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Empire [2002]
![Empire [2002]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51XE0NA6MFL._SL160_.jpg)
RRP: £9.99
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Editorial
Synopsis
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 legitimate businessman. When Victor discovers that his girlfriend Carmen (Delilah Cruz) is pregnant, he jumps at the chance to give up the dangerous drug trade and joins forces with two new friends, Jack (Peter Skarsgaard)--a flashy Wall Street Investment banker, and his girlfriend Trish (Denise Richards). Jack offers Victor a new way of life and promises him access to "sure thing" investments. Eager to go legit, Victor quickly embraces Jack's standards of living. He gives up the streets of the Bronx for Jack's slick Soho loft and moves into the fast-talking, money-driven world of Wall Street. However, Carmen misses the warmth and familiarity of her roots in the South Bronx and Victor is torn between his own ambition and his desire to please her. Ultimately, he realises too late that Jack and Trish are not all who they seem to be, and his best-laid plans begin to falter as he is forced to accept the magnitude of their betrayal.
Gangster flick with a heart
Review date: 2008-02-28 Rating: 10 out of 10
Leguizamo is a pleasure to watch in the movie. Supported by a strong cast this movie is a not half bad gangster flick with a heart. Overtones of Carlitto's Way but well worth a watch for a modern take on the gangsta genre.
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Reviews
Instantly forgettable
Review date: 2004-03-15 Rating: 4 out of 10
Seen it all before, this is your typical drug dealing gang film with a twist so predictable that you think it can't happen. The ending is obvious from the beginning and there's very little to keep us interested. I was hoping it was going to get better but alas... I couldn't even remember the name of the film to write a review of it this morning and actually had to check the DVD cover. Spend an hour and a half doing something else.
Average Drug Gangstar movie!
Review date: 2003-10-31 Rating: 4 out of 10
Drugs are bad. Violence is everywhere. Get-rich-quick schemes don't work. Okay, we get it! The Empire strikes out with a lot of life lessons we already know and stuff we've all seen before. When South Bronx drug dealer John Leguizamo finds a conscience after an innocent boy is killed, he decides that he wants to get off the streets. So, he hooks up with shady Wall Street investment banker Peter Sarsgaard, who can seemingly turn millions into billions. Writer-director Franc Reyes tries to deliver a moral message that living this kind of life ain't worth it. Problem is, Empire mistakenly glorifies the gunplay and interjects rabble-rousing humour that'll surely send a mixed signal. What's worse is that no one's entertained along the way. Well, unless you consider watching Denise Richards (as Sarsgaard's girlfriend) butcher one scene after another a form of entertainment
Product Details/Specifications
Actor(s):
John Leguizamo
Denise Richards
Vincent Laresca
Isabella Rossellini
Peter Sarsgaard
Creators:
John Leguizamo (Primary Contributor)
Peter Sarsgaard (Primary Contributor)
Director(s):
Recording label: 4 Front Video
Manufacturer: 4 Front Video
EAN: 5050582024296
Binding: DVD
Number of items: 1
Format: PAL, Widescreen,
Release date: 2003-10-20
Number of discs: 1
Aspect ratio: 2.35:1
Audience rating: Suitable for 15 years and over
Region code: 2
Running time: 95 minutes
Theatrical release date: 2002-12-06
Language: English (Original Language)
Language: Spanish (Original Language)