OK, start by thinking Tarantino. Think Grindhouse. Then take away any sense of humor, any wit or any real style. What you're left with is "Smokin' Aces". It's violent, its obscenity laden, it's bloody in the extreme. Add in, shall we call it, leisurely pacing and you end up with a movie that leaves you thinking about what might have been. A good cast and an interesting concept just never mesh for anything interesting.
Buddy "Aces" Israel is a Las Vegas headliner with deep ties to the Mob who decides to become a snitch. That results in a million dollar bounty on his head and heart. The field of hit men and women who want to cash in on Israel grows quickly. Meanwhile the FBI is trying to make sure that he stays alive to testify against the aging capo who had been Buddy's mentor. Along the way bullets fly, the body count rolls up at a tremendous pace and secrets are suddenly revealed. There is a cute kind of double twist at the end but it only leaves you wishing the rest of the movie was as clever as the twist.
I have a category of movies called "Spot the Stars". This one is a surefire entrant. Ray Liotta, Alex Rocco, Wayne Newton, Ben Affleck, Peter Berg, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Chris Pine, Curtis Armstrong, Jason Bateman and Matthew Fox (the cast includes Nestor Carbonell and Kevin Durand who would appear with Fox on "Lost"). Taraji P. Henson who currently co-stars in "Person of Interest" plays Keys partner.
So an interesting concept and a fun cast. Somehow Joe Carnahan who both wrote and directed the movie never seems to find the key to make it all happen. There are a few interesting moments but not enough to really save the movie. If you like lots of action and have a couple hours to waste go for it.
Rating - *** Worth A Look
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