Delivers the goods when it comes to tense, suspenseful and eventually explosive action.

Rating: 6/10 (23 July 2018)

What 'The Untouchables (1987)' does better than most pictures of the kind and time is deliver the goods when it comes to genuinely tense, suspenseful and eventually explosive action set-pieces, especially when it comes to balancing its build-ups with its pay-offs and the way in which its gritty, somewhat unrelenting bloodshed usually has tangible and lasting consequences for its characters and world. The film starts to lose its way a bit when it comes to the stuff in between, however, as a generally slow pace and slightly repetitive second act arise from the slightly subpar seeming plot. It doesn't really keep you as engaged as it perhaps should and ultimately struggles to find a balance between brash brass-tracks action and subtly political crime-drama. There's still a lot to like and admire, though, even during the moments that fail to live up to the flick's otherwise proven heights. 6/10