Rating: 
Summary: A Compelling Urban Drama
Review: It remains for others far better qualified than I am to comment on this film's historical authenticity. The fact remains, as so capably directed by Brian De Palma, it offers compelling entertainment as Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) and his associates eventually obtain the indictment and conviction of their nemesis, Al Capone (Robert De Niro). How ironic that one of the most ruthless and brutal of underworld figures should eventually be sent to federal prison for tax evasion. Although not an epic, this film does have scope and depth far beyond the television series of the same name. Credit David Mamet (in collaboration with De Palma) for a crisp screenplay, Ennio Morricone for an especially effective score, and Stephen H. Burum whose brilliant cinematography captures the recreation of Chicago during the 1930s. He also does very well with the presentation of the shootout at the Canadian border. I remain convinced that with regard to Kostner's acting, less is more. (That is best illustrated near the end of Field of Dreams when he asks his father to play catch.) As Ness, he is credible. My own opinion is that Charles Martin Smith (as Oscar Wallace) delivers the strongest performance but Sean Connery (as Jim Malone) received an Academy Award for best supporting actor. To his credit, Connery continues to earn a handsome living impersonating himself, whatever the role may be. I was also favorably impressed by Billy Drago's performance as Frank Nitti. In that role, Drago exudes lethal menace. Del Close makes a brief but memorable appearance as a corrupt public official, appearing in Ness's office to offer a bribe. After adding about 60-75 pounds, De Niro plays Capone with exuberance and self-assurance, then with volcanic rage as he realizes that the "Untouchables" have finally prevailed. Although not a great film, it offers a well-crafted account of a specific time and place unique within U.S. history, indeed a benchmark period during the never-ending struggle between vicious criminals and those brave men and women who oppose them.
Rating: 
Summary: Costner plays his role like a cartoon
Review: great acting?...WTF?!
Kevin Costner plays his character like a F'n cartoon character. Mostly all the characters in this movie seem like 1 dimentional charicatures of their real-life personas. Take Elliot Ness for example, he constantly spits out corny one-liners ("lets do some good"...hahaha who wrote that script?!), he barely has any emotion to show, which forces to be annoyed & hate Ness & cheer for the bad guy (Deniro as the cartoon version of Capone). The whole movie i just wished Capone would just run up to Ness & beat him senseless with a baseball bat..dont get me started on the comedian that played Malone. hahahahaha, this movie is bad. aside from Deniro's comeback in the 80s...this movie would've recieved a negative 10 stars. nuff said
Rating:
Summary: An Introduction to Gangsterhood
Review: A superb cast of highly talented and big stars of Hollywood! I couldn't believe that a director like Brian de Palma would have an ensemble of actors of fine performances...Sean Connery, Kevin Costner, Andy Garcia, and yes, even Robert De Niro. It's an all-star cast in a movie full of adventure and crime-wreckening investigations! What more can you ask? I definitely commend the director for a breath-taking scene to which Agent Ness fiercely show a gun-fight scene to Al Capone's boys. Sean Connery is truly deserved to be awarded of Academy Best Supporting Actor, he played Jim Mallone...who was responsible in forming the The Untouchables...too bad, he has to die in the movie. How I wish that The Untouchables did not dissolved so fast (because members were killed by Capone's boys) so that they will came up a face to face battle with Al Capone's gangster. Though it is sufficient that De Palma showed a fight scene somewhere at the bridge but it is better if he has another fight scene at the climax of the film but he did not. This is a good introduction film for those people who want to know the nature of gangster and somehow, know Al Capone better. To be honest, I don't like gangster movie at first, but when I watched this film...oh boy...it is one hell of a ride! Maybe I should also watch The Godfather...don't you think?
Rating: 
Summary: Great cast...except for Costner
Review: The Untouchables is about a group of incorruptible federal agents trying to bring down the infamous Al Capone. The most stand-out performances are by Sean Connery and Robert De Niro, although Costner, on the other hand, conveys little emotion making it very hard to get in touch with his character Elliot Ness. Although this movie was excellent, I must say that the director, Brian DePalma, focused on a not-so-interesting federal agent and made the villain 100 times more interesting. Nevertheless, The Untouchables deserves accolades for being one of the top movies of the 80's and serves as a great source of history for those interested in prohibition and the downfall of Capone.
Rating:
Summary: "Yeah? Well, You're Not From Chicago..."
Review: So says Kevin Costner's U.S. Treasury agent Eliot Ness midway through THE UNTOUCHABLES, Brian De Palma's heavily stylized crime saga of Prohibition in the 1930s during the time of Al Capone (played by Robert De Niro). Although some flaws in the film prevent it from being a full-fledged classic in my book (some will probably disagree with me), the movie is still a rollicking two-hour extravaganza, filled with intense action sequences, memorable one-liners, and a brilliant score from composer Ennio Morricone that combines the jazzy style of the late '20s/early '30s with contemporary '80s production. Prohibition is still the law of the land in Chicago, but Al Capone has managed to smuggle illegal booze from Canada and bring it to the United States. That is what he has built his empire on and he refuses to let anyone get in his way (witness the infamous baseball bat scene for example). Eliot Ness has arrived to shut down Capone's empire once and for all, but his first raid turns out to be a failure and he becomes the butt of the jokes by his peers and the newspapers. Then, Ness meets Jimmy Malone (Sean Connery), a tough and wise veteran of the Chicago police force who now works the beat where it's safe. Ness wants Jimmy to show him the ropes and at first he declines, but the thrill of catching Capone intrigues Jimmy and he joins forces with Ness to bring him down. While Ness is learning the wisdom of Malone, both men bring a young, ace sharp shooter named George Stone (Andy Garcia) and an FBI accountant (Charles Martin Smith) to the team. They become known as "the untouchables" and seize any shipment or member that is associated with Capone. Though once hearing about this, Capone strikes back - viciously and brutally. As great as the movie is, THE UNTOUCHABLES does have a couple of noticeable flaws. For one, Robert De Niro is hardly in the movie. The scenes that he does have are excellent, and I just wished they could've used him more. Also, I wished the Andy Garcia character could've been developed better, and that screenwriter David Mamet didn't have to fictionalize every event (this is loosely based on true events after all). Aside from that, these flaws fortunately do nothing to slow down the momentum of the film. Everything else about THE UNTOUCHABLES is solid. Sean Connery's performance as Jimmy Malone is amazing, and quite possibly his absolute best. He combines street smarts, wise-azz zingers, and world-weary philosophy into a consistent package, and it's just great watching Connery do all those things at once. Kevin Costner is also very good, which is a bit of surprise. This was during the period where Costner couldn't make a bad movie - way before overlong and overblown epics like WATERWORLD and THE POSTMAN literally destroyed his career. The best thing I liked about the film was the suspense. The tension reaches unbearable porportions and results in a stunning 10-minute sequence where Ness and Stone are waiting for Capone's bookkeeper and crew to arrive at the train station. This is an insanely nerve-wracking scene and De Palma constantly moves back and forth between Costner's face, the ticking clock, the station steps, possible suspects, and a woman with her baby in a carriage who may be a victim of the foreboding crossfire. An excellent, virtuoistic, extremely gory anti-climax. This movie isn't really a classic like it's intended to be, but if you're ready for an intense ride with great action, great dialogue, and two great leading performances, then you can't go wrong with THE UNTOUCHABLES.
Rating:
Summary: In the way of flaws, it almost lives up to its title.
Review: The Untouchables has made most lists of the greatest films ever made, and for good reason. Paramount has released a DVD film of the film as part of their Widescreen Collection (originally enormously over-priced at $29.99; now re-priced to $19.99). The Untouchables easily makes my best films ever made list, and the DVD isn't so bad either. THE FILM Loosely based on the old 60's TV show (which was loosely based on the book by Eliot Ness, which was, in turn, a true story), the film places Kevin Costner in his best performance as federal agent Eliot Ness. In 1930s Chicago, during the Prohibition era, crime and corruption are at an all-time high. The mob underworld is ruled by seemingly unstoppable gangster Al Capone (Robert De Niro). So how do you stop the crime? You take out the Big Man - and the big man just happens to be Capone. So Eliot Ness handpicks a group of dedicated men (Charles Martin Smith, Andy Garcia, and a great performance by Sean Connery) and then sets out to take Capone down. As mentioned before, Costner and Connery are great, and the rest of the cast is really good as well. Brian De Palma's direction is perfect, and this is very likely his best film. There is another masterpiece score from Ennio Morricone. So what could be wrong? For the first time ever, De Niro is the film's let-down. De Niro as Al Capone is a great opportunity to let his talent shine - but it doesn't. And it's not completely De Niro's fault; the script's use of Capone is minimal and uninteresting. [9/10] THE VIDEO The DVD's picture quality is great! At times, the picture is a little light, and if you squint really really hard, you may be able to pick up some grain. But all in all, the picture quality is very satisfying. [9/10] THE AUDIO Other than the film itself, the DVD's true highlight is its sound. The Dolby Digital 5.1 surround mix not only heightens the films impact, but it truly brings out the brilliance in Ennio Morricone's score. [10/10] THE EXTRAS Oh, boy. This is where the DVD's grade goes down. Let's see what we have for extras:
- Theatrical Trailer
Uh-oh. They could have done a lot better with the extras than that. With the film's popularity and all, I think I see a big Special Edition on the way in the near future. [1/10] All in all, the presentation of the film is great, but as far as the extras go, this DVD sucks. OVERALL SCORE: [7/10] ---------------------------------------------------------------- THE FILM: [9/10] Excellent movie.
THE VIDEO: [9/10] Great job.
THE AUDIO: [10/10] Ennio Morricone has never sounded so great.
THE EXTRAS: [1/10] A trailer. Woo-hoo, that'll last us thirty seconds.
OVERALL SCORE: [7/10] Worth buying for fans of the film or DVD collectors, but otherwise, it's probably best to just wait for a Special Edition. - Thomas Benton
Rating:
Summary: "Somebody messes with me, I'm gonna mess with him."
Review: Brian De Palma's "The Untouchables" is a glossy update of the classic television series that unfortunately fails to fulfill its potential. Despite its top-notch production values, impressive cast, and stylistic direction, it comes across as a routine cops-and-robbers tale that looks great but fails to leave any lasting impression. The film takes place in the Prohibition Era where Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) assembles a team of agents to disrupt the operations of Al Capone (Robert De Niro). The battle between the law and the mob develops into a brutal struggle for Chicago where prisoners are not taken and mercy remains an abstract concept. Only when Ness is forced to fight fire with fire does the battle turn in his favor. He eventually takes the streets back from Capone but the price he pays is high as he loses both fellow team members and his purity of soul. "The Untouchables" is a film that needed more character development. Both Costner's Ness character and De Niro's Capone never evolve into living, breathing individuals. They come across as mere caricatures rather than bona-fide characters. The only actor that succeeds in bringing life to his role is Sean Connery who infuses his Irish-American cop with a sense of zeal and passion. Connery dominates all the scenes he appears in which is problematic as his towering presence only illustrates how underdeveloped his fellow characters are. If there is any one aspect of the film that must be specially commended, it is the exquisite production design which breathtakingly recreates the Prohibition Era. The streets, the automobiles, the clothing all feel authentic and genuinely looks like history come alive. De Palma's Odessa Steps homage is also a treat for film buffs but in sum, this film is ultimately undermined by its routine nature. That's too bad because "The Untouchables" could have been a keeper if just a few more things turned in its favor.
Rating:
Summary: 'Untouchable' is Right!
Review: This is pure genius. You have four lone rangers "The Untouchables" fighting off crime and going up against Chicago's big boy Al Capone (Robert DeNiro) and you have ingredients to tasty meal! Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) is the newest federal agent who found umbrellas instead of illegal alcohol during the Prohibtion-era. Stinking baby carriage! Old man Malone (Sean Connery) did his best after James Bond and still took out the garbage and then some. The rookie had the best aim on the force (Andy Garcia) saved the baby carriage from doom and the accountant (Charles Martin Smith), well was just an accountant. A great scene involved Capone doing his best baseball swing at a dinner table. No wonder why SNL liked to use baseball bats in their sketches. Brian De Palma is a genius director and this is a great gangster movie.
Rating:
Summary: WOW!
Review: i cant believe how great this movie wus! when i first saw Goodfellas i thaught 'man there cant be a mob movie better than this' then one day (which wus today) my brother put on the untouchables and it wus so good. the way when the action wus going i loved the way they had the theme song goin. overall anyone who loves the mob, action and sum gore will love dis movie! also kevin kostner did a great job too! wut a great film!
Rating:
Summary: "END OF THE LESSON"
Review: A MOVING SOUNDTRACK, LIKEABLE GOOD GUYS AND DESPICABLE 'HEAVIES'
DO JUSTICE IN BRIAN DEPALMA'S STAB AT THE GANGSTER GENRE.
COSTNER'S PERFORMANCE, BELIEVE IT OR NOT IS THE ONLY THING REALLY LACKING IN THIS EFFORT. DONT MISUNDERSTAND, I LIKE COSTNER AND THINK HE IS A GOOD ACTOR, WITH EVEN MORE POTENTIAL AS A DIRECTOR. BUT THERE ARE SCENES WHERE HE JUST DOESNT COME ACROSS WELL AS THE BESIEGED 'ELLIOTT NESS.'
HE JUST ISNT AS DRIVEN AS T.V.S 'ROBERT STACK' WAS. BUT OVERALL THE FILM WORKS, ESPECIALLY 'SEAN CONNERY'S' TOUGH IRISH STREET COP WHO IS AT ONCE RELENTLESS, EXPERTLY BRUTAL WHEN NECESSARY AND PHILISOPHICLY WITTY. CONNERY'S PERFORMACE IS THE 'CHARACTER HIGHLIGHT' OF THIS MOVIE AND BY ITSELF WORTH THE PRICE OF ADMISSION. THE STORY IS SIMPLE, NESS'S RAG TAG MIXMATCHED BUNCH OF COPS ARE TAKING ON CHICAGO MOBSTER 'ALFONSE CAPONE' PLAYED WELL BY DENIRO WHO GAINED A LOT OF WEIGHT FOR THE ROLE. BOB DENIRO IS GOOD. OF COURSE, WHEN IS HE BAD? THIS MOVIE MOVES LIKE A DRAMATIC ACTIONEER SHOULD WITH PLENTY OF SHOOTOUTS AND A FAST PACED STORYLINE. CONNERY'S VETERAN STREET COP TUTORS 'GREEN' TREASURY MAN NESS,
AND THESE SCENES ARE THE MOST MEMORABLE, WITH CONNERY SPOUTING OFF CRISP WHIMSICAL INSTRUCTION TO A SLIGHTLY RESENTFUL FED (COSTNER.) AS CONNERY SAYS "YOUR AT THE END OF THE LESSON."
AND WE ARE AT THE END OF THE REVIEW.
| 
