Live fast, get rich - then f*ck it all right up!

Rating: 8/10 (12 April 2004)

Brian De Palma's excellent 'Scarface' has been misinterpretted by many people as a story of one man's 'rise to the top', but really it is about his self destruction.
Pacino just gains this destruction by getting rich and powerful on the way.
The editing of the picture and the cinematography is professionally excellent and very dynamic. De Palma uses some brilliant crane shots in particular - they're really intriging to watch.
The editing allows us to see Tony work his way from small time imigrant up to big time crime lord. The thing is that what he really wants to be - legitimate - is never going to happen.
From the moment he murders a political prisoner for a green card we know that he is a right c*nt! Some viewers would root for him as an anti-hero; I would say that he is an idiot - because I know that he's going to get himself killed from the beggining.
By the end of the flick (spoilers!) he has managed to become a crack head, a public drunk, a drug pusher, killed his best mate ever, destroyed his sister and mother, failed in his marriage and never fathered a child. Well done son - what a loser!
To his merit he finally realises that everything he has was worthless, and the opposites of the previous list are what its all about; but by this stage his house is under siege and he's about to get his bum blown out with a double barelled shotgun. Good!
Pacino is allowed to overact with so much charm its infectious, the action scenes are top notch and the sense of danger is perfick! A great crime-does-not-pay film.
Check out the DefJam documentary on the DVD to see how idiotic some rapper are (Puff "I've seen it 63 times" Daddy still doesn't get it?!!! Come on lads, get with the plot!).
In the words of myself ; bloody marvellous little film. Put it on your to see list.