Buddy "Aces" Israel is a marked man.

He has agreed to turn over state's evidence on the Las Vegas mob. A mob boss by the name Primo Sparazza wants him dead for being a snitch, and word gets out that the reward is huge. Hit men and women descend on the informant's hideout along Lake Tahoe, as the FBI tries to protect this valuable witness.

Smokin' Aces , indeed.

This action film is a wonderful addition to the genre, because it brings more to the table than just explosions, gunfights and car chases ('though those are all great things).

Smokin' Aces brings a great cast, a different style and other audience-pleasing elements that are not commonly found in the genre, such as moral dilemmas and a strong plot line.

The cast is made up of big-name stars such as Ben Affleck( Hollywoodland ), Jeremy Piven ( Entourage ), Ryan Reynolds ( Blade: Trinity ), Andy Garcia( Ocean's 11 ) and Alicia Keys (making her first appearance in a major film) - just to name a few. This cast has a good chemistry, but for me, one actor stands out.

Ryan Reynolds' performance, as FBI agent Messer, was the highlight of the whole film, with skill that distinguished him from the entire cast.

With Reynolds, I didn't see the actor; I saw a passionate FBI agent. He was his character and was believable, making the film more powerful.

The characters in this film were filled out well, with developed stories and very different personalities (from mercenaries to Neo-Nazi psychopaths).

With Aces , one gets an intense, grisly and even humorous film that has so many twists and turns that it might be difficult for some to keep up.  

Another drawback is a lack of closure for all the characters. I came away with questions, due to the fact that not all the story lines wee given a clean-cut finalization. In my mind, my questions began with,r"What happened to ... " But these few hanging threads don't spoil the whole show.

Overall, Smokin' Aces - under the skilled hand of Director Joe Carnahan, who honed his movie-making skills in Sacramento - is more than an average action film, and it is really a breath of fresh air for this weathered genre. Even with its relatively few weaknesses, it is still a strong piece of work with many interesting elements that distinguish it from the common fare of the action genre.