Scarface (1983) Review

"Say hello to my little friend!"
-Tony Montana



Scarface tells the story of the rise and fall of Tony Montana (Al Pacino), a Cuban refugee and ex-con who arrives in Miami.  Tony enters the drug trade and starts climbing the ranks and making moves, eventually becoming the head of a drug empire, only to watch everything crash and burn around him.


What Works:

Al Pacino really gives it his all in this movie.  He brings Tony Montana to life with an all-around phenomenal performance.  He is so believable that he is terrifying.  If Al Pacino ever gave me a look like he does sometimes in this movie, I would run the other way.  He may not be the most likable protagonist, but dammit, he sure is interesting.

I love over-the-top violence in movies, and Scarface has it in spades.  Violent murders are pretty common in this movie, and I love it.  From the various shoot-outs, to hanging by helicopter, to the infamous chainsaw scene, if you love your movies to have excessive violence, than Scarface is the movie for you.


What Sucks:

The only thing I have here is the movie is a little long.  It's almost three hours, and it easily could have been trimmed down a bit.  Some scenes carry on a bit too long.


Verdict:

Scarface is a true classic.  Tony Montana is one of the greatest movie characters of all time.  Al Pacino gives what I would consider to be his best performance.  Plus all the over-the-top violence and general insanity makes this a really fun movie to watch.  I may be a bit long, but Scarface has got it going on.

 9/10: Great 



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