Smokin' Aces

When the DVD arrived in the mail yesterday, my first thought was not remembering that I had ordered this movie. After watching I was left wondering why. Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, in 2006, his only previous script of note was Narc.

The story is about how all of these super assassins try to kill this mob snitch named Buddy Israel, played by Jeremy Piven.

Other known actors in the movie are:

• Ryan Reynolds as Richard Messner, Liotta's partner, he lives
• Ray Liotta as Donald Carruthers, dies in elevator shootout
• Jeremy Piven as Buddy Israel, the Las Vegas entertainer turned hood, dies before the FBI can have is heart cut out for installation in is Don father.
• Wayne Newton as Himself, fat non-dancer as himself, cameo
• Ben Affleck as Jack Dupree, the bounty hunter, quick exit
• Peter Berg as "Pistol" Pete Deeks, he used to be in Chicago Hope, played Billy, he dies very early too
• Alicia Keys as Georgia Sykes, the shapely black assassin, she lives but only after being shot twice in the elevator
• Common as Sir Ivy, the loyal muscle, gets to carry off Alicia Keys, oh-my
• Jason Bateman as Rupert 'Rip' Reed, funny as the scumbag bail bondsman
• Andy Garcia as Stanley Locke, the uptight, lying FBI department head, he lives
• Zach Cumer as Warren, the karate boy, numchuck swinging brat

To save you the trouble of watching. Ben Affleck dies right off the bat. None of the assassins succeed, but do kill dozens in the trying. The aged mob boss is really a forgotten FBI plant. And finally, a disgusted FBI agent kills Buddy Israel and his mob boss father in the hospital.

For me the most amusing character was Warren, the ADD child who lives with his grandmother. "Am I going to have to ball this thing up?"

Score 9 of 50, this movie is serious crap, do not rent it.

• Character Development 1 out of 10, you live or you die
• Acting 2 out of 10
• Photography, cinematography 2 out of 10
• Writing, script 1 out of 10, this looks like the original Ocean's 11, a bunch of friends got together and made a movie one weekend.
• Concept 3 out of 10