Stylish and fun...if outdated

Rating: 7/10 (24 August 2014)

Truth be told, I was very disappointed by The Untouchables when I first saw it. As part of a crime movie marathon I was going through (which included Casino, The Godfather, and Goodfellas) this was definitely the worst of the night. Confused by its' high ratings, I searched around on the internet trying to find out what was so good about it. I mean, certain films don't suit certain people, but I was sure I knew a good crime flick when I saw one. Then I discovered my mistake. What I expected was a fact-based account of the dealings and on-goings of Al Capone, and the men who ended up stopping him. I wanted to be submerged in the 1920's life of suits, hats and tommy guns. What I instead watched was a movie that overglorified one 'untouchable' and focused only on his life and on-goings. There was corniness all over and cheesy characters. I only really liked two parts: the opening credits, and the baseball bat scene. There were only a few clips of Al Capone, and in those rare moments it seemed as though I was watching a different movie.
Turns out, it doesn't help finding out a bit about a movie before you watch it. What 'The Untouchables' actually is, is a fictional and classy noir-style film. Plus, it is titled 'The Untouchables' and not 'Al Capone', and there were high review of the movie all around. Because of this, I decided to give it another chance.
My second viewing was far more enjoyable than the first. Now appreciating it for what it was, most of the cheese had turned into style. Ennio Morricone's score really captures the noir-style feel of the film. The performances are great, especially Robert De Niro as Capone. When I first discovered that he played the part, I was in chuckles. Not because I didn't think he could do it, but because I thought that the role choice was strange. But my, how much range thins man has got! De Niro really makes the cahacter his own, giving Capone a fierceness that is nesseccary so that he becomes a solid character in the few scenes that he is in. The plot is pretty much told side by side from Eliot Ness' story with Al Capone's, until they both clash in court.
I appriciated a lot of scenes more the second time, too. The pram scene, court scene, and the death of Jim Malone all stood out, among every part with Robert De Niro. Its not a perfect film, however, especially when it comes to classic 80's cheese. For example, the ambush on the bridge was accompanied by, in my opinion, inappropriate music. 'Strength of the righteous' took out any tension that was built up prior to the attack. I'm not a big fan of the ending, either – Had I put all my family in danger and lost two close friends in order to take down a crime boss I certainly wouldn't be saying "I think I'll have a drink".
However, there were far less complaints from me after my second viewing, and this has become one of my personal favorites when it comes to crime movies.
Final Word: Stylish
My rating: 7/10
Full Review: http://cineranter.wordpress.com/2012/04/08/movie-review- the-untouchables/