i guess after wise guys brian de palma set out to make something so much better he wouldn't be disavowed from hollywood. if his next picture was twice as good as wise guys he'd still be outcasted and his mainstream career would of been over. to keep his career alive he made the untouchables. and what a great movie it is. it is unfathomable to think of what his last movie when you see this. not only does he have de niro in an iconic role (like pacino in scarface) and not only does he win sean connery an oscar (and legitimize him as an actor) and not only does he make one of the great gangster flicks of the 80's (and maybe ever?) but he does it with style, grace, elegance and he makes it look easy. kevin costner, robert de niro, sean connery and the always great charles martin smith (where'd he disappear to?) along with de palm's keen eye and camera tricks, lush cinematography, an epic story, lots of blood and violence, a killer score, tight editing, a knockout script and a most wondrous recreation of one of early cinema's greatest scenes cements the untouchables as one of the best gangster films of all time. when de palma does it right he does it right! after this film, no matter how many wise guys he made he was now a talent and a master that could pretty much do whatever he wanted. not all his films are made for general audiences, not all his films are great and some of his films are over stylized to a point where a fair sum of people will not like them but i defy anyone to watch this and not like it, to not have a good time, to not think this was a great film, to not be entertained. it's impossible. i defy you. production design: 10 out of 10 cinematography: 9 out of 10 re-playability: 8 out of 10 originality: 8 out of 10 costumes: 9 out of 10 directing: 9 out of 10 editing: 9 out of 10 acting: 9 out of 10 music: 9 out of 10 script: 9 out of 10 89/100