by Radcliff Durousseau

Created on: February 13, 2007   Last Updated: May 09, 2007

SMOKIN' ACES IS SMOKIN' HOT!

Smokin' Aces is smokin' hot. Writer/Director Joe Carnahan puts together an amazing ensemble cast to bring this action-comedy to life. Hollywood was ripe and ready for a follow up to Carnahan's highly regarded film Narc. The director floated around for a while and was attached to several projects including Mission Impossible 3, but none of them came to life. Then fans were excited to learn he had finally chosen a project and casting had begun.

The project was a script he wrote called "Smokin' Aces". The story revolves around a Las Vegas magician named Buddy "Aces" Israel. "Aces" makes several mob connections and soon finds himself in trouble with the Feds. He quickly decides to become a key witness for against a huge mob figure. The Mob orders a hit on "Aces" with a tag for one million dollars. The only stipulation is that his heart be removed when the contract is fulfilled. This is when the movie takes off and we are introduced to a motley crew of Hitmen, psychos, and bondsmen. The movie proceeds to follow the individual exploits of the various killers as they try to cancel "Aces" who is held up in the top floor of a Lake Tahoe resort. The FBI quickly sends two agents played by Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta who are charged with protecting Israel so he can make it to trial. As the movie kicks into high gear we're exposed to some twisted, calculated, and sometimes funny assassins. As the carnage begins the movie doesn't come up for air. You are tossed into an action packed adventure with a smooth twist at the end.
The cast consist of several named actors and several unknowns. Jeremy Piven plays Buddy Israel. Piven, who is usually cast to inject some of his wit and sarcasm into a character shines by doing just that at first. Then his character takes on a more dramatically depressed tone as he struggles with the decisions he has made. Ryan Reynolds has probably the second biggest part as Special Agent Messner. His character is the sidekick for the first half of the movie, but soon takes over as the shining light of what is good and right. Reynolds pulls back from his usual dead pan humor and plays it more intense in this role. As the fireworks begin so does his intensity and it follows through the rest of the film. Popular recording artists Alicia Keys, and Common make there Big Screen Debuts. Alicia Keys probably could have used her unrivaled beauty to nab any one of a dozen roles that would capitalize on her clean, angelic nature,

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