By Clint Morris

I initially thought Joe Carnahan’s “Smokin’ Aces” was a big disappointment – later, I realized it wasn’t so much a disappointment as it was, simply, not what I was expecting. I guess, looking back, I was expecting the all-star thriller to be either something like Carnahan’s “Narc” or, based on the massive all-star cast, something ‘fun’ … a’la “Ocean’s Eleven” sense. And I didn’t get either of those things. For all intents and purposes, the film was a sour but artistic fully-charged action-thriller that shared more in common with say, the excessively-visual and slightly fruit-loopy “Natural Born Killers” – or a drug trip – than an ‘’Ocean’s’’, or even a “Towering Inferno”. And I know most agree. But having seen the film a couple of times since on DVD, I can honestly say I don’t loathe it as much as I did. In fact, I might go so far as to say I’ve grown to appreciate it, maybe even enjoy it.

The performances in it – particularly from Ryan Reynolds, Ray Liotta, Common, and Australia’s Joel Edgerton – are rather stupendous, the production design is exquisite, and the story, though it could’ve slowed itself up and played just as well, if not better, is rather cool… and seemingly [now] captivating.

It’s funny how expectations can sometimes fuck with an experience.

Most will again be expecting something different from the new direct-to-DVD prequel “Smokin’ Aces: Assassin’s Ball” – in this case, they’ll be expecting a cheap, shitty knock-off.

And while the follow-up is understandably cheaper, and its story does share some similarity with the originals, it’s a flick that might just surprise some. Why? It’s actually good – quite good. Its power lies in the crafty screenplay (and the attraction of bringing back some of the original film’s returning characters – Lazlo Soot, and the Tremor Brothers).

Based on a story by Carnahan, and directed by P.J Pesce, this one fixes on an assuming medium-level desk jockey at the FBI, Walter Weed (Tom Berenger, as good as ever) who the bureau discovers has been targeted for extermination. Nobody - not even the target – knows why weed’s become a goal, only that they’re going to have their job cut out for them protecting him.

With every homicidal maniac in the business commissioned to knock him off – including a resourceful beauty who has a unique method of killing her prey (Martha Higareda), a power-tool wielding psychopath (Vinnie Jones), those pesky ‘Tremors’ from the first flick (well, every ‘Tremor’ but the one played by the now unattainable A-lister Chris Pine), and a deadly master of disguise (Tommy Flanagan reprising his role from the original film) – it’s not going to be an easy task to keep Weed out of harm’s way.

As with the first film, a couple of the characters have some skeletons in their closest – and they’re set free just in time for the twisty finale.

The film is slick, the performances are a blast (Great to see Tom Berenger back in a worthy flick; also nice turns from Autumn Reeser, David Richmond-Peck, and, from a rather-charming, Vinnie Jones), there’s enough ridiculous moments (clowns being shot out of canons!) to tide even the more fussier viewer over, and, most notably, the yarn is quite entrancing – possibly even more so than that of the original; it’s definitely easier to keep up with, and it’s got a terrific ending – as opposed to the first film’s rather slipshod ‘wtf!?’ conclusion.

All-in-all, this is a good flick…One of the better direct-to-DVD prequels/sequels produced in recent years. Don't expect anything from it, and it'll deliver.

Extras

Extras include deleted scenes, a gag reel, a behind-the-scenes featurette, a few technically-inclined featurettes, and an entertaining and insightful commentary by Carnahan and Pesce.