Photo by: Universal Pictures

Don’t be fooled by the lengthy cast of superstars, action packed trailer and promising premise of “Smokin’ Aces.”

While at a glance the movie seems to aspire to cult classic status, it falls substantially short.

The movie begins with anti-mob FBI agents Donald Carruthers (Ray Liotta) and Richard Messner (Ryan Reynolds) on a stake-out during which they overhear plans for a $1 million hit on Buddy “Aces” Israell (Jeremy Piven), a key witness in an upcoming trial of infamous mob boss Primo Sparazza (Joseph Ruskin).

From there, the plot becomes increasingly confusing and hard to follow as audiences are introduced sporadically to one character after another.

These include a group of three deranged men with a thirst for excessive violence, two young black women with extremely powerful weapons, and a man who is highly skilled at unrecognizably disguising himself.

Piven plays the same guy he seems to play in every role he has been in – an annoyingly arrogant jerk who thinks that the world revolves around him.

In short, he’s the guy you love to hate. You don’t seem to mind that four groups of highly skilled bounty hunters are all planning to rip him to shreds.

Sadly, there isn’t really any character that you find yourself actually caring about.

There are so many characters and so much plot explanation that there just isn’t time to really develop any of them. By the end of the film, you find yourself not really caring who lives or dies.

Many of them die in the impending battle between the rival bounty hunters for the $1 million prize and the FBI agents, who are trying to protect their key witness.

The police officers come across as completely ignorant fools as they bumble around following the trails of the bounty hunters.

They seem to have all of the equipment and artillery to protect Israel, but none of the common sense.

One of the greatest disappointments is that acting veterans Ray Liotta and Andy Garcia are reduced to playing characters that don’t have much depth.

Both actors have had experience in films dealing with the mob, Liotta in “Goodfellas” and Garcia in “The Untouchables.”

Ironically enough, they make reference to the crusades of Eliot Ness and his Untouchables, one of whom Garcia played in the movie.

Locke has a terrible southern accent that has no real reason for being there except possibly that the writers felt he needed an interesting quirk. It does nothing for the character, however.

Surprisingly, one of the best characters is Sir Ivey played by Common.

Ivey is Isreal’s right hand man and during an altercation between the two of them, Common demonstrates that he not only has a talent for music, but for acting as well.

The film’s other redeeming quality is a scene where Israel is having an inner conflict and peers into the bathroom mirror. There are a series of effects used to reflect his inner struggle.

The film also has its share of nudity and drug abuse that seem to be included simply because that’s what these sort of movies are supposed to have in them.

There are also some incredibly crude jokes that are more disgusting than humorous.

Currently there are far better movies at the box office that deserve a look.

Overall, its convoluted plot and dry characters produce a mediocre film. Although highly promoted, the film does not live up to its expected image.