Warren Beatty directs and stars in the first colour live-action adaptation of the iconic comic strip. Most characters find a place in the film, some of the villains having substantial amount of screen time roles like Big Boy Caprice, Flattop, Itchy and Pruneface, while some others like Little Face and Johnny Ramm make fleeting appearances. The cast is solid all around - Beatty, Pacino, Madonna, Glen Headly, Dustin Hoffman, William Forsythe, R.G. Armstrong, Charles Durning, Seymour Cassel, Mandy Patinkin, Paul Sorvino and Dick van Dyke. James Caan shows up in a great cameo as a bitter rival of Pacino's, plus Estelle Parsons is there as well and I was surprised to see Kathy Bates in a blink-and-miss bit part.
Many people dislike this one because it is 'cheesy'. I will admit that its sense of perfect good against complete evil is old-fashioned but it is based on a comic strip which originated in the crime-ridden 1930s, after all. For what it is, it is decent entertainment. The plot starts to come unravelled in the third act, since the storyline with "The Blank" and the twist about his identity makes little sense. A lot of footage Beatty had shot could not find its way in the theatres, maybe it contributed towards making the twist clearer. If the footage exists I would like to see a Director's cut some time. The film also features some excellent montages mostly set to songs.
Beatty is alright in the role, a bit stiff, but his character is of a one-dimensional good guy so I guess he couldn't do much. Charlie Korsmo does a decent job as well, there is a very nice emotional scene with both of them towards the climax, which was a surprising change from the tongue-in-cheek mood of the film till that point. Al Pacino as Big Boy Caprice has the best role in the film, and he pantomimes his way through it in truly theatrical style. He is like a powder keg and goes completely bonkers in the end in spectacular fashion. Dustin Hoffman is also hilarious as Mumbles, I wish there were more scenes with him, his role in Big Boy's gang is not defined at all. The best appeal the film boasts of is its visual aesthetic, high on bright primary colours, impeccably framed by the Italian legend Vittorio Storaro. Madonna's poor performance and the weird final twist are the only major drawbacks.
Many people dislike this one because it is 'cheesy'. I will admit that its sense of perfect good against complete evil is old-fashioned but it is based on a comic strip which originated in the crime-ridden 1930s, after all. For what it is, it is decent entertainment. The plot starts to come unravelled in the third act, since the storyline with "The Blank" and the twist about his identity makes little sense. A lot of footage Beatty had shot could not find its way in the theatres, maybe it contributed towards making the twist clearer. If the footage exists I would like to see a Director's cut some time. The film also features some excellent montages mostly set to songs.
Beatty is alright in the role, a bit stiff, but his character is of a one-dimensional good guy so I guess he couldn't do much. Charlie Korsmo does a decent job as well, there is a very nice emotional scene with both of them towards the climax, which was a surprising change from the tongue-in-cheek mood of the film till that point. Al Pacino as Big Boy Caprice has the best role in the film, and he pantomimes his way through it in truly theatrical style. He is like a powder keg and goes completely bonkers in the end in spectacular fashion. Dustin Hoffman is also hilarious as Mumbles, I wish there were more scenes with him, his role in Big Boy's gang is not defined at all. The best appeal the film boasts of is its visual aesthetic, high on bright primary colours, impeccably framed by the Italian legend Vittorio Storaro. Madonna's poor performance and the weird final twist are the only major drawbacks.