From cocky entrepreneur of the drug
world to duped chump of the investments
bankers world, and from the hard-talking
gun-slinging thug to clean-cut family man,
John Leguizamo runs the gamut of
clichéd character types and trite
situations in this debut film by
musician/choreographer turned
writer/director Franc Reyes. Leguizamo
stars as a pint-sized Latino who has
worked his way up the illegitimate ladder
to a ruthless and respected leader of
Empire, one of the four narcotics gangs in
South Bronx, while having his eyes on the
monetary prize over each rung. Once his
pregnant girlfriend and a seemingly
sincere businessman tempt his greedy
ways and American dream desires, the
ignorant gangster gets in over his head
and so far out of control that only this
makeshift and overtly predictable
Hollywood ending can remedy the
situation in an impossible matter of
moments. Since this is the first feature by
the new Latino production company
Arenas Entertainment, and by Reyes, Ill
grant more forgiveness to the dull,
urine-color tinted cinematography and
unimaginative plot. If these filmmakers
want to make an empire of their own in
Hollywood, theyll have to do much better
with their next cinematic attempt.