-pic that I am so glad I finally saw. You can absolutely feel the intensity in each scene and you can just see all the elements that have made it a stone cold classic. The build up to finally seeing and hearing the iconic "SAY HELLO TO MY LITTLE FRIEND" was unbearable. I had never seen it in context and have seen it mocked time and time again...was I let down when I finally witnessed it? Nope. Epic conclusion to a truly classic film with minor flaws. 9.5/10