Scarface 1983

Richard Roeper, Ebert & Roeper: I like it as a kind of B-movie version of The Godfather. There are a lot of classic lines and a handful of memorably horrific scenes ... Read more

Richard Corliss, TIME Magazine: It is a serious, often hilarious peek under the rock where nightmares strut in $800 suits and Armageddon lies around the next twist of treason. Read more

Vincent Canby, New York Times: The dominant mood of the film is anything but funny. It is bleak and futile: What goes up must always come down. When it comes down in Scarface, the crash is as terrifying as it is vivid and arresting. Read more

Kathleen Carroll, New York Daily News: Stone sticks all too closely to the dated plot structure of the original movie, and such melodramatic flourishes as Montana's incestuous attraction for his sister now seem completely ludicrous. Read more

James Berardinelli, ReelViews: Viewed today, while Scarface seems less shocking than it did during its initial theatrical run, it's no more substantive or interesting. Read more

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times: What were Pacino's detractors hoping for? Something internal and realistic? Low key? The Tony Montana character is above all a performance artist, a man who exists in order to gloriously be himself. Read more

Tom Huddleston, Time Out: An unashamed study of selfish, sadistic criminality, and all the better for it. Read more

Variety Staff, Variety: Performances are all extremely effective, with Pacino leading the way. Read more

Gary Arnold, Washington Post: As stylized social realism gives way to wigged-out Faustian fantasy, the would-be devastating effects have an oddly slapstick effect. Read more