I remember seeing the trailer for Smokin’ Aces, but I don’t recall the trailer itself. I even remember staring at the one-sheet while my friend and I stood in line to see The Queen, immediately after we exited a screening of Babel. As I stood there, aggressively depressed for some reason I don’t recall and attracted to the brightly colored imagery, I pointed at the poster and said, “I kind of want to see that.” She replied with an equally repressed enthusiasm channeling the most adjective-less film critic (Peter Travers, I’m looking at you), “Yes, it looks like a fun romp.”

Thinking back to this exchange brings a smile to my face for a number of reasons, but mostly because, as I was watching Smokin’ Aces for the first time, alone, drunk and on DVD, all I could think about was her critique – because it’s actually quite true. It’s a fun romp. Many will like it, but no one would ever classify it as the best film they ever saw.

The set-up is simple. Buddy “Aces” Israel (Jeremy Piven, HBO’s Entourage) is Las Vegas entertainer of the year – he’s also a mafia insider. Things turn sour for both explained and unexplained reasons. Israel has turned State’s evidence, joined witness protection and is ratting out his mafia friends to the Feds.  This doesn’t sit well for anyone that could be facing a long time surrounded by concrete walls, provided Israel safely gets back to police care, so the current aging Don places a $1 Million dollar price tag on his head (and his heart).

Enter a rogues gallery of villainous hitmen and women, some more respectable than others and all of which are so cartoonish that Batman’s enemies would feel right at home with them. Acosta (Nestor Carbonell), a torture specialist. Soot (Tommy Flanagan), master of disguise. The Tremors, three bat-shit insane Neo-Nazi murderers (Kevin Durand, Chris Pine and Maury Sterling) that dress in retro post-apocalyptic styled gear (think The Hills Have Eyes or The Road Warrior). Finally, the lesbian feminist duo of Sykes (Alicia Keys) and Watters (Taraji Henson) are probably the most intelligent of the assassins.

But they aren’t the only guns with their sights on, ahem, Smokin’ Aces (get it?). In addition to the would-be assassins, we also have a crew of bounty hunters willing to give this job a go. These are led by Jack Dupree (Ben Affleck) a bail bondsman that figures he can make some good money on this job. Following them and the hitmen, are the Feds. Heading up that operation is Donald Caruthers (Ray Liotta) and Richard Messner (Ryan Reynolds). I hope you’re keeping notes on the actors, because there are a ton, and there are even more big-named supporting characters that I haven’t even mentioned.

All of the characters know where Israel is, making him something of a sitting duck. But none of them have any idea how many people are on this case. It’s in this fact that the audience gets to have the enjoyment, because you’re constantly waiting to see what characters cross who, and will they notice each other or kill each other, or team up, or what? There are a significant number of red herrings thrown at the viewer. Not enough to provide a deeper meaning for it all, but enough to keep you on your toes so there's more to do than watch bullets fly.

Comparisons have no doubt been made to Guy Ritchie films, particularly Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels and Snatch. Those comparisons are warranted, because they are also crime films with a sense of very dark humor. However, watching Smokin’ Aces, I was more reminded of the classic comedy, It’s A Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World (more recently remade as Rat Race). I’m reminded of this film due to its overwhelming cast of characters and their constant interaction with one another on their way to their end goal, which like in Smokin’ Aces, is of the financial variety, only here the challenge is life-threatening, illegal and very, very bloody..

Which leads me to another point. Make no mistake, this movie is exceptionally violent. Bullets will go whizzing through people, digits will be severed. It doesn’t matter how big-time the actor is, or how unshakable the character he/she plays seems. Everyone is at risk in this. To me, this all made the guessing game that much more fun, but for people sensitive to graphic violence, you shouldn’t even bother to rent Smokin’ Aces.

The reason I mentioned my friend’s “romp” description, is because that is what the centralized feel of the film is. It’s too unreal to think that events like this could ever take place, and if they did, they certainly wouldn’t be played out with the utter disregard for inconspicuousness that these characters have. But, at least while you’re watching the film, you forget how ridiculously plotted the film is and concentrate more on just enjoying the absurdity of it all. It’s certainly a movie that will give you scenes to talk about around the water cooler with your friends at work. Find some way to watch Smokin’ Aces. It’s not for everyone, but you should at least give it a try.

The DVD Presentation
Smokin’ Aces is a goddamned colorful film, as something set in Las Vegas and which attempts to be so flamboyantly over-the-top should be. Universal’s DVD replicates that look well with a pristine anamorphic transfer (a full-frame version is available separately) that represents a perfectly solid viewing experience. The audio is your 5.1 surround mix, now standard on almost every title, and while not a unique experience, it does create an enveloping atmosphere, particularly when bullets start whizzing by in close proximity. You’ll feel it. Subtitles are available in English, French and Spanish for those that require them.

And the Extras Are?
Audio Commentary with writer/director Joe Carnahan and editor Robert Frazen –
This was a really good commentary track. Carnahan and Frazen start off with the too-often used self-congratulatory bullshit. “This is great.” “This actor was great.” etc. However, it quickly becomes a cool self-critical examination of what they left in and out and an inside look at the editing process. I definitely appreciated both guys' senses of humor, which obviously combine well for some great storytelling. It’s been a while since I heard a commentary where someone says anything similar to “Ray Liotta acts like he just wants to get the fuck out of the scene. Get in. Act. Get out.” Awesome.

Audio Commentary with writer/director Joe Carnahan, Common, Christopher Holley and Zach Cumer –
This second commentary doesn’t fare as well. Mostly because it seems incredibly unnecessary after the first one, and the supplemental cast that’s included here doesn't really add much to the mix. Stick with the first.

Four deleted and extended scenes – (9:34)
The four scenes included don’t add much to things, although a couple of them do fill in a few holes. The trouble is they are holes that you never would have looked to have filled. Sometimes I don’t care how a character gets from one place to another. I just want to see them there. Those sorts of holes just don’t interest me. I did enjoy the “Longer Bar Sequence,” though, which, while unnecessary was a lot of fun. I enjoyed listening to off screen characters bitch about each other.

Outtakes – (9:28)
I would like to say I found these outtakes amusing, but outside of the false starts staring the ever-remaining-in-character Andy Garcia, most of these barely got a smile out of me.

Cowboy Ending – (1:04)
A much, much shorter version of the ending. The same event ultimately happens, just quicker and slightly differently. I prefer the theatrical ending, though.

The Line-Up –
Five brief clips with actors talking about the characters they play. Here’s your EPK fluff, people.

The Big Gun – (11:52)
A bit meatier than those mini-bits in “The Line-Up,” this slightly longer feature follows director Joe Carnahan. He seems like the clichéd “kid-in-candy-store” type guy, having a ton of fun just making movies. It doesn’t reveal any deep insights to the filmmaking process, but it does go into depth about how Smokin’ Aces came to exist.

Shoot ‘Em Up: Stunts & Effects – (4:52)
This feature shows the weaponry featured in the film, along with the training that the actors had to go through, as well as the joys of dealing with squibs. There are spoilers here, though, so watch it after the film for sure.

Trailers –
Some trailers auto play when you boot up the DVD. These include DVD trailers for Children Of Men, Alpha Dog, the Director’s Cut of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, The Hitcher remake, Season Three of Las Vegas, an ad for HD-DVD, the NBC TV series Heroes and the recent theatrical release Hot Fuzz. Interestingly enough, these are not selectable from the menus.

The Bottom Line
Smokin’ Aces certainly wasn’t what I expected it to be. The comedy is as dark as it gets. There is absolutely no regard to who lives or dies (which is good, because it keeps you guessing and you can’t rely on star-power), and the story has a definite left-field finale that I didn’t see coming.

If you’re a fan of Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels, Reservoir Dogs and similar films, then you are sure to find enjoyment in this. It’s certainly a crime film like few others I’ve seen from Hollywood recently.