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Good story, Not enough for a whole film

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

Great movie. Not sure what people expected but I found it highly entertaining.

One of the most extraordinary films you will see this year. Take that as you want.

Victor Rosa(John Leguizamo)is a common dealer believing in the American dream and thinking about a new mogul to be him,one day the best friend of his girl introduces him one faking "business man" called Jack Wimmer(Skaarsgard)to convince him in blanking his illegal tender,the NASDAQ looked a good choice to chance his turbulent life,but when he thought in a new "yuppie" life along his beloved Carmen,the smart dealer fades away before the dark intentions of his new "friend",the predator is now the prey when Victor "invests" all his bucks plus US$ 1'500,000 borrowed by his main supporter "La Colombiana"(Isabella Rossellini),and when the new take-off fails he decides to take revenge against Jack and Trish(Denise Richards)slaying both deceivers with his own hands.Trying to make one last chance to get easy,his old dues are paid in the same way he decided to punish the betrayal both-some,maybe the director and the writers wanted to show a moral lesson:"when you come into a hard pathway,you won't come back for sure",maybe this flick is not "Scarface,"The Godfather" neither "Goodfellas",however it fulfills his right goals featuring Leguizamo in a good performance.

Although I am a fan of the leading cast, I may not have seen it if not for the fact that I grew up with Carlos Leon-the now famous, or rather, infamous "donor" of Madonna's (and his) first child, who plays Hector, and as a rival drug dealer gets it between the eyes.It's hard to suspend your disbelief when you know the guy, but even so, it worked for me-and for that reason. As a former city slicker, graffiti artist, general street punk, and now screenplay writer wannabe, I understand why critics and members here alike, took a stab it the flick. It was obviously low budget-but that isn't a bad thing, and it was well executed for the budget. Reyes gets my full respect for writing it-and for a new kid on the block, hit the street running. Sure, it's been done in one way or another, but most things have. The key to a film like this is that it's always new to some degree because every thug that strives to get out of the ghetto is still a different person, even if he goes about it in a way that isn't entirely unique. I went to Music and Art High School in Harlem, and being half Cuban and half white put me at odds with some ballbusters there. I know what a subway smells like in the heat of the summer as the stench of urine makes it's way up my nose, and what a loaded gun feels like to my face. I've puffed blunts before the terms was commercially known. This is why I give The Writer/Director 2 thumbs up. Because I also Grew up on the upper west side with my father in a doorman building, lurking in the streets uptown was my choice for thrill seeking. I can see why some mainstream white audience took potshots at this film, but they don't REALLY know the score. As someone who has some REAL stories to get out there myself, I hope to follow along the REAL VIBE. Sure, I know that I've got to be original and throw a few twists, but films like this will always have stereotypes because they do exist. It's cliché' cause it's true. My films will have a couple of strong stereotypes ... of course, and that's OK, it's about the struggle of the character, and the process of bringing it out in a way that does NOT require suspended disbelief. Keep it real.

In South Bronx, Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo) is a successful drug-dealer. The area is split among four gangs and he has the best share. Their unique supplier is the powerful La Colombiana (Isabella Rossellini). Victor has a girlfriend, Carmen (Delilah Cotto), who is in the university and is the best friend of Trish (Denise Richards). Denise is the girl-friend of Jack (Peter Sarsgaard), a young and successful banker. When Carmen gets pregnant of Victor, he decides to change his life and invest his money with Jack. Carmen and Victor moves to Soho, where Jack has an empty loft. However, Victor remains trapped to his origins, and has serious problems in his new life style and world. This film recalls David Mamet's `The Spanish Prisoner'. This movie gives a lesson, which is that we shall never forget our friends and our roots. I like gang movies, and this story really hooked my attention until the last scene. Although being an independent small budget movie, the cast is excellent, the direction is good and the screenplay is also great. The Brazilian Sonia Braga has a minor participation as Carmen's mother. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): `Império – Dois Mundos Colidem' (`Empire – Two Worlds Collide')

I think that this is a great film for a small budget. I don't think that this is any groundbreaking script, but for a cast of semi big names and a budget of only 3 million and something, this film was great.It had the elements to make the story without explosives, special effects and still be interesting. Sure, it could've been a stronger script, but I think that it was well delivered for the budget and the marketing that it had, which was almost none.I've seen many movies with a bigger budget and a far far far far horrible script and lots of marketing.Congrats to the staff and entire crew of Empire. I was overall pleased with the product.