Review of Smokin' Aces 2: Assassins' Ball (2010) by Jc E — 22 Aug 2010

So, if you are like me, there was something strangely satisfying about ?Smokin? Aces?. Perhaps it was the idea of bringing together such whacky assassins for a mob hit with a big payout, or the fact that it featured performances outside the typecasts of those like Ryan Reynolds, Chris Pine, Alicia Keys, or Jason Bateman.

However, what that film achieved is merely copied with poor-man?s actors and inadequately so in this prequel featuring few of the original characters. And even though members of the strangely hilarious Tremor clan make appearances in this film, they come across as merely white trash neo-Nazis that barely can speak English, rather than the deranged psychopaths from the original.

Plus, the hit isn?t nearly as palatable as the hit in the original, the political leanings of the film are whacky, and the lead in Tom Berenger (Inception) isn?t very amiable. It?s sad when Vinnie Jones (X-Men: The Last Stand) and Mexican actress Martha Higareda are the only two appealing characters, and they don?t have near enough screen time.

If you were a fan of the Joe Carnahan?s original, you?ll be bored with this one. If you weren?t a fan, avoid this altogether.