EMPIRE STATE (2013)

Genre: Action/Drama
Director: Dito Montiel
Cast: Dwayne Johnson, Liam Hemsworth, Emma Roberts, Michael Angarano, Michael Rispoli, Greg Vrotsos, Jerry Ferrara, Paul Ben-Victor, Nikki Reed
RunTime: 1 hr 34 mins
Rating: M18 (Coarse Language)
Released By: MVP and GV
Official Website: 

Opening Day: 10 October 2013 

Synopsis: After failing to get into the police academy, Chris Potamitis (Liam Hemsworth), settles for a security guard job with the EMPIRE STATE Armored Truck Company. Chris makes the mistake of mentioning the company's lax security to his best friend, Eddie (Michael Angarano), and is soon unwittingly drawn into an elaborate scheme to rob the abundant amounts of cash being stored there - resulting in the largest cash heist in U.S. History. As the stakes continue to rise, Chris and Eddie must outwit James Ransone (Dwayne Johnson), the veteran NYPD Detective that is hot on their trail, as well as the local crime bosses that want to know who pulled a job on their turf, or suffer the consequences.

Movie Review:

The events of Empire State were based on a shocking heist which happened in 1982, New York. A cool US$9 million or more are robbed from a security company, the biggest sum of money in the States at that time. But the shocking part is not about the crime instead its how generically boring this flick is.  

Our dear Miley Cyrus-ex fiancé, Liam Hemsworth plays Chris, a NYPD-cop wannabe who ended up working as a security guard after being rejected by the force because of an earlier drug offence. Joining a dodgy security firm with lackluster facilities and benefits, Chris decides to rob the bank vault by taking out a bag of cash worth US$25,000 one night. Noticing how easy it is, Chris confides in his best friend, Eddie (Michael Angarano), a fast talker and slacker. Eddie is drawn into the discussion and plans to rob the firm with Chris getting increasingly uncomfortable with his friend’s idea.

On the bright side, Empire State functions more like a textbook study on various human characteristics and behaviors than a straight-out action piece. Chris is the good guy, equipped with the best intentions but surrounded by shady friends liked Eddie. His initial robbery was to benefit the family of his middle-age partner who got killed in a robbery. With only a fraction of benefits being paid by the bosses, Chris serves as a modern Robin Hood on behalf of his dead partner. Eddie on the other hand is that snake of a friend who prefers to look for an easy way out than making a decent living on his own.  

That’s pathetically about all the positive vibe for Dito Montiel’s Empire State. Though Montiel never wrote the screenplay for this unlike his previous directorial efforts, Fighting and The Son of No One, Montiel continues to display his inadequacy in telling an engaging tale without the audience falling to sleep. Empire State is filled to the brim with chockfull of forgettable characters and stereotypical villains that contributed zero mileage to the end product. There are some funny looking FBI agents, Greeks gangsters, Columbia mob and a certain muscular giant called Dwayne Johnson turning up as a local detective, James and Emma Roberts joining the cast as the love interest of Chris. Unfortunately for those coming in for the sake of Johnson and Roberts will be sorely disappointed at their limited screen time.

While other heist stories have a fanciful action sequence as the centrepiece, Empire State is content with the culprit breaking in haphazardly through the ceiling. And that’s about it. No deafening explosions or elaborate plans.We are not sure if the actual event has prevented the screenwriter from getting too creative with the material but this is by far the most grounded caper I have ever seen in recent cinematic history.

With Paranoia being pulled out from local theaters at the last minute, Thor’s younger brother (not Loki for your info) Liam Hemsworth’s leading man debut is simply unremarkable, with his presence often surpassed by his co-star, Michael Angarano who puts on an adrenalin and profanity-filled performance. Liam needs a better movie next time and that doesn’t mean the sequel to The Hunger Games. There is a reason why Empire State went straight to VOD in the States and yes not even The Rock aka franchise saver can save it. 

Movie Rating:  

(A flat, colourless crime drama)

Review by Linus Tee