Empire

Set in the slums of the South Bronx, one of many New York neighborhoods most Caucasians steer clear from, Empire is an uninspired gangster movie that plays like a modern-day retelling of superior crime films such as Scarface and Carlito’s Way. The problem is Empire, lacks the craft and intelligence of both De Palma movies. First time writer-director Franc Reyes seems more intent on illustrating the daily violence in a drug-lord’s life than tending to his plot’s rationality. And while the filmmaker succeeds in depicting the grittiness of the South Bronx, when it comes to sensible storylines, his debut film suffers.

Empire is the first movie to be released by new Latino film label, Arenas Entertainment. The company’s purpose is to fund, promote, and release Latino filmmakers’ projects. Arenas might have been better off releasing a less flashy movie, something along the lines of last spring’s Nine Queens, as their first offering.

With fast-cuts, senselessly stylized violence, and taboo rap tracks playing as bullets are being fired, Empire should have gone straight-to-video. But with names like Denise Richards, Fat Joe, and John Leguizamo, a video release wouldn’t be wise for Arenas’ parent studio, Universal.

Leguizamo stars as Victor Rosa, an entrepreneur with one goal in life: to make money. Victor is one of the city’s largest drug kingpins and firmly believes in the American Dream of acquiring as much money as possible by using any means necessary. When a chance to diversify comes about, in the form of snaky Wall St. financial advisor Jack Wimmer (Peter Sarsgaard), Victor slides back and forth between two lifestyles, one of the streets and another of lush SoHo apartments, trying to make the best decision to suit him and his pregnant girlfriend (Delilah Cotto).

Like many movies purporting to be accurate portrayals of a drug dealer’s life, Empire doesn’t give much insight or shed new light on the dealers’ business. Rather, the film feels like Reyes watched many a movies about crime and drug-lords as opposed to observing living ones. No one expects Mr. Reyes to hangout with mob bosses, but his lack of research strips Empire of any authenticity. Shaun Sages

GRADE: C

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