The Alternate Ending DVD Review: Smokin' Aces
Posted by Dave Tomlinson on 04.24.2007
Hookers, drug use, guns… oh and magic tricks. I’m totally there.
Smokin’ Aces
Film
Joe Carnahan certainly is a talented director. Especially with 2002’s superb “Narc”, he showed a real flair for telling a great story and character development. And while has another winner with “Smokin Aces”, he really should have given a cut of his salary to Quentin Tarantino. Tarantino is probably more responsible than anyone for creating this particular genre of film. You’d be hard-pressed to come up with a name for this genre, but you know what I mean. Stylish, over the top violence inter cut with snappy, hilarious dialogue. Guy Richie (“Snatch”, “Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels”) is another film maker who has benefited from and developed this genre, and movies like “The Transporter” series and “Unleashed” owe a similar debt.
“Aces” starts us off outside the home of Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin), the near death last mob boss in America. A couple of weary FBI agents (Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta) are in a surveillance van listening to his every word in the hopes they can get something on him to finally destroy La Cosa Nostra in the U.S. once and for all. When they overhear a contract being taken out on Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven), Las Vegas magician turned wannabe mob boss. Israel you see has cut a deal with the government to snitch on Sparazza in exchange for immunity. The contract is for a million dollars so we get a laundry list of assassins and hitters who decide to go for it. There’s the sassy black duo of ladies Georgia (Alicia Keys) and Sharice (Taraji P. Henson). The trio of nut case white supremacist brothers who prefer over the top methods, including a chainsaw. Pasqual “The Plague” Acosta (Nestor Carbonell), a premiere torturer who chewed his finger tips off in prison to avoid identification. Bail bondsman Jack Dupree (Ben Affleck) and his two ex cop buddies (Martin Henderson, Pete Berg) are hired by Rip Reed (Jason Bateman) to bring Israel in alive. Rounding out the crew of killers is Lazlo Soot (Tommy Flanagan), the master of disguise known for scoring hits on the un-hittable.
Meanwhile Messner (Reynolds) and Caruthers (Liotta) are high-tailing it to Lake Tahoe in the hopes of getting to Israel before he’s knocked off by one of the assassins gets to him. Their boss, FBI Director Stanley Locke (Andy Garcia) wants to make sure he’s protected while they hammer out the final details of the deal with Israel’s lawyer (Curtis Armstrong). And what is Israel doing during all this? He’s strung out on coke in the penthouse of a Lake Tahoe hotel with hookers in various stages of undress laying about in the hotel. Israel is torn up about snitching, not only on his bosses, but he’s giving up his own crew, including his right hand man Sir Ivy (Common).
With all the players in place the second act of the film is almost wall to wall action with each of the killer arriving at the hotel looking for a way up to the heavily guarded penthouse. Inside the penthouse, Sir Ivy is beginning to suspect that Buddy might be turning on him. Buddy meanwhile is clinging to the grips of his own sanity, as the coke begins to overwhelm him, plus his heart might not be able to take it. Meanwhile we see in flashback, the story of Sparazza and his various crimes, and the FBI’s attempt to take him down. This becomes important later, when Locke makes a shocking discovery that changes everything.
There certainly is a lot going on here, and a lesser director might have gotten lost in the plot. But, since he wrote the film too, Carnahan keeps everything in order and makes it just a blast to watch. The performances are good across the board, but a couple of them deserve special recognition. Ryan Reynolds really gives a surprisingly dramatic turn here, something I don’t recall seeing out of him in the past. Piven and Common are really the stars here though, as they have great chemistry together while we watch their relationship deteriorate, rather violently, in the hotel suite. Oh, and Israel’s card tricks and illusions are pretty cool too.
Extras:
Commentaries: Two on this one. The first is with Carnahan and the film editor. The second is with Carnahan and a few cast members. The cast one is worth a listen, Common is a lot of fun and pretty well spoken.
Deleted Scenes: As per usual, these tend to be cut for a reason. Every once in a while you come across a gem that should have been left in… not this time.
Outtakes: Flubbed lines and actors hamming it up are always fun.
Cowboy Ending: An Alternate Ending. Though not nearly as good as the one they used in the film.
The Line-Up: A profile of all the major characters with interviews from the actors. Worth watching once.
The Big Gun: A featurette about the filming of the movie hosted by Carnahan. He calls it his “intellectual drive-in”. I guess.
Shoot ‘em Up: Stunts and Effects: Just what the title says it is.
Tech Specs: Video
The flick looks great, especially the wide sweeping shots of Lake Tahoe which is beautiful countryside.
Audio
There’s a lot going on in this movie, but thankfully none of the dialogue gets lost in the many action scenes.
The 411: The over-the-top violence and drug use will probably turn people off. But if you liked “Pulp Fiction” or “Snatch” you’ll certainly get into this. The tone is a little different, but it’s just as much fun, and with taught direction and some really good performances, definitely worth the buy here.
