Smokin' Aces is just one in a long series of copycat films that try to replicate the Tarantino formula but fall down flat.
The movie is about a Las Vegas performer-turned-snitch called Buddy Israel (Jeremy Piven) who decides to testify against the mob.
It then becomes a race against time as FBI agents try to protect their key witness while various assassins attempt to kill the snitch for a hefty sum.
Expect a gang of neo nazis, a pair of black hit-women and a master of disguise among many others who all face off against each other to get to the hit and the ensuing carnage is definitely the film's highlight.
Come the final half hour, the movie builds into its inevitable crescendo and, as the bullets start to fly, the death count starts to rise in some scenes, which are a little reminiscent of True Romance's epic and classic shootout.
In fact, it is fair to say that Smokin' Aces has some nice touches but it quickly becomes apparent that stylisation, clever editing, sharp dialogue and a star-studded cast have all taken precedence over a clear and coherent plot.
Put simply, writer-director Joe Carnahan was trying too hard and was not quite ready to graduate from the school of Tarantino.
Better luck next time.
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