Scarface

"Scarface" has a major cult following even now, 22 years after its release.

It has also been widely criticized as being very tacky, unrefined, over-the-top and all bloated up! These are people who compare Scarface to The Godfather movies. It is true that on the technical front, (cinematography, screenplay, direction, etc.) Scarface is way behind 'The Godfather'.

But it is also true, that what Scarface has and some other gangster movies lack, is the rawness, the sheer crude approach of the gangsters. The Latino gangsters in this movie look much more menacing and real than any of the polished Italian or Irish gangsters from other gangster classics like 'The Godfather' or 'Goodfellas'. This is one of the major winning points of Scarface and I strongly believe that this fact has been written off as "tackiness" by most critics! I have seen the original 1932 Scarface, and I must say that both these movies are way too different from each other and should be seen as two different movies instead of praising the original over the "remake"!

Al Pacino has been criticized to be over-the-top and loud in this movie. But how about considering that that is precisely the way the film-makers wanted Tony Montana's character to be! He is this angry young man who takes hasty decisions and throws fits of tantrum every other minute! He is not the calm Michael Corleone here. He is Tony Montana, a very tacky, uneducated individual who doesn't really think much and gets angry all the time!

There is definitely a very 80s feel to this movie. The soundtrack is all 80s! I love some of the songs, including 'Gina and Elvira's theme', 'Push it to the limit' and the title track instrumental.

There are some memorable and beautifully shot sequences, including the famous chainsaw scene, the Rebenga hit, the first meeting with Sosa and Tony's visit to his mother's.

About the performances: Al Pacino is brilliant as the angry Cuban refugee. He has reportedly mentioned that he enjoyed playing Tony Montana the most in his entire career. And it really does seem like he has enjoyed himself thoroughly in all his scenes! One wonders what "Scarface" would be like without Pacino. I just couldn't imagine anyone else portraying Tony Montana and in all probabilities, the film wouldn't be as effective without him!

Steven Bauer shines as Tony's friend Manny.

Robert Loggia is wonderful as Tony's boss, Lopez. So is F. Murray Abraham (as Omar) in a small role.

Then there is some eye-candy in the form of Elvira played by Michelle Pfeiffer. She looks beautiful and is adequate in her role.

The director does go a bit overboard during a particular part in the climax. Without revealing anything, I would only say that that was the only little part that suffers due to improper handling.

"Scarface" is definitely one of the most entertaining and one of the best gangster movies to ever come out. Enjoy it for what it is: a raw portrayal of the Drug Lords and their gangland!

This is one of my all time favorites.

If the movie has a flaw, it's that it comes at you like a raging bull. It doesn't so much engage the viewer as assault him. ''Scarface'' is as voracious and unyielding a production as Tony Montana himself. Nothing is left to the viewer's imagination.

Moroder's languorous synthpop fits the action to a tee. Like the chorus in a Greek tragedy, it wails and gnashes, broods and tugs, a constant reminder of Tony's inexorable fate.

Not so much a tale of caution as a disaster in progress, ''Scarface'' rips across the screen with the unstoppable force of a runaway train.

Scarface is surely one of the best crime movie ever made.Al Pacino's performance as a sharp minded,angry,dangerous and powerful criminal is phenomenal.Al Pacino is playing a character which is brutal,angry,fearless and at the same time has love for his sister. Although movie is 2 hours and 50 mins long,but you will not find any dull moment in the movie.Alhough Al Pacino is playing a drug dealer but you will still like him as a person.

Dialogues were excellent and there were couple of good songs in movie too.I also liked the way in which Al Pacino's character used to flirt with Michelle Pfeiffer's character.It was funny sometimes and was gentle too.

I have seen many criminal movies but there is something special in Scarface.It is realistic and touching.This is Al Pacino's one of the finest performance.There was violence in some scenes but this is a crime movie and we expect some fighting scenes with violence.

I heard a lot of positive things about this movie and when I finally watched it, I became its fan too. I am surprised that this movie even did not received any Oscar nominations.This movie surely deserves to be in top 250 list.Movie is a treat for Al Pacino's fans.

This movie is recommended for all adults. Overall I give Scarface 9/10.

I find myself enjoying this film when I watch it. Well, perhaps enjoying is a bit of an odd verb when you think of the storyline, its characters, the amount of violence and of course, the f-bomb being dropped about 15,000 times.

I like Pacino in this film. He shows us the violent anger we didn't see in Michael Corleone. We're Michael would say, "Never hate your enemies, it clouds your judgement," Tony Montana's out killing everybody. Now granted, there are moments in his performance...or in the script where you have to laugh. The questioning scene in the beginning of the film is a fine example of this. When asked where he got that scar on his cheek...well, I can't write what he says in the regular version, but I will tell you that on edited version on TNT, it from was "eating pine apple."

There is a great performance from Robert Loggia. He's the only character I truly believed in the film. Frank was a businessman, not a killer. All he wanted was the money. Greed killed him, as it has killed so many people. I enjoyed the direction Loggia went with Frank. It has carried over his recent work and has made Loggia one of Hollywood's must durable supporting actors.

Brian DePalma adds his usual blend of violence, but it seemed that for once, he was trying to make his own film. Not borrowed. No guessing games on who he stole from this time. Although he's blasted for the film's content, it is a new beginning to his career which took off, but it was really "The Untouchables" that made me consider him a serious director.

Pacino gives an amazing performance that is both comic and tragic in this remake of the 1932 classic about corruption in America.

Brian De Palma updated the original Prohibition story to the era of the Mariel boat-lift and the heavy traffic in drugs that still infest the United States. The film is an uncompromising revelation of humanity's dark side as Pacino's character learns never to underestimate the other guy's greed. He neglects to learn the other important lesson -- never get caught in the vice you are pushing on others.

Pacino's character wants the world and everything in it. That's what he gets. We are reminded to beware of what we wish for.

The film is violent but never makes drug dealing seem glamorous.