Grew On Me

Rating: Null/10 (9 March 2009)

Untouchables, The (1987)
**** (out of 4)
DePalma's suspenseful tale of Elliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his untouchables (Sean Connery, Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia) trying to bring Al Capone (Robert DeNiro) to justice in 1930's Chicago. It's strange what time can do for a film as it can either help or hurt it and in the case of this film it really seems to have helped it a great deal. I first saw this movie in the early 90's and found it rather weak and the next viewing didn't help much either. Now, being more than fifteen years, I decided to pay the film another visit and this time it really hit me as to why so many have called it as masterpiece. I still wouldn't call it DePalma's greatest film but it's certainly right up there and I couldn't help but wish we'd get this director back to making films like this. The film has a lot going for it but we can start with the visual style, which is at times breathtaking. DePalma has always been known for his style and that mixes extremely well with the scenes of early Chicago. Another major plus is a wonderful music score by the legendary Ennio Morricone. The score really puts you in the time and place of the setting but it also does a great job at pumping up the action as well as building the suspense. The train station sequence is one of the most memorable in the film but try watching it without the volume and without the score. It certainly isn't the same. Another major plus are the performances by the all-star cast. Costner is at the top of his game as the laid back ness and that's what makes Connery's performance so great. The two are completely different but together they make for an excellent team and you can't blame Oscar voters for awarding Connery the Best Supporting Actor. Garcia and Charles Martin Smith never get the credit they deserve but they too offer up fine work. I'm rather split on DeNiro because the screenplay really doesn't do him any justice as Capone seems to just be dropped into the film from time to time without any real need. I'm really not even sure we had to see Capone for the story to work. The film is rather brutal, violent and at times very suspenseful and this is why it remains so memorable today.