Review of Smokin' Aces (2006) by Andy T — 13 May 2014

You couldnâ??t get a much better set up for an action film than this; Vegas magician/Mafiosa Buddy â??Acesâ?? Israel decides to sell out a major mob boss and hides out in a penthouse suite of a hotel. A bounty of $1million is put on his head so a collection of assassins, each with varying styles, head to the hotel with the aim of collecting the bounty, whilst two FBI agents have to try and get to Israel before the killers do. The assassins fill your quota of stereotypes, the sexy femme fatale, a master of disguise, a renowned torturer and a bunch of neo-Nazi psychopaths. All of which leads you to think you are in for a fun filled riot, with bullets flying and blood a-plenty. Sadly this is not the case. Smoking Aces has ideas above its station and tries to add too much depth to a concept which should be superficial and fun.

Some scenes feel completely out of place, such as one subplot featuring an injured assassin crawling for help at a nearby house only to be greeted by an old lady and her grandson, both so weird that they are more suited to The Texas Chain Saw Massacre than a crime thriller. Though the plot is a bit of a disappointment note should be made of the acting talent which was superb, particularly newcomer, RnB singer, Alicia Keys, who may well have a strong acting career ahead of her.

Comparisons have been made between Aces and Guy Ritchieâ??s films; I think this is a perfect allegory, when considered through his entire career. It starts off good humoured and enjoyable with great comedy gangster characters (a la Lock, Stock and Snatch), but soon shoves its head so far up it own pretentious arse it can smell its own tongue (Revolver). Sitting as it does, between these films, it is overall an ok film, never reaching the heights of Snatch, but not sinking to the devastating lows as Revolver.