Smokin' Aces marks the return of director Joe Carnahan, the gritty film maker responsible for 2002's excellent (and edgy) crime thriller Narc. After that movie made a huge splash at the Sundance Film Festival, Tom Cruise slapped his name on it as an executive producer, then immediately began courting Carnahan to direct Mission Impossible III. After a couple of years in development hell, Carnahan left MI:III (it would eventually be directed by J.J, Abrams) and disappeared for a while. Now he's back with a brand new movie.

In Smokin' Aces, Jeremy Piven plays Buddy "Aces" Israel, a Las Vegas performer turned informer who finds himself in hot water when he agrees to testify against the mob. Before testifying, he decides one last big hurrah is in order, but this proves to be a bad plan as Israel quickly finds himself hunted by an angry army of individuals including a couple of FBI agents (Ryan Reynolds and Ray Liotta), a bail bondsman (Ben Affleck) and a cadre of colorful characters out to better their own lots (Alicia Keys, Taraji P. Henson, Chris Pine, Kevin Durand, Maury Sterling, Martin Henderson, Peter Berg, and Nestor Carbonell). Of course, in order to get to Israel, this confederation of gun-toting thugs must first tend with Aces' ruthless henchman (played by Common and Christopher Michael Holley). It all culminates in a plasma-painted standoff of epic proportions.

The entire cast is extremely lively bringing their own style to the table. Piven is outstanding fusing the wit of his Entourage character with a sleazy, low life demeanor, but he also provides a dramatic edge as well. Ryan Reynolds (whom I'm generally not a fan of) delivers his best work as FBI agent Richard Messner. His smart ass mentality really works in this picture. Common proves once again that rap artists make damn good movie stars. His tough, street-savvy Sir Ivy is one of the more intimidating characters in the film. Of the entire cast though, it is Jason Bateman who appears to be having the best time as a drugged out lawyer. He's just a hoot in this picture.

Smokin' Aces couldn't be any more different from Narc in terms of overall style. Whereas Narc was gritty and dirty (kind of like a Martin Scorsese film), this flick is more stylized and moves at a hyper kinetic clip (like Lock, Stock and Two Smoking Barrels only with better writing). Smokin' Aces has taken a beating in some circles and has been called everything from a hollow actioneer to a low rent Quentin Tarantino knock-off. This flick does lack the sheer colorful wordplay that makes Tarantino's films so memorable, but it's hardly a hollow actioneer. This film is far more lively than many other pictures I've seen in this genre (including the works of Guy Ritchie), and it's relentless pacing always kept me involved.

Carnahan also wrote this picture (it's based on a comic book), but it's his energetic, high octane direction that's worth noting. Smokin' Aces is ultra violent and silly (bringing to mind last year's Running Scared) but it's a hell of a fun time.

Grade: B