Metascore

Generally unfavorable reviews - based on 27 Critics What's this?

User Score

Generally favorable reviews- based on 12 Ratings

  • Starring: Denise Richards, John Leguizamo, Peter Sarsgaard
  • Summary: The story of gangster Victor Rosa's (Leguizamo) quest for the American Dream as he tries to escape his criminal past and free himself from the trapppings of easy money on the violent streets of the South Bronx. This is the first release Arenas Entertainment, the new Latino film label in partnership with Universal Pictures. (Arenas Entertainment) Expand
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 6 out of 27
  2. Negative: 12 out of 27
  1. Leguizamo owns Empire, the first film to capture the live-wire crackle of his one-man stage shows -- He's front and center in nearly every scene, and he holds the screen with a simmering self-assurance.
  2. 80
    Reyes' fast-paced tale soars on the pedigree of its cast, all of whom are clearly having a ball -- Both poignant and wickedly amusing, Empire sets high standards for a subgenre that's rarely had any.
  3. Reviewed by: Chris Gore
    60
    Empire is an entertaining, colorful, action-filled crime story with an intimate heart.
  4. This is clearly the Worst Performance by an Actress in a Death Scene since Sofia Coppola took a bullet for her dad in "The Godfather: Part III."

See all 27 Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 9 out of 10
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 10
  3. Negative: 1 out of 10

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