Directed by:
Joe CarnahanScreenplay:
Joe CarnahanCinematography:
Mauro FioreComposer:
Clint MansellCast:
Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Alex Rocco, Wayne Newton, Jeremy Piven, Ben Affleck, Peter Berg, Martin Henderson, Common, Andy Garcia, Mike Falkow, Alicia Keys (more)VOD (2)
Plots(1)
Slick Las Vegas illusionist Buddy "Aces" Israel isn't playing nice. Turns out, he's telling mob secrets to the FBI. After a $1 million contract is put out on him, Aces tries to pull his greatest disappearing act before a rogues' gallery of ex-cons, hit men and smokin' hot assassins tries to rub him out. (official distributor synopsis)
Videos (3)
Reviews (8)
Quentin Tarantino has meant a lot to American, but also to world cinema, while Guy Ritchie had a slightly smaller, but still significant influence on other artists and authors. His films are able to captivate simply because, together with violence and lines, they move at such a pace that not everyone can handle, but when it succeeds, it is truly an adrenaline ride. Many modern-day mafia members, slackers, and murderers who don't mean it as bad, but always find themselves on the wrong side of the law. Joe Carnahan also attempted something similar, such as with "RocknRolla", who recently impressed with the film adaptation of the series "A-Team" and some were less impressed, with the gritty horror film "The Grey" that is held above water primarily by the great Liam Neeson. "Smokin' Aces" is a film that revolves around one guy, his murders, money, and other important things. We have an incredible number of characters here, which don't completely blend together and you are able to distinguish them from each other. However, it doesn't change the fact that the film is overloaded, and a simple plot is turned into a gritty theater, where it succeeds in occasionally delivering great lines, and you occasionally shudder at how brutal a scene was. It spares no blood, and in the end, it's truly quite a massacre. Chris Pine has an interesting character that fits him more than, say, his agent in the film "This Means War!" The film can captivate you, but still, after it ends, you will have that strange feeling of asking yourself: "What was it actually about for those whole two hours?" More: http://www.filmovy-denik.cz/2012/11/sahara-stormbreaker-syriana-andelsky.html
()
Director Carnahan beat screenwriter Carnahan in a short sprint by several lengths. The first two acts are an audiovisual ride with some fresh ideas, in the style of Ritchie's best flicks, but towards the end, the engine of the sports car stutters in such a way that it parks in a garage with a sign saying "Reynolds' Fateful Drama" and slowly dies there. If they had let the sports car go past the finish line and not stepped on the brake, it would have been worth four medals.
()
After a bit of time goes by that is diligently devoted to thinking, and after a second viewing, I finally came to like this film that is Carnahan's baby. It is true that the trailers promised something completely different, but the result is an entertaining stylistic film that is definitely currently above average (let's blame it on clever marketing this time). Mainly thanks to the perfect direction and excellent casting (Ryan Reynolds is great!), this rather disparate whole holds together quite well. Unfortunately, as is still apparent, Carnahan isn’t a great screenwriter (Buddy's existential drama), but he's more than adept as a craftsman (changing one cool camera unit after another, the actual shooting races). He definitely can’t be compared to Guy Ritchie because they are both playing on completely different fields. This film is a much crazier and at times twisted spectacle, which is certainly not boring, but it is true that when a director makes a pure action spectacle, those far beyond the borders of Hollywood will bow down to him.
()
On one hand, it's unnecessarily long and drawn out, yet on the other hand, there are excellent acting performances (led by the cool Ben Affleck), great individual scenes, excellent action, and disarming stylization. What is unforgivable, however, is the weak story that is so piecemeal that it is a) impossible to navigate and b) almost completely unengaging. Carnahan has talent but it would be better if he made movies based on screenplays by someone else.
()
My opinion of this film hasn’t changed even after all those years since I saw it for the first time. Joe Carnahan seemed like a schizophrenic - while a part of him wrote and directed quality action scenes and managed to add a good dose of humor to this crime thriller, the other part added many illogicalities, unnecessary dialogue and an inner struggle of the goody-goody main character. But I must say that the role of a puppet was the best I've seen from Ben Affleck so far.
()
Ads