Let The Bodies Hit The Floor: Review of The Iceman

The Iceman

Director: Ariel Vromen

By Alex Watson

 

Michael Shannon’s rise is continuously on the rise and he has now gone from being a familiar face in big movies to a having a presence that makes people want to stand up and pay attention, after his brilliant Oscar nominated turn in Revolutionary Road and his mesmerising role as overtly religious Prohibition agent Nelson Van Alden in HBO’s Boardwalk Empire, Shannon seems to have finally arrived! His next role is one which has big promise for him as notorious hit man Richard Kuklinski in Ariel Vromen’s, The Iceman. With his impressive hardened stare, this promises to be a role that could mean great things.

The film tells the tale of New Jersey hit man Richard Kuklinski (Michael Shannon), a man with a gruesome past who while employed by Roy DeMeo (Ray Liotta) of the New Jersey mafia murdered over 100 to 250 people over several decades! But as the years go on he struggles to keep his work and his life apart from his wife Deborah (Winona Ryder) and eventually lines will be crossed and will lead to his downfall.

The Iceman is a film that has great potential and if handled correctly it could well have been one of the most thrilling biographic films this years, but unfortunately it doesn’t realise the potential that it has and because of it the film never quite fires on all cylinders and we come away never really knowing Kuklinski like we should. Vromen sets things up nicely in the opening scene as we see a shy young man having coffee with the woman who will become his wife and it gives him a likeable quality- but when his dark side is released it makes proceedings all the more shocking!

Bizarrely his criminal life fails to hold the main interest throughout this film and even though we see him ‘wacking’ people at will through variously bloody and violent acts, the stand out being killing James Franco’s lowlife as he prays for God to help him, as the bullets make a hole, Kuklinski’s coolly states “I guess God’s busy now!” but aside from this, there is little to add in this overly familiar gangland drama and Vromen seems intent on simply providing a body count rather than anything of intrigue.

With Kuklinski, we are crying out for some digging into this back-story but we only get the faintest glimpse of what could have planted such a bad seed through a scene stealing cameo from Steven Dorff as his jailbird brother who recounts some sinful acts that took place when they were young cubs.

Kuklinski’s home life is where The Iceman really succeeds and as he plays the dual role of dutiful husband and cold blooded killers, the suspense at times becomes unbearable as Deborah is repeatedly suspicious of her husband’s ‘currency exchange’ job and secretly wonders where the money is coming from- particularly when mob men haul Richard out the house on his daughter’s birthday!

But the real anchor of the film comes from Michael Shannon’s standout performance as man monster Richard Kuklinski and he through his sheer force he dominates the movie! But the movie doesn’t seem able to match Shannon and seems content to fall back on his great acting, with his upcoming role as General Zod in Man of Steel; it appears that Hollywood has found a new actor could well provide something truly special in the future!

But even though Winona Ryder does her best and gives a nice supporting role as his long suffering wife Deborah, this is very much Shannon’s show and even with decent cameo’s from Chris Evans, Ray Liotta and most surprisingly David Schwimmer as moustached mafia man, no one comes close!

The Iceman is a great showcase for the talents of Michael Shannon but with its subject it doesn’t go quite deep enough and leaves us with a rather vague portrait of a man whose killing figures still haven’t been fully confirmed! This could well have been one of the tensest and slicker thrillers of recent months but sadly its lack of directorial punch by Vromen gives this a limp after taste. But with its leading man, it is clear that we have a powerful new star for the future and possibly one of Superman’s hardest adversaries- Watch your back Kal-EL!

Married to the Mob: Review of Goodfellas

Classic from the Vault

Goodfellas (1990)

Director: Martin Scorsese

By Alex Watson

To say that Martin Scorsese is one of the true legends of cinema is truly stating the obvious. Ever since his eye opening debut Mean Streets in 1973, the New York director has created some true classics of cinema such as Taxi Driver and Raging Bull, thought provoking films such as The Last Temptation of Christ (which caused mass outrage upon release) and entertaining films such as The King of Comedy and Cape Fear. But disgracefully he wasn’t awarded the Best Director until 2009 for The Departed– when in fact it should have gone to him for his masterful movie Goodfellas.

This film tells the story of Irish/Italian mobster Henry Hill (Ray Liotta) and his experiences of life in mob, from becoming acquainted with mob legend Jimmy Conway (Robert De Niro) and psycho Tommy DeVito (Joe Pesci). Life is sweet initially in the mob and the crew take whatever they want and Henry’s marriage to Karen (Lorraine Bracco) only adds to his good fortune. But when Tommy and Jimmy murder Billy Batts (Frank Vincent) who is a made mafia man, life begins to take a downward turn!

GoodFellas is a movie that is not only one of the 1990’s greatest, but is worthy of a place in every top 100 list. As we witness the first act it is hard not to be seduced by the glamour of the dark side and through Liotta’s infamous first line “As far back as I could remember I had always wanted to be a gangster!” even the most straight man would be tempted to thrown in his everyday life and become a mobster as we see them hijacking trucks and extorting business by simply putting the fear of the mob into people’s hearts. For this there is a gleeful shine to the early stages and to live the ordinary seems utterly ludicrous!

During the films second act, the action intensifies and slowly the gleam starts to fade as the characters that Henry holds dear start to reveal their true colours. To demonstrate this there are many iconic moments such as Jimmy’s menacing look when Cream’s ‘Sunshine of Your Love’ begins playing as he decides to murder fellow associate Morey and Tommy’s hilarious yet utterly terrifying “You think I’m funny” tirade! But it’s the moment where they murder Gambino associate, Billy where the film turns on its head and their once secure lifestyle becomes a real danger and soon Henry will be forced to make a tough decision!

But in some ways, it’s the greed of the central trio that forms their eventual downfall as Henry unwisely gets involved in the drug trafficking business against the wishes of others and his descent into addiction slowly decays his mind, Tommy’s short fuse repeatedly gets him into trouble as he kills people for the most minor of infringements, such as barman Spider, who tells him to “Go Fuck Yourself Tommy” cue a bullet ridden death! Jimmy is willing to go along with whatever scheme is put in front of him as he gets his joy from flashing his cash about but beneath his happy facade, there lurks a dangerous killer and in the films later stages we worry for the safety of Henry’s family as Jimmy continually asks about what he is telling the cops?

The main performances of Goodfellas bring it to legendary status and are led by the impressive Ray Liotta as Henry Hill who gives an understated performance, Henry’s initial delight at escape the humdrum life are excellently conveyed, but as time goes on Liotta gives more emotional weight to his role as the problems increase.

He is also joined by regular Scorsese Robert De Niro who gives another memorable performance to add to his impressive list as devious Jimmy. But its Joe Pesci’s Oscar winning turn as madman Tommy that will hold the most attention as every scene provides a un-predictability when he is involved! Pesci may have had a limited range as an actor, but this role certainly demonstrated the strengths he brought to a mafia based story.

If you’re looking for a place to start on your Martin Scorsese journey then Goodfellas is the perfect place to begin as it is one of the most enthralling and exhilarating tales that you will ever see and gives a great insight into one man’s unbelievable life of crime. So please watch this, or spend the rest of your life like a schnook!

The Chosen Few: Review of Gangster Squad

Gangster Squad

Director: Ruben Fleischer

By Alex Watson

The LA Noir era is a very popular movie theme in years gone by and it is easy to see why- this time was glamour personified and everywhere you looked there were people dressing snappily whether they were cops, crooks or movie stars. Many films have touched upon the LAPD in this time such LA Confidential by Curtis Hanson and Clint Eastwood’s Changeling (with dealt with police corruption) but there haven’t been any that have fully touched upon the brutal reign of Mickey Cohen- a man who made Roman dictators look like softies. Zombieland director Ruben Fleischer brings his version of a city living in fear and the attempts of a chosen few to save in Gangster Squad.

In the City of Angels, mobster Mickey Cohen (Sean Penn) rules over the town with an iron fist and has everyone truly quaking in fear- and with everyone scared to speak out or in his pocket he has free reign to control drugs, prostitution and gambling. Chief of Police Bill Parker (Nick Nolte) is forced to act swiftly and recruits Sergeant John O’Mara (Josh Brolin) to head a small but elite squad including Jerry Wooters (Ryan Gosling) to bring down the big man before he destroys LA! Belong long they strike fear into the heart of Cohen’s empire.

Gangster Squad is a very slick and effective thriller from Fleischer which proves that the praise bestowed upon him for cult film Zombieland was no fluke, his handling of the heavy action works incredibly well and the bullet lined streets of 1949 Los Angeles are brought magnificently to life! And we are blessed with a superb Michael Mann inspired finale where our hero make an assault on the Cohen controlled Plaza Hotel. As the Tommy gun’s echo ou- thrill levels rise and our spines tingle with excitement!

Some may dismiss this film as The Untouchables goes to LA with its small band of heroes going after the big boss- but this still makes for great viewing and our heroes are well a fitted bunch.

With the policemen they are not cavaliers who are looking to charge headfirst into trouble- the squad members all selected for having a special skills, O’Mara in particular is a decorated army veteran with alleged experience in guerrilla warfare where as Wooters is a street smart detective  who knows his way around enemy territory. Like Eliott Ness before them, the Gangster Squad just want to clean the streets up because the LA they grew up in danger of becoming extinct and each time they make a dent in the Cohen empire we feel them getting closer to a big result!

The horrific violence of Mickey Cohen’s reign is Gangster Squad’s most memorable quality- when we first meet him he has a rival Chicago mobster stretched between two cars and tells him “Los Angeles belongs to Mickey Cohen!” His authority is never once in question and anyone who lets him down is dealt with in a most incendiary manner! This is a man who gets what he wants because Cohen can from zero to insane at the drop of a hat- and this fact is wildly demonstrated throughout! The most frightening thing about Cohen is the sheer joy he gets from making people suffer and to him this whole affair is like being a kid in a candy shop!

Josh Brolin gives a great performance as leader John O’Mara, a man fighting for the safety of his wife (Mireille Enos) and un-born child. His commanding presence on screen gives the movie its strength and his well matched by Ryan Gosling as play boy detective Jerry Wooters, Goslings easy charm gives his character a smooth edge and his romantic subplot with Grace (Emma Stone) is one that truly shines on screen.

But it Sean Penn who steals the show as Mickey Cohen- as the monstrous gangster he plays him with such villainous relish that you can’t help but be captivated by him and his methods! Penn is clearly having the time of his life playing Cohen and this translates into one of his great performances! People may sneer at the man- but here is evidence of what a truly great actor he is.

Gangster Squad is a film that will fit well into the LA Noir theme and will be one of the slicker affairs that we see this year. But two things are not in question, firstly that Ruben Fleischer is a director to watch in future and that Sean Penn will bring us one 2013’s most memorable villains- watch this space everyone- or Mad Mickey might see to you!

The Marked Man: Review of Get Carter

Classic from the Vault

Get Carter (1971)

Director: Mike Hodges

By Alex Watson

Michael Caine is an icon of British cinema for a number of reasons, firstly he has a presence that cannot be denied and through this is able to bring any number of possible scenarios to any one scene he plays. Secondly although his notorious cockney accent might have been mocked consistently through the years it gives him a trademark and as a result it gives his dialogue a bite. Add these elements together and you get the king of cool for British cinema! His talents were never better showcased than in Mike Hodges grim yet suspenseful classic, Get Carter.

When his brother dies in mysterious circumstances in Newcastle, London based hit-man Jack Carter returns to the North to investigate. While there he realizes his brother had become deeply involved with seedy underworld. Although several hardened criminals warn Carter to go no further, he eventually battles his way to the truth- but not before finding out many unpleasant truths about his brothers past!

Get Carter is one the most absorbing thrillers you are likely to find and in this day and age its effect still has not warn off. From the very moment Carter steps off the train in the North East you can feel the feathers already begin to ruffle! Even in the face of many tough gangsters, Carter makes mincemeat of them without breaking a sweat and all the way through we are wondering what his next step will be?

But his most impressive quality is complete lack of emotion towards the sad set of circumstances he has been dealt with. All throughout Carter shows contempt towards all, viewing everyone as a nuisance for getting in his way to the truth and readily killing them without a hint of regret. Women in particular have no place in the life of Carter and he sees them merely as disposable objects. In particular, his seedy phone call to his boss’s girlfriend, Anna (Britt Ekland). Carter is a very unique character because for the most part he very unlikeable and seems at no point to want the audience to warm to him. But through his mission to avenge his brother’s death, we find ourselves rooting for him all the way.

The most surprising thing about Get Carter is that it is a very different kind of gangster thriller than we have come accustom to in years gone by. There are no wise cracks present and throughout the humour element stays absent from the screen. Though there is violence a plenty, Hodges forgoes the buckets of fake blood and focuses more on psychological effect of this violence. What we are left with an experience that is border-line unpleasant in places, but it succeeds in building up the tension for the brutal finale!

Setting the movie in Newcastle gives the picture a grim overtone and through the rainy scenery it adds to the gritty edge. But on although it looks normal on the surface, the deeper that Carter delves the stranger this place becomes, almost like lifting a rock from the earth and seeing what’s underneath. But the films end a more abnormal place has been uncovered and in the end we fear that this could become a similar world to The Wicker Man?

Get Carter is by far Michael Caine’s picture and he holds the screen with an ice cold coolness that has yet to be truly equalled in this kind of film! All through the picture Caine gives a straight depiction of a man out for blood and will get it by any mean, this lack of emotional complex serves Get Carter well and ensures its classic status!

Apart from Caine, few others get a look in, although there are great turns from play-write John Osbourne as crime boss Kinnear and an outstanding debut from veteran Geordie actor Alun Armstrong as Keith, a boy obsessed with Carter and who will do anything to help him, but really shouldn’t expect any thanks for his troubles!

Shamefully Hodges picture was re-made in 2000 starring Sylvester Stallone (although Caine still appeared) and was un-surprisingly ripped to shreds! But that one mistake aside, Get Carter is a true legend of British cinema and deservedly so and through Caine’s star power it makes it essential viewing for any fan of this genre. Whether or not you like Carter as a person will depend on you but bear one thing in mind- he’s probably very upset! And it’s best not to trample on a man who’s down, seriously!

The Man in Black: Review of Killing Them Softly

Killing Them Softly

Director: Andrew Dominik

By Alex Watson

When it was announced that megastar Brad Pitt would re-unite with The Assassination of Jesse James by the Coward Robert Ford director Andrew Dominik, the film world simply clapped their hands with glee and the anticipation rose high. Their previous effort boasted one of the films of the last decade with a stunning central performance by Pitt (arguably his best to date) and contains some beautiful images by veteran cinematographer Roger Deakins. Now the pair return with a crime thriller set in the shadow of recession hit America. But will Killing Them Softly be as memorable as their last outing?

When small time criminals Frankie (Scoot McNairy) and drug addicted Russell (Ben Mendelsohn) are hired to hold up a high stakes mob poker game, they relish the chance because veteran gangster Markie Trattman (Ray Liotta) will get the blame due a similar incident previously while they get away clean! While the robbery is a success, the bosses sense that something doesn’t add up and it can be Markie’s doing. To find the suspect they bring in Enforcer Jackie Cogan (Brad Pitt) to find out what happened.

Although it is great to see Dominik and Pitt together again, sadly Killing Them Softly falls short of the mark. Being a crime thriller we’d expect to this to be punchy and very to the point. But the main story is somewhat confused through the use of overlong dialogue and conversations which seem to go on forever. Whether coincidental or not, the film feels inadequately edited and we feel that some key things may have been missed.

As a result the audience loses its way and in places we wonder exactly what is happening. In particular when James Gandolfini’s mob man Mickey arrives, it doesn’t seem clear exactly what he is there for? A script that was more sharp and concise could have worked wonders here because its magnificent cast has the ability to take it to the next level!

The theme of recession suffering USA in 2008 is a blessing and curse for Killing Them Softly, the idea that money has lost its value so people are struggling works well and adds to the desperation of pair moronic crooks at the beginning. But then we are subjected to repeated viewings of Barack Obama’s speeches to the masses on the eve of election and his believe that all of America was one.

Although there is a great speech by Jackie accusing Thomas Jefferson is writing lies about equality and sending people to war while he “Drunk his wine and fucked his slave girl!” this theme and the idea surrounding it largely gets in the way of action! By the end this feels like a thinly veiled attack on the state the world is in and gives a notion that in this planet we are all alone!

Brad Pitt’s presence easily elevates Killing Them Softly from above the norm! All clad in black his Jackie Cogan is all that is cool in cinema. He swaggers into the story like a rock star, but his face soon turns grim when he realises the mess he has to sort out! Pitt plays it with a suave edge, but also gives his character a hard centre where nothing will stop him taking care of business.

Scoot McNairy and Ben Mendelsohn are equally excellent as the pair of small fry’s who stumble into a giant hornet’s nest. McNairy’s humanity adds to the sympathy of his character being a lamb to the slaughter while Mendelsohn’s drug addict Russell provides the comic relief. Here is a man so lost in a haze, he willing confesses to committing the crime to the associates who are after him!

In a brief role Ray Liotta is fantastic as Markie, although he does feel a tad wasted as his early scenes where he forced to beg for his life are brilliant and we wish there could have been more him.

Killing Them Softly really should have been a film that delivered it all, with its great cast and talented director but aside from the performances, the visual are lacking and the story is askew. What is a solid thriller is let down its political commentary and it lengthy speeches. Dominik and Pitt make a great combination and we can only hope that they both get back on the horse quickly because based on the evidence- another classic is not far away!

Family Ties: Review of Lawless

Lawless

Director: John Hillcoat

By Alex Watson

Prohibition and the bootlegging of alcohol has been a hot topic in Hollywood over the years, in particular Brian De Palma’s The Untouchables set in Al Capone’s Chicago and Martin Scorsese critically acclaimed HBO drama Boardwalk Empire, which deals with Atlantic City. But what of the Deep South and the prosperous business that was there? Australian director John Hillcoat brings to the screen a tale of three notorious brothers in Virginia, whose exploits have become the thing of legend in his picture, Lawless.

This film focuses on the Bondurant brothers, who were three famous bootleggers in Virginia in the 1920’s, led by middle brother Forrest (Tom Hardy), drunken older brother Howard (Jason Clarke) and weak young brother Jack (Shia LaBeouf). They run their business like clockwork and have become very successful. But very soon they come across a major problem in the form of Chicago cop Charlie Rakes (Guy Pearce) who wants to cut down their operation. Family ties will be tested and violent methods will raise their head as the family tries to stay ahead.

Lawless is a film which seems very un-decided, one the hand we have a well made picture which demonstrates the strength of brotherhood, no matter what obstacles come across us.  But at times the film descends un-necessarily into more violence territory. This film feels like a companion of Hillcoat’s previous outback drama The Proposition which mixed brotherly love with extreme violence.

Hillcoat brings us a beautiful shot film in the shadow of the Appalachian Mountains and there is a wonderful collection of good old Southern songs to accompany it. But even with this beauty, the violence in it leaves a nasty after taste to it. In particular Rakes’ savage beating on Jack simply because he can do it! When Jack threatens that Forrest will hurt him, Rakes snidely replies “Well that’s not going to help you now is it?” cue a flurry of punches that even Muhammad Ali envy!

When we first meet the Bondurant boys, we know that Forrest among the locals is thought to be immortal and throughout the film this theory is tested. But Rakes makes his appearance, we can sense in the air that a bad change is imminent! On the surface he may appear foppish due to his slender black gloves and expensive suit. But underneath the well dressed manner there lies a sadistic undertone which will become their burden.

But when it fires Lawless can be impressive, the bond of brotherhood is what really holds this picture together. Through Forrest’s stern but loving demeanour we feel the strength of Bounderant family. They are presented as a bunch of dumb hicks who got lucky, but as men before their time with a great sense for business and had they been in today’s society they would probably have made a killing.

This film could well have been one of the pictures of the year and it had all the criteria to fit it. But overall it feels like a missed opportunity to delve deeply in a truly great story. Hillcoat’s familiar style is there for all to see, but that is the main problem with the picture is his insistence of on bringing us the ugly truth rather than telling us the story.

Mr consistent Tom Hardy gives another strong performance as Forrest, his brilliant physical presence gives the film its heart and we feel throughout that this isn’t a man to be trifled with. Shia LaBeouf is equally impressive as Jack, the young man with more ideas than guts, his eventually rise to becoming successful is one of the films more impressive elements.

As Charlie Rakes, Guy Pearce feels like a pantomime villain with his acidic tones and slicked back hair, Rakes has presence, but Pearce lacks the bite that is needs for this role. Gary Oldman is disappointingly underused as gangster Floyd Banner, despite a great early entrance; he seems to just disappear without trace! More of his inclusion could really have boosted this picture.

John Hillcoat has the potential to become a great director, The Proposition and The Road have demonstrated his ability. Lawless is not a bad picture by any means, but it is not a great one either. It is a shame that Hillcoat has not made more with his top draw cast because this film had the story to really carry them. No doubt next time around, this man will be back on form.

Place Your Bets: Jackpot Review

Jackpot

Director: Magnus Martens

By Alex Watson

Earlier this year I gave a review of the adaptation of Jo Nesbo’s slick thriller, Headhunters; a film that gave us a deception of the ultimate price of maintaining the perfect life. This week we turn to Norweigen writer’s second outing in cinema with Jackpot. Here expect the gloss of Headhunters to vanish swiftly as we are dragged into the Scandinavian underworld. Expect violence, double crossing and extreme psychopaths! Oh and I forget to mention Christmas is around the corner too!

Sat in a Norwegian police station, Oscar (Kyrre Hellum) has to explain to a disgusted officer how he has ended up as the sole survivor in a brutal shootout in a Swedish strip club! Working as a foreman in a factory that employs mainly ex cons, Oscar had gone in with criminals Billy (Arthur Berning) and Thor (Mads Ousdal) on a soccer bet to win big bucks. But upon claiming their winnings a series of unfortunate events will unfold for the trio leading a bloody resolution!

Jackpot is a very unique film in its own right, its blend of shock humour continually surprises us throughout. In some ways with its scenario of the hapless idiot who stumbles across big money and the grizzly violence that ensues (a wood chipper scene thrown in for good measure) this could almost be the Norwegian version of Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels. But in other ways it is like the flipside of Headhunters- but here we are thrown into a far seedier place where friendships come second to a bag of cash.

The opening scene sets the gruesome tone for the film. Four happy-go-lucky (and also very drunk) young men enter a strip club and are immediately blown to pieces by gun fire! This one moment sets off the chain events for luckless Oscar and is guaranteed to make you sit up and pay attention!

When the violence does arrive it both appals us and makes us laugh out loud. If you thought some of the violence in Headhunters was hardcore- then you haven’t seen anything yet! The villains in this piece like to get messy, in particular when they decide to dismember their dead friends corpse in the middle of Oscar’s living room and then have a furious debate about whether to slice him at the neck or the stomach? Claret is imminent here and expect it by the bucketful!

But the principle strength of Jackpot is in the continually twists and turns given to us by director Martens. We learn from a very early stage that Oscar is a very un-reliable narrator and that when a plausible scenario is played out to us that we must completely disregard everything we have seen. Throughout the film this effect keeps the audience hooked because we begin to wonder if this apparently law abiding citizen is really all he seems.

As the incident prone Oscar, Kyrre Hellum gives a great performance. His sheer humanity makes us initially care for Oscar and we hope that we will be found innocent. But as Jackpot goes on, Hellum gives his character an element of mystery to him. Because of this his true story remains in question until the final shot!

As his friend Thor, Mads Ousdal is also very engaging. Thor is a very aloof man who changes alliances like he changes his shirt, very soon Oscar is in trouble as a result! Arthur Berning also terrifies and charms us as recently paroled mad man Billy, a kid who can go from zero to crazy in the touch of a button. His un-predictability gives some of Jackpot’s most chest tightening moments!

It seems that Jo Nesbo’s thrillers are the new hot thing for European cinema at the moment and it doesn’t seem surprising as he is a writer capable of churning out solid stories. But it isn’t him that we extend our gratitude to here, it is the brilliant combination of Martens and Herrum that make this movie so memorable.

Jackpot is odds on to be one of the funniest foreign films from this year and I hope it can make cult status because with its stunning blend of laughs through violence it certainly deserves it! For a very different kind of viewing experience- check this out now. But always think before you place a bet, because you never know what consequences it can have!

When Two Tribes Go to War: The Untouchables Review

Classic from the Vault

The Untouchables (1987)

Director: Brian De Palma

By Alex Watson

These day’s people tend to snigger when they hear about a film starring Kevin Costner, after a golden start to his career things tailed off after his mega flop film Waterworld and his equally blasted adaptation of David Bein’s novel The Postman. But everyone tends to forget what a great presence he is on our screens and what charisma and heart he is able to bring to a character. There is no better time than to re-visit what is arguably his finest hour in Brian De Palma’s classic, The Untouchables.

Set in Chicago in the 1930’s the city is at the height of prohibition and gangster Al Capone (Robert De Niro) runs the city with absolute power. To toughen up the law the US Treasury appoints Special Agent Eliot Ness (Kevin Costner) to bring change to the city and to expel corruption within the Police Force. Initially his efforts are a failure due to cops being bribed and several busts going wrong as a result! But then Ness comes across Jim Malone (Sean Connery), an incorruptible Irish ‘beat cop’ and together they form a small band of similar officers including rookie George Stone (Andy Garcia) and accountant Oscar Wallace (Charles Martin Smith) and together will bring down Capone!

The band of brother’s feel of The Untouchables is what truly gives it heart, all the way through they grow as a team and their tactics grow more refined. But more than anything we know they will always watch out for one another, no matter what the cost. Early on we see that Eliot Ness has been given a thankless job within the department. Cops change their loyalty like they change their clothes, and in short he cannot change Chicago.

After the introduction of Jim Malone Ness’ character beings to grow. Malone through his old school methods teaches Ness ‘The Chicago Way’, ” You wanna know how to get Capone? They pull a knife, you pull a gun. He sends one of yours to the hospital, you send one of his to the morgue. That’s the ‘Chicago’ way! And that’s how you get Capone.”

Soon the four are able to strike fear into gangland as they hide the mob’s secret hideouts. As their notoriety increases, they come under Capone’s ever watching eye and very soon he has dispatched his creepy enforcer Frank Nitti (Billy Drago) to send a powerful message!

But also in The Untouchables there are moments that remind us just how brutal Capone’s reign, in one scene he casually walks around a dinner table holding a baseball bat talking how it is his favourite team game. Moments later he shockingly beats a fellow gang member to a bloody pulp in full view everyone. The message is clear to all- anyone that snitches won’t live to tell the tale! But as the four men get closer to Capone, their methods begin to match his.

One notable example happens when the men execute a daring raid on a whiskey deal at the Canadian border. When a mafia man refuses to talk and scoffs at their efforts, Malone grabs his dead associate and pretends to threaten into talking. To finally scare the man into submission, Malone blows a hole in the dead man’s head! This frightens the man into talking and by matching their enemy, they get the result they need!

Kevin Costner gives a fine performance as Ness. Although very bookish at the beginning, Costner as the film progress finds room to make Ness more assertive. His final showdown with Billy Drago gives us one of the coldest deaths in movie history!  But The Untouchables belongs to Sean Connery’s great turn as Malone. His grizzled veteran is as much teacher as he is father figure for Ness, Connery is the force that pushes the film into greater territory and for this he was rewarded with his only Oscar! Although Robert De Niro only features briefly as Capone, his presence is still a terrifying one. Capone has the city in his pocket and there is nothing he won’t do to keep himself in power!

For proof that there is life left in Costner then please check this out. De Palma’s film will keep you gripped from the very starts and features one of the greatest shootout sequences ever filmed! Chicago is a city in crisis and it needs a band of heroes. With Costner and Connery on the job- results are assured!