(POSSIBLE PLOT SPOLIERS) John Leguizamo is a talented actor. Don't believe me? Look at his two roles in the Baz Lurhman directed films MOULIN ROUGE as Toulouse Lautroc the French dwarf and as Tybalt in ROMEO & JULLIET. He was also good in Brian De Palma's CARLITO'S WAY, and even doing a voice over of Sid in ICE AGE. So why not give Mr. Leguizamo his break and give him a leading role in a film? I'm all for that, I'll sign the petition that will cast Leguizamo as the leading man. He's more human than most action stars. Granted, he got top billing in Spike Lee's SUMMER OF SAM, but he was part of the four person cast of Mira Sorvino, Adrien Brody and Jennifer Espiseido. But why put him in as the lead in such a silly movie like EMPIRE? The trailer for EMPIRE has the movie being about Vic Rosa (Leguizamo) a man who trusts and invests his millions of drug earned money into a stock deal set up by Jack (Peter Sarsgaard). It turns out that Jack conned Vic, and Jack ran off with Vic's millions. Now Vic wants revenge. Is that the plot, sort of. But after timing the film, that doesn't happen until the end of the third reel of the 5 1/2 reel film. So what is this film about? Sadly, if you've seen one film where the main character deals with: "everytime I try to leave, they just pull me back in" crisis, then you've seen EMPIRE. Granted, De Palma's CARLITO'S WAY was the same way, but that film due to De Palma's pacing and directing made it more unique and enjoyable, not to forget the acting by both Al Pacino and Sean Penn.
Vic is a drug dealer in the Bronx who sells LSD, PCP, one of those drugs where you lick a piece of paper and get high (sorry, I'm not into the drug culture, and I don't want to be). Vic is a nice drug dealer, he gives some neighborhood boys a Playstation 2 if they wash his car for the next month, then goes after the boys' mother who took their money for her personal reasons. Vic has a pretty girlfriend, Carmen (Delilah Cotto) who is going to school and trying to live a good life. Carmen's classmate, Trish (Denise Richards) invites Carmen to attend one of her parties at her boyfriend's place. Vic and Carmen go, meet Trish's boyfriend, Jack, and Vic and Jack have a buddy relationship that turns sour after realizing the greed for the root of all evil, money. Universal originally had this film schedule for release in February of 2003, but I'm guessing since the box office intake of 8 MILE for it's opening weekend wasn't good enough, they pushed this film up so they can have another Holiday release for more box office gold. Well, it's not going to work. This is a movie where at times it tries really hard to be good, and it succeeds, like Leguizamo's acting and the cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau are very good and impressive. But it's the other things that ruin EMPIRE, most notably the acting. Peter Sarsgaard is a good actor, look at SALTON SEA, but here he reminded me too much of Topher Grace and his character in TRAFFIC. Sadly, I wasn't the only person in the audience who thought of that. Delilah Cotto is attractive and pretty, but her acting was too much similar to Marisa Tomei. It was depressing to see former screen beauties Sonia Braga and Isabella Rossellini playing old lady characters. Are these the same sexy females from KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and BLUE VELVET? But the campiest and hysterical bad award goes to Mrs. Sheen (Denise Richards). You haven't lived a full life until you see Richards wearing a black afro wig, and trying to be serious about it. And this is the same person that complained about her image on the UNDERCOVER BROTHER poster that brought out the assets on her?(sorry for the pun)
I can't blame Franc Reyes, it's is first time and that is understandable. He does have some good ideas and there are some scenes that can work. But with the standard protagonist trying to break out of the crime world plot that has been seen too many times, it doesn't make EMPIRE anything unique. Allthough, I'm still laughing from remembering that image of Denise Richards with the afro, it stll cracks me up.
There are so many other good movies out this season, HARRY POTTER, 007, SANTA CLUASE 2, FAR FROM HEAVEN, FRIDA, etc. Even if you're looking for a good action flick, DIE ANOTHER DAY is a good film, or wait for TWO TOWERS or GANGS OF NEW YORK. But for EMPIRE, if you are a devoted fan of Leguizamo (and I mean even watching his sort-lived but good t.v. sitcom of Fox several years ago), then this is at least worth seeing for his performance as a lead. But if you're looking for a action filled, rap music soundtrack, no nonsense, in yo face film.... look somewhere else. You won't find it here. And I'm still laughing at the image of Denise Richards with the afro. **1/2 (out of five)
Vic is a drug dealer in the Bronx who sells LSD, PCP, one of those drugs where you lick a piece of paper and get high (sorry, I'm not into the drug culture, and I don't want to be). Vic is a nice drug dealer, he gives some neighborhood boys a Playstation 2 if they wash his car for the next month, then goes after the boys' mother who took their money for her personal reasons. Vic has a pretty girlfriend, Carmen (Delilah Cotto) who is going to school and trying to live a good life. Carmen's classmate, Trish (Denise Richards) invites Carmen to attend one of her parties at her boyfriend's place. Vic and Carmen go, meet Trish's boyfriend, Jack, and Vic and Jack have a buddy relationship that turns sour after realizing the greed for the root of all evil, money. Universal originally had this film schedule for release in February of 2003, but I'm guessing since the box office intake of 8 MILE for it's opening weekend wasn't good enough, they pushed this film up so they can have another Holiday release for more box office gold. Well, it's not going to work. This is a movie where at times it tries really hard to be good, and it succeeds, like Leguizamo's acting and the cinematography by Kramer Morgenthau are very good and impressive. But it's the other things that ruin EMPIRE, most notably the acting. Peter Sarsgaard is a good actor, look at SALTON SEA, but here he reminded me too much of Topher Grace and his character in TRAFFIC. Sadly, I wasn't the only person in the audience who thought of that. Delilah Cotto is attractive and pretty, but her acting was too much similar to Marisa Tomei. It was depressing to see former screen beauties Sonia Braga and Isabella Rossellini playing old lady characters. Are these the same sexy females from KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN and BLUE VELVET? But the campiest and hysterical bad award goes to Mrs. Sheen (Denise Richards). You haven't lived a full life until you see Richards wearing a black afro wig, and trying to be serious about it. And this is the same person that complained about her image on the UNDERCOVER BROTHER poster that brought out the assets on her?(sorry for the pun)
I can't blame Franc Reyes, it's is first time and that is understandable. He does have some good ideas and there are some scenes that can work. But with the standard protagonist trying to break out of the crime world plot that has been seen too many times, it doesn't make EMPIRE anything unique. Allthough, I'm still laughing from remembering that image of Denise Richards with the afro, it stll cracks me up.
There are so many other good movies out this season, HARRY POTTER, 007, SANTA CLUASE 2, FAR FROM HEAVEN, FRIDA, etc. Even if you're looking for a good action flick, DIE ANOTHER DAY is a good film, or wait for TWO TOWERS or GANGS OF NEW YORK. But for EMPIRE, if you are a devoted fan of Leguizamo (and I mean even watching his sort-lived but good t.v. sitcom of Fox several years ago), then this is at least worth seeing for his performance as a lead. But if you're looking for a action filled, rap music soundtrack, no nonsense, in yo face film.... look somewhere else. You won't find it here. And I'm still laughing at the image of Denise Richards with the afro. **1/2 (out of five)