POISON SCOOTER

Smokin' Aces

When I first saw the trailer for Smokin' Aces, I was blown away. I thought that this was going to be one of the best "action" movies of the 2007 and that Ben Affleck might end up finally showing us that he can actually act. I was horribly, horribly disappointed. But I did get to see a ten year old with a boner and a few awesome shoot-em-up scenes that made the experience somewhat worthwhile.

The movie's plot is somewhat simple and you don't really pay attention to it until the end where they try to blow your mind but fail to. Jeremy Piven who can do no wrong in my eyes plays Buddy Israel, a David Copperfield-esque Vegas performer who has decided that he wants to play mob boss and make some more dough on the side. One of the top mafia guys decides that Israel has stepped over the line and makes a call to a man known only as the "Swede", setting up a million dollar bounty on Israel.

Ryan Reynolds enters the scene as an FBI agent hot on the trail of the bad guys, following a slew of mercenary killers to Reno as they race to claim the astronomical bounty on Israel's head. Israel has holed himself up in the penthouse suite of a Reno hotel because he has just decided to rat to the Feds and is laying low until his witness protection program kicks in.

The cast of "killers" ranges from a lesbian tag team, redneck electro-punk nazi wierdos, a master of disguise and a few other stereotypes. All lend their own little flavor to the movie; I found the rednecks to be the most annoying because you can't really tell what they're supposed to be.

This is a movie that promised the world and only gave us a piece of dirt. Okay maybe a handful--there are redeeming moments that will keep you somewhat amused.

posted by jooliepoison @ 3:27 PM