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82 out of 111 people found the following review useful: Few Films Can Touch Its Excellence., 31 July 2002 Author: tfrizzell from United States
Outstanding production that was the best film of 1987 with the exception of the very dominant "The Last Emperor". "The Untouchables" is the story of Elliot Ness (perfectly played by Kevin Costner) who tries to bring down Chicago Mob boss Al Capone (Robert DeNiro in one of his most under-rated roles) during the early-1930s. Illegal liquor smuggling and other much more serious crimes are running amok and corruption is all over. Costner realizes very fast that he must hand-pick his own men to bring DeNiro down for good. Thus he enlists the help of a young cop from the academy (Andy Garcia), a wimpy book-keeper (Charles Martin Smith) and a hard-nosed Irish beat cop (Oscar-winner Sean Connery in the performance of a lifetime). Together they slowly start to peel through the multiple layers of protection to get DeNiro for good. It seems that the fact that DeNiro has been lax in paying his income taxes could be his ultimate downfall. Beautifully directed by Brian De Palma, "The Untouchables" stands very tall with the other great productions of the 1980s. Ennio Morricone's Oscar-nominated score is one of the finest the cinema has ever experienced. Really excellent. I have no negative comments on this production. 5 stars out of 5.
75 out of 105 people found the following review useful: Brian De Palma's Masterpiece, 30 January 2005 Author: jcanettis from Athens, Greece
"The Untouchables" is in my opinion De Palma's greatest work, with his other masterpiece, namely "Scarface", coming a very close second. In "Scarface" the focus is on a paranoid and self-destructive gangster who rises to meteoric heights and then falls; in "The Untouchables" the focus is on a very honest man with a noble mission, Elliot Ness (Kostner), who is prepared to do anything to clean Chicago from the corruption and mayhem caused by the notorious gangster Al Capone (De Niro). His quest is really tough, as his opponent is determined and powerful, but he has the help of three invaluable partners: Malone (Connery), a no-nonsense experienced cop, Wallace (Martin Smith), an accountant who will try to help bring tax charges against Capone, and Stone (Garcia), a great shooter.As I noted before the film is brilliantly directed, with some scenes such as the one with the baseball bat, or the one with the baby in the train station, having become classic. The acting is superb, and while Connery was the one who received his well-deserved Oscar, Kostner and De Niro made Oscar-class performances too.Although belonging to a typical genre, this film certainly stands out. Don't miss it! 10/10.
54 out of 75 people found the following review useful: My Favorite!, 21 September 2005 Author: MinorityReporter from Denmark
Quite a few words spring to my mind when I think of The Untouchables. Words like: Excellence, entertainment, larger than life and Sean Connery. These words basically summarize the entire film from my point of view of course because in my opinion (which I don't expect people to agree with) this is the best gangster film there is. Obviously people aren't going to agree because people prefer the likes of the operatic Godfather trilogy or the ultra realistic Goodfellas but in my head The Untouchables is the best.Here are a few reasons why. First reason is that The Untouchables is just so darn entertaining. All the other films had completely different aims and even though I love a deep and brilliant story my main objective when I see a film is to be entertained and basically no film does that better than The Untouchables. That does not mean, however, that The Untouchables is just some half baked action comedy. No. There is genuine emotion and real story in this film. The story is, as most people know, loosely based on the actual events during the prohibition era in USA in the 1920s (the story is also based very, very loosely on the series that go by the same name) which to some extent means that what we see on the screen is real making the characters and general story seem that much more believable. This also adds greatly to the already very high entertainment value of the film because it draws the audience in. To add to the realism of the film the dialog is also very memorable and there are some great one-liners including some of my all time favorites in this film.The acting is nothing short of brilliant. This is without a doubt Kevin Costner's best role. Some people have remarked that he seemed stiff and unable to portray the emotion of the character and to that I can only ask: Were we watching the same movie?! He is a hundred percent believable all the way through. In the beginning he seems a bit too much like a square I-wanna-do-some-good kind of character but as the story progresses he really evolves and becomes more and more emotionally involved in what he does. Both in his friends and in the cause. He even bends some of the rules he initially tried so hard to uphold. Brilliant. Charles Martin Smith does a good job as well and even though his character is very limited he still manages to pull the audience in. Andy Garcia appears in this film in a very limited role as well and he serves his purpose brilliantly. He is the sharpshooter of the group and he is perfectly believable in that part. He doesn't get to say much but what he does get to say is said with as much passion as I have ever heard from him (he seemed a little stale and lifeless in Godfather III). Robert DeNiro is great as Al Capone. He steals every scene he is in and he really brings the larger-than-life quality to the character which is extremely fitting. The film's best performance belongs to Sean Connery though. The film is for lack of a better expression a Sean Connery tour-de-force. Not only does he steal every scene he is in but he also brings the certain indescribable something to the character that he always does and in every situation you feel with him (as you do in all his films whether he is a villain or a hero). He also got a well deserved Oscar for his performance. People have claimed that the Oscar wasn't as much for this particular performance but an Oscar in recognition of his contributions to the film industry. This belittles his performance which I can safely say is the best of his career and one of the best displays of acting that I have ever seen.The film also has a memorable score made by the legendary Ennio Morricone who is perhaps best known for the work he did with the equally legendary western director Sergio Leone (who doesn't know the score from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly) and in my opinion the score he did for The Untouchables is the best he has ever made. The score is very unlike most scores from the 80s which does that the film doesn't feel like an 80s film as much as Scarface which I find inferior to this masterpiece. The score is grand and epic just like the story and the effects. For an 80s movie the effects are pretty amazing. Once again everything works.All in all The Untouchables is a riveting story which is highly recommendable to all fans of crime/gangster movies.10/10 - on my top 10 of best films
60 out of 92 people found the following review useful: Untouchable., 18 February 2005 Author: Dick_Starky from United States
It's Prohibition-era Chicago, and mob boss Al Capone (Robert De Niro) controls the illegal shipment of alcohol into the city. Federal Agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner), vows to bring him down. Assembling a crack squad consisting of: Seasoned Cop Jimmy Maloy (Sean Connery), dead-eyed rookie George Stone (Andy Garcia), and bookish Accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith). It is with this simple story that spawns a beautifully crafted piece of film-making. Sean Connery gives a compelling performance as Maloy; he's dedicated, determined, and dangerous. Kevin Costner is great as a man, just out to "Do Some Good". And Finally, you can't forget Robert De Niro. It must be his general calm that's so unnerving about him, as if you never know what he'll do next. I would definitely recommend this movie to anyone who likes movies. This movie had me on the brink of tears, had me standing up and cheering, and had me deeply satisfied and entertained.My Final Rating: 10 out of 10 - A Must See!
27 out of 31 people found the following review useful: It's the Chicago Way, 21 June 2001 Author: jhclues from Salem, Oregon
In 1919, over the veto of President Wilson, the Volstead Act was passed, which made provisions for the enforcement of the Eighteenth Amendment, and successfully ushered in the era of Prohibition; what it did not do, was keep people from drinking, or more significantly, keep certain `businessmen' from selling it, which opened the flood gates to a billion dollar industry of illegal alcohol. And in the larger cities, the mob bosses jumped onto the bandwagon with both feet, the most notorious of which was Al Capone, who by 1930 had a thriving business and the city and the people of Chicago in his pocket. From the cop on the beat to the judges sitting on the highest courts, everyone seemingly had a price and could be bought. And that's the way it was until Treasury Agent Eliot Ness showed up for work and hand picked a squad of honest cops to help him get Capone and clean up the City of Chicago. `The Untouchables,' directed by Brian De Palma, is the story of Ness and his men, dubbed `Untouchable' because they couldn't be bought, though from the beginning the odds were stacked against them. They were a handful against an army of hoodlums who wielded grenades and tommy guns, and they could trust no one outside of their own circle, not even the cops with whom they shared the streets. Many looked upon what Ness was trying to do as an exercise in futility, but he never gave up, and went after Capone with everything he had, which wasn't much beyond his own guts and determination to `do some good.' Ness's initial efforts were a disaster-- Capone had informants everywhere and always knew ahead of time whenever a raid was going down-- so he quickly realized that the only way to do this thing right was to get men he could trust and keep everything quiet. The bureau responded by sending Ness (Kevin Costner) an accountant, Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith), who first had the idea of going after Capone for income tax evasion. Ness then recruited Jim Malone (Sean Connery), a veteran cop who walked a beat and was well versed in doing things `The Chicago way,' and George Stone (Andy Garcia) a crack shot recruited right out of the Police Academy. Connery gives an exemplary performance as Malone (for which he received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor), the tough, Irish cop who becomes something of a tutor to Ness, letting him know from the start what he's getting himself into. How do you deal with someone of Capone's ilk? According to Malone, `If he pulls a knife, you pull a gun. If he sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That's the Chicago way-- that's how you get Capone.' It's a perfect part for Connery, whose rugged appearance and demeanor are entirely convincing; he's got that somewhat cynical, world-wise and weary manner of a man who has seen it all, but lets you know that underneath he still holds out hope that some day in some way, right will win out after all. And Connery plays it with a hard, uncompromising edge that makes it so believable, and makes Malone a memorable character. De Palma brings it all vividly to life, building an underlying tension from the beginning that he maintains throughout the film, aided by the intense, sometimes haunting score by Ennio Morricone. Costner gives a solid performance as Ness, but he is somewhat overshadowed by the actors and the characters who surround him, especially Connery as Malone, and Robert De Niro, who as Capone is absolutely menacing and larger-than-life. De Niro captures the ruthlessness that indelibly marked Capone's infamy forever in the annals of criminal history, with a portrayal of him that is arguably the best in cinematic history. De Niro plays it as it lays, presenting Capone as the brutal criminal he was, without attempting to airbrush away any of the attributes that made him so despicable. It's a terrific performance, for which he should have received at least an Oscar nomination. The supporting cast includes Richard Bradford (Mike), Jack Kehoe (Payne), Brad Sullivan (George), Billy Drago (Nitti) and Patricia Clarkson (Ness' wife). Extremely well crafted and delivered by De Palma, who had a great screenplay (by David Mamet) and a terrific cast with which to work, `The Untouchables' is a powerful, intense film that successfully evokes this particular period in the history of America. And it subtly underscores the true heroics of men like Ness and his crew, who through their fearless dedication possibly made it a little safer for someone to walk down the street, or for an honest man to simply go about the business of making a living-- things too often taken for granted in our busy world today; things that are important, and which makes a film like this so much more than merely entertainment (though it definitely is that). And that's the real magic of the movies. I rate this one 9/10.
33 out of 50 people found the following review useful: My brief review of the film, 23 January 2005 Author: sol- from Perth, Australia
A perfect rendition of events is created in the film, thanks to excellent costumes and art direction, and a very well researched screenplay. Superb music by Ennio Morricone and excellent cinematography provide the film with an exciting epic swoop without ruining its historical credibility. Sean Connery, in a role he won an Oscar for, Kevin Costner, and Robert De Niro, in a brilliant realisation of Al Capone, are all in top form. If being nit-picky one might fault the film in over-glorifying Eliot Ness, but that hardly subtracts from this exciting, excellently filmed experience, which has both style and substance.
28 out of 45 people found the following review useful: Great stuff, 29 March 1999 Author: Henrik Nielsen from Aarhus
An absolute classic. These three words describe this masterpiece. De Palma and his supreme cast give us what we want. An intense drama about good and bad. A towering performance by Connery as an Irish-American cop with a Scottish accent stand out but Costner, De Niro and the rest of the cast, down to the baby in the Potemkin inspired scene at the train station, deliver great performances. Another reason for loving this movie is, that it is full of really bad editing mistakes. The best one being the roof top scene, where Ness helps Niiti to his car. If you haven't seen it I feel sorry for you. Whether you rent it, or buy doesn't matter. But it is a MUST SEE!
13 out of 17 people found the following review useful: Never stop fighting till the fight is done, here endeth the lesson., 4 March 2008 Author: JohnRouseMerriottChard from United Kingdom
As good a gangster movie that has ever been made as DePalma does justice to Mamet's electric script. The acting on show is right out of the top draw, the inevitable ease that DeNiro puts menace into Capone is quite impressive, whilst the fresh faced pugnacious tenacity of Andy Garcia's George Stone is something of a delightful watch. Yet that is not enough because we still need the central actors to carry the film if it is going to triumph. Connery is a given performance wise {accent aside of course, but then again who cares when the character portrayal is as sharp as it is here ?} but it is Costner as Eliot Ness that shines like the star he was soon to become, it's a magic performance that manages to fuse genuine tenderness of family love with little trips to the dark side in pursuit of making good triumph over evil.I love that the film is showing how violence and fear affects families, mother and child is a theme that is central to the films heartbeat, notice how some of the more violent scenes are followed by tender scenes of Ness and his family. The set pieces here are attention grabbing entertainment, a roaring Canadian border rumpus and a smashing roof top pursuit and face off are top value, but it's something of DePalma gold watching a brilliant Battleship Potemkin homage at the train station that takes the cake as the film enters its last quarter. Surely historical facts does not matter when film's are as sharp as this one is,? it's frightening, touching, and even witty. So for me at least, the film is 10/10 in every department {yes, even Sean's accent}.Footnote: The academy saw fit to nominate Ennio Morricone for his wonderful score, yet strangely he used most of it for John Carpenter's 1982 film The Thing, they must have missed it that time I presume! Must be the genre angle one thinks....10/10
13 out of 18 people found the following review useful: Very well-made gangster thriller, with the usual "show-off" De Palma flourishes., 1 December 2004 Author: Jonathon Dabell (barnaby.rudge@hotmail.co.uk) from Wakefield, England
*** This review may contain spoilers ***
The Untouchables is a well-made, well-acted gangster story from director Brian (Scarface) De Palma. One thing you can virtually always guarantee from a De Palma movie is flamboyance, and this is no exception. Not content with a compelling story, the director has thrown in a series of his typically bravura set pieces, the best of which is a truly outstanding railway station shootout. Treasury agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is working in Prohibition-era Chicago when he realises that a fair bit of crime, particularly bootlegging, is going unnoticed. Most of the city cops either haven't realized it's happening or have chosen to turn a blind eye. Ness soon learns that the criminal underworld is controlled by ruthless gangster Al Capone (Robert De Niro), who men on both sides of the law fear to tackle. Aided by a trusty band of three loyal pals, Irish cop Malone (Sean Connery), suave George Stone (Andy Garcia), and reliable Oscar Wallace (C.M Smith), Ness wages war on Capone and his gangland cronies. While other law enforcers pretend nothing is going on, Ness and his men swoop into action against the smugglers, bootleggers, and gunmen terrorising the city streets. Capone is not pleased - he turns his attention to stamping out these troublesome law enforcers who have put a dent in his lucrative criminal empire.Unsurprisingly, the acting here is high-class. Costner does what's required as Ness, but Connery and De Niro go a few steps further. Connery's experienced Irish cop is a wonderful role (indeed, the role which deservedly won the big Scot his only Oscar), while De Niro demonstrates how to portray evilness as only he can (his baseball bat slaying of an associate is shocking and disturbing in the extreme). Also memorable is Billy Drago as Capone's most psychopathic henchman Frank Nitti (not only does he get some powerful scenes; he also dies the most extraordinary death in the whole film). De Palma provides numerous flashy sequences, including a smuggling raid on the US-Canadian border, the rooftop skirmish between Ness and Nitti, and the afore-mentioned railway sequence. Ennio Morricone's music score is exciting and well-suited to the events on screen. There are occasional misjudgements, like Connery's ludicrously prolonged slaying (any more bullets and he's be a walking hunk of lead) and some slushy "family" interludes with Ness which are intended to show his loving, caring side but which only interfere with the proceedings. On the whole, though, The Untouchables is a fine movie which probably represents De Palma's best work of the '80s.
23 out of 38 people found the following review useful: The sum of its good individual components, no more, 25 December 2006 Author: Flagrant-Baronessa from the kingdom of far, far away (Sweden)
Director Brian De Palma is the son of a surgeon, and perhaps this explains his high tolerance for the bloodshed that has translated into brutal, raw scenes in 'The Untouchables'. Then again, this film is set during one of the bloodiest chapters of American history and demands unflinching depiction accordingly. Zooming in on prohibition-era Chicago, a dirty, dingy, crime-infested retreat of mafia, the film lets us know a special unit headed by Kevin Costner whose objective is to frame the super villain himself – Al Capone (Robert De Niro).There are, in effect, three or four things that truly stand out about The Untouchables–an otherwise standard crime by-the-numbers romp–and at least one of them should be attributed to the surface of the spectacle; the costumework and settings are superbly breathed life into, as is De Palma's accolade, with a screen that is awash with lyrical colours and accompanied by a swelly, jazzy moonlit music score. Another worthy accolade is of course Sean Connery as detective Malone – an American-Irish cop on the beat and down with the ways of the street – who may deliver one of the worst accents in film history, but makes up for what he lacks in verbal power with heaps of charisma. Malone is given, by far, the best dialogue in David Mamet's script as when he instructs Kevin Costner on how to get to Capone: "He puts one of yours in the hospital, you put one of his in the morgue." Another worthy staple to The Untouchables is its strong individual scenes. In the front row for these sits the notorious baseball bat scene in which a furious Al Capone beats one of his associates' head into a bloody pulp with a bat, right in front of all the guests at the grand dinner table. Robert De Niro gained weight for his role as the crime-lord Al Capone and approaches his character with commitment, but sadly he is ineffective in the film as De Palma does not quite know what to do with him. Instead he craggily intercuts Capone's boisterous speeches and monologues with the template storyline of Kevin Costner's special unit, and the former are incongruous to the key story of 'The Untouchables'. Here it regrettably becomes apparent that the film possesses all the necessary ingredients but no blender in which to stir it – and De Palma is largely to blame for lacking the necessary skill.Having said that, The Untouchables keeps up the appearance of an epic crime film so rigorously through seamless costumes, stinky Chicago accents, vivid chases and a swarming taste to its sets that for a long time we are led to believe that De Palma has truly done it with this film. Certainly there are many scenes that testify to this and aptly camoflauge the shortcomings, such as the suspenseful pre-battle sequence at the Canadian border in which the Western-loving Costner is up on horseback to ambush the incoming shipment. Another is the first meeting between Andy Garcia and Sean Connery, in which the latter decides to recruit Garcia's Italian character in spite of racial feuding (Connery's supposed to be Irish), and instead because he likes his mouthy, bold attitude. Finally there is the unspeakably epic climax scene that plays on operatic in length through a long, glorious slow-motion capture by a staircase, politely nodding to The Battleship Potemkin's 'Odessa Steps Sequence'.The whole film is in fact an operatic affair with technicalities deluxe. With its mindboggling ensemble (Kevin Costner, Sean Connery, Robert De Niro, Andy Garcia and Patricia Clarkson) it is easy to see how it is cuing us in to like it. To some extent it succeeds well, for it is suspenseful, but it is not well sewn-together. What good is a De Niro if you are not going to use him opposite the rest? What good is a Kevin Costner (who has never looked so ridiculously handsome in his career for that matter) if you are not going to let him emote? And lastly, what good is a large handful of fully-fledged wonderful scenes if you are not going to juxtapose them with something, instead of dishing them out every now and then to keep our interest? 7 out of 10
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