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Empire
2002
EMPIRE, the debut film from director-writer Frank Reyes is a Latin GOODFELLAS, chronicling the rise and fall of Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo), a Puerto Rican drug-dealer working the violent streets of the South Bronx. With an eye for money and a head for business, Victor dreams of one day achieving the wealth and success of a .. Read more
| Starring | John Leguizamo, Denise Richards, Peter Sarsgaard, Delilah Cotto |
|---|---|
| Director | Franc Reyes |
| Genres | Thriller |
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Critics' reviews
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Urban dramas don't get any more derivative than this hackneyed debut from writer/director Franc Reyes. Starring John Leguizamo, who also acts as co-producer, it tells the story of a South Bronx drugs dealer who teams up with a Wall Street hotshot (a slimy Peter Sarsgaard) to try to escape the ghetto. While Leguizamo runs rings around his co-stars in the central role, the mediocrity of the plot does him no favours. It's full of holes and entirely predictable, with an unimaginative reliance on stereotypes instead of fully-fleshed characters. Ultimately, for all its slick cinematography, there's just no heart in Reyes's film, making it hard to empathise as violent and tragic events unfold.
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Most helpful members' reviews (3)
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Very much style over substance. The film is really let down by the insertion of a "twist" so predictable that you assume it won't happen. Not awful, but a waste of time.
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a "seen it all before" movie, usual tale of drug dealing gangs etc etc with a completely predictable ending from the word go. Don't waste your time.
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Really Good Film
I really enjoyed this film. Good performances all round from the main leads and for once I didn't know what was going to happen at the end.
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Most recent members' reviews (2)
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Intriging insight into the life of a drug dealer, trying to go straight. The film had it moment but really lost a real direction. Story line a bit pedictable. But it is watchable if only to pass the time.
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Predictable
The film sets out the scene very well; drug dealers in the Bronx trying to make a living. Unfortunately, halfway through the film, you can predict the ending.
It is none the less a very entertaining film and believable too, without having an impossible plot. If your type of film is gangster-drug dealing films, you'll enjoy this one. It also has a realistic side to it which will appeal to a wider audience.
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4 out of 4 people found this review helpful
Very much style over substance. The film is really let down by the insertion of a "twist" so predictable that you assume it won't happen. Not awful, but a waste of time.
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3 out of 3 people found this review helpful
This is a "seen it all before" movie, usual tale of drug dealing gangs etc etc with a completely predictable ending from the word go. Don't waste your time.
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2 out of 3 people found this review helpful
Really Good Film
I really enjoyed this film. Good performances all round from the main leads and for once I didn't know what was going to happen at the end.
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Intriging insight into the life of a drug dealer, trying to go straight. The film had it moment but really lost a real direction. Story line a bit pedictable. But it is watchable if only to pass the time.
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1 out of 1 person found this review helpful
Predictable
The film sets out the scene very well; drug dealers in the Bronx trying to make a living. Unfortunately, halfway through the film, you can predict the ending.
It is none the less a very entertaining film and believable too, without having an impossible plot. If your type of film is gangster-drug dealing films, you'll enjoy this one. It also has a realistic side to it which will appeal to a wider audience. -
Starts off very well and builds up suspense, however the second half becomes predictable and the ending is sadly no surprise.
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Usual tale of drug dealing.Engaging performances especially from the lead and worth seeing,if only for Denise Richards getting her just payback for those awful hair/make up ads.
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1 out of 2 people found this review helpful
Had to stop watching after 10 mins as language was so bad - beyond that neccessary for effect. It appeared that everybody was called oedipus (at least in the vernacular)
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Predictable & waste of time.
Everything is 'fu*king sh*t' in this film. The language was so bad that I was disturbed. I felt it unnecessary that they use that sort of language to that extent. But I watched it till the end anyway, and I thought what a waste of time it was. The story line is very predictable and I just knew what was going to happen and wasn't surprised at the end.
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dont bother
this film was switched off after about 20 minutes. Just could not get into it at all.
Critics' reviews
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Urban dramas don't get any more derivative than this hackneyed debut from writer/director Franc Reyes. Starring John Leguizamo, who also acts as co-producer, it tells the story of a South Bronx drugs dealer who teams up with a Wall Street hotshot (a slimy Peter Sarsgaard) to try to escape the ghetto. While Leguizamo runs rings around his co-stars in the central role, the mediocrity of the plot does him no favours. It's full of holes and entirely predictable, with an unimaginative reliance on stereotypes instead of fully-fleshed characters. Ultimately, for all its slick cinematography, there's just no heart in Reyes's film, making it hard to empathise as violent and tragic events unfold.
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