‘Masterpiece’ gangster film hailed as ‘greatest of all time’ now on Amazon Prime | Films | Entertainment

A “masterpiece” gangster film with one of the most iconic endings ever is streaming now in the UK. Scarface (1983) tells the story of Tony Montana (played by Al Pacino), a Cuban refugee who arrives in Miami, Florida, at the start of the decade during a boom in the illegal cocaine trade.

Tony arrives with nothing but rises through the city’s criminal underworld, becoming a powerful and feared drug baron. But his vast wealth and excesses begin to fuel paranoia about those around him, putting the empire he’s built at risk. It also stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Steven Bauer, Robert Loggia, and Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. It was directed by Brian De Palma and written by fellow iconic filmmaker Oliver Stone. The action thriller is a remake of the 1932 film of the same name, directed by Howard Hawks.

Fans have flocked to IMDb to praise the film, with one calling De Palma’s reimagining of the story a “masterpiece of melodrama and ultraviolence”.

They added that the iconic finale of the film “is one of the bloodiest, most powerful shootouts in the annals of cinema”.

“The moments leading up to it are incredible enough, and then comes an absolutely stunning climax of blood and bullets that will completely blow you away.”

Another wrote: “I couldn’t say enough about this movie, I could watch it twice in one day. If you haven’t seen it don’t waste another moment and get to it.”

A third added: “It is one of the best movies about the dangers of greed and power and it’s done in one of the most unexpected and brilliant ways in cinema.

“What’s so suspenseful about this movie is knowing when things are going to go wrong, but not knowing what’s going to happen to the characters.

“The way Pacino builds up Tony’s anger into an explosion is also suspenseful and amazing.”

A fifth called it the “greatest” gangster movie ever, adding: “I remember seeing Scarface when it first came out and being absolutely mesmerised by it.”

The film has an 18 certificate and contains strong bloody violence, and prodigious drug misuse – so viewer discretion is advised.

Scarface is streaming on Amazon Prime Video in the UK from this week. You can also watch the film on NOW with a Now Cinema Membership, or buy or rent it on Apple TV or Sky Store.