A wise Cuban once said, “All I have in this world is my balls and my word, and I don't break them for no one.” An even wiser writer once said, “all I have in this world is my classic films and my word, and I don’t break them for no one.”
Scarface is sacred, and thou shalt not mess with its creation...
Let's face it, it's has been a tough year, and at times it’s made us want to bury our faces into our hands and scream. It’s been a year of extreme turbulence, and I’m sorry to say, but the last thing we need now is a remake of the classic and truly beloved Scarface. To conjure up an adaptation would be a cardinal film sin, a type of offence punishable by a poor Rotten Tomatoes review and a shiny Golden Raspberry Award.
Plenty of films need a remake, and by god, some of them could benefit from a revisit - here’s looking at you Green Lantern you piece of garbage. Revisiting Scarface runs a serious risk of discrediting this epic, and it’s the unwanted cherry on top of this never-ending 2020 ice cream sundae.
Don't get me wrong, a remake can be a wonderful way to broaden a film's horizons. Ocean's Eleven, for example, spawned several sequels, as well as a spin-off, resurging the heist genre and bringing the story to a new audience.
But, we’re not talking about Danny Ocean, we’re talking about the man that is - Tony Montana. Perhaps, one of films' greatest ever characters. We don’t want to say hello to a new Scarface, we want the film to remain unscathed, and the godly work of Brian De Palma to go forth as a true movie relic that will be preserved for generations to enjoy.
I mean let’s not forget that Scarface was already a remake from the 1930s, you can’t do a triple remake, this isn’t Spider-Man it’s bloody Scarface.
But more importantly, it’s Al Pacino in one of the most iconic performances of his 53 years in acting. He embodies Tony Montana and dominates the role of the Cuban refugee who rises up the ranks in Miami to build a multi-million dollar cocaine-fueled empire. The bottom line is that making a Scarface remake is the wrong decision, but it’s rifling ahead, and it’s all down to those pesky Coen brothers.
Well. It's mostly down to Call Me By Your Name director Luca Guadagnino who has the reigns to make the new film. However, Joel and Ethan Coen are behind the script which is a silver lining or in this case a white one.
Inside intel suggests that this reboot will take place in Los Angeles and that it will be a retelling of the immigrant story of the 1932 and 1983 films. This isn’t said lightly, but all those involved in this remake are nothing but filthy cockroaches.
Right, that was pretty harsh, and a libel charge is something to avoid unless your name is Dan Wootton and you’re into that type of thing. Let’s face facts and accept that a Scarface remake is happening and somebody else will be taking on the role of infamous Tony Montana.
Sticking with the cartel vibe, the next Tony is going to be Mexcian, and he goes by the name of Diego Luna. The Star Wars actor better hope he has the force with him when shooting this remake because the whole Scarface fanbase is eagerly awaiting his performance.
Yet, in all honesty, Luna could move the moon and stars, and he still wouldn’t be as impressive as Pacino. Everyone deserves their chance, and at the very least, it’s a deserving actor who has worked hard for this moment.
Will it out-do the classical 1984 version? Not a chance. But, it will give us a 21st-century update that’s going to be blood-stained and action-packed.
Read below for a snippet of Fresh Takes review of the new Scarface film.
“Mediocre effort should have remade Green Lantern instead.”
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