Written and directed by Joe Carnahan, Smokin’ Aces is a lot of things. It’s a dark comedy, light action drama, and crime thriller. Unfortunately, something critical is missing from that list: entertaining. It has a chance with the right audience, but this dull exercise wants to be far more intelligent than it really is.

Smokin’ Aces is a basic concept, convoluted by numerous useless characters in an attempt to keep the audiences paying attention to every word even when it means nothing in the end. Buddy Israel, brilliantly played by Jeremy Piven, has made a deal with the FBI to rat out the mob. This leads to a number of contract killers looking to take his life, which leads to numerous dialogue exchanges until the eventual action takes place.

The biggest problem is that the finale, easily the best part of this one in terms of acting, directing, and plot, really invalidates much of what the viewer has seen. Some of the contract killers are given extensive screen time and have nothing to do with the overall story line. They exist solely to take part in the film's single action scene with any substance behind it. Even this disappoints.

Putting the pieces together in the end reveals a tightly wound twist that prevents any gaping holes in the story. Ryan Reynolds becomes a key character, wonderfully playing a FBI agent. In fact, all of the performances are believable.

The tone shifts all over the place, ranging from a sick, twisted comedy at one point, into an emotional drama near the end. It’s hard to become involved in the film, not knowing if what you’re watching it meant to be taken seriously or is beginning the shift towards becoming a serious crime drama. Scenes of a hyperactive kid become some of the most bizarre you’ll ever see in a wide release Hollywood film, and waste screen time with only minor laughs in a movie that consistently is filled with useless moments.

Smokin’ Aces will definitely have an audience, though it’s a film that will have no middle ground in terms of how entertained you were. Most will enjoy the multiple twists in the final 15 minutes. Unfortunately, that’s about all there is to find here in terms of any value.

Encoded in a sharp VC-1 transfer, the film’s bright, crisp look translates beautifully to the format. Color is simply stunning, and black levels show loads of depth. Detail in close ups are astonishing. It runs into trouble with solid backdrops that make grain and mild compression artifacts more visible than they should be. Contrast is set high, though this is an intentional effect matching the wild choice of style in the color.