Smokin' Aces (2006)

User Rating:

6.6/10   

Director:

Joe Carnahan

Writer (WGA):

Joe Carnahan (written by)

Release Date:

26 January 2007 (USA)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Tagline:

May the best hitman win.

Plot:

When a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch named Buddy Israel decides to turn state's evidence and testify against the mob, it seems that a whole lot of people would like to make sure he's no longer breathing.

Plot Keywords:

Magician | Lake | FBI | FBI Agent | Casino

Awards:

4 wins

Cast

Ryan Reynolds	...	Richard Messner
Ray Liotta	...	Donald Carruthers
Joseph Ruskin	...	Primo Sparazza
Alex Rocco	...	Serna
Wayne Newton	...	Himself
Jeremy Piven	...	Buddy Israel
Ben Affleck	...	Jack Dupree
Peter Berg	...	"Pistol" Pete Deeks
Martin Henderson	...	Hollis Elmore
Common	...	Sir Ivy
Christopher Michael Holley	...	Beanie (as Christopher Holley)
Andy Garcia	...	Stanley Locke
Mike Falkow	...	Freeman Heller
Joe Drago	...	FBI Aid
Jeff Habberstad	...	Top Coated Gunman

Also Known As:

Mi$e à prix (France)

MPAA:

Rated R for strong bloody violence, pervasive language, some nudity and drug use.

Runtime:

109 min | USA:108 min

Country:

UK | France | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital | SDDS

Certification:

UK:18 | Netherlands:16 | Ireland:18 | Singapore:M18 | Finland:K-18 | Portugal:M/16 | Canada:16+ (Quebec) | Canada:18A (Alberta/British Columbia/Manitoba/Ontario) (Canadian Home Video rating) | Australia:R | South Africa:16LV | Sweden:15 | USA:R (No. 41676) | Norway:18 | Switzerland:16 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:16 (canton of Vaud) | New Zealand:R18 | Germany:16 | Malaysia:18PL | Denmark:15 | Japan:R-15 | Italy:VM14 | France:-12 | South Korea:18

Filming Locations:

Las Vegas, Nevada, USA

Company:

Universal Pictures

Trivia:

The song "Ace of Spades" by the metal group Motörhead is played in the beginning of the film, introducing the Tremors, the neo-Nazi redneck bounty hunters.

Goofs:

Continuity: When the camera pan out after Watters emptied the sniper rifle, the rifle had no magazine in the receiver. But later when the FBI stormed the room the rifle had a magazine attached.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Donald Carruthers: You've got to be careful when doing your stakeouts. I did one for... I was on one for six months. I gained, like, 20, 25 pounds. You keep eating this crap...
Richard Messner: Well, that's not my problem, though. I don't gain weight. I tried.
Donald Carruthers: That's 'cause your 12 years old.

Movie Connections:

References "Arrested Development: Marta Complex (#1.12)" (2004)

Soundtrack:

Save Yourself

Not bad

The movies that are always the most difficult to review are the ones that are not bad, but that still has something missing to them. "Smokin' Aces" is definitely like that. While it's not a bad movie, it's still far from as good as it could have been.

I think the movie started out pretty well. It's got an almost "Lock Stock"-like quality to it where it presents all the main characters in different sequences. After that you feel the stage is set and the guns loaded. Unfortunately then you get the first dip in pace, and the movie never really recovers. Sure, you get a few laughs and some pretty well-done action scenes. But the pace really never picks up and lives up to the promise of the beginnings.

It's difficult for me to put my finger on why i didn't really like this movie. Like i said before it's not bad and it was fairly entertaining. Perhaps my expectations were wrong? I expected something more fast-paced and hysterical, while this is a lot more sombre in pace. The good points are the actors, not that they're great but most of them are pretty good in their parts and many of them are quite funny. Also the action scenes are pretty well done. The negative parts is that i would have liked more action, a quicker pace and a lot less bewildering ending (without giving anything away).

I think most people who like action movies might like this one. It works pretty well, although there are quite a lot of things to improve. I give it a 6/10.