X
  • 2002
  • R
  • Universal Pictures
  • 1 h 30 m
  • 2002
  • R
  • Universal Pictures
  • 1 h 30 m

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 Ente...

Directed By: Franc. Reyes

Written By: Franc. Reyes

  • 2002
  • R
  • Universal Pictures
  • 1 h 30 m
  • 2002
  • R
  • Universal Pictures
  • 1 h 30 m

Empire

Metascore Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
38
User Score Mixed or Average Based on 11 User Ratings
5.0
My Score
Hover and click to give a rating Saved

Where to Watch

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 Ente...

Directed By: Franc. Reyes

Written By: Franc. Reyes

Where to Watch

Top Cast

View All
View All Cast & Crew

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
38
22% Positive
6 Reviews
33% Mixed
9 Reviews
44% Negative
12 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews

Critic Reviews

 View All
Metascore
Generally Unfavorable Based on 27 Critic Reviews
38
22% Positive
6 Reviews
33% Mixed
9 Reviews
44% Negative
12 Reviews

  • All Reviews
  • Positive Reviews
  • Mixed Reviews
  • Negative Reviews
83
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.
By Bruce Fretts FULL REVIEW
63
Empire, with its double-barreled shoot-outs, its predictable carnage and conflict, and a rush-job of a resolution, is ultimately just one more urban gangland genre flick.
By Steven Rea FULL REVIEW
50
Panders to its audience by glorifying drug dealing and violence in all-too-depressingly familiar ways.
By Lou Lumenick FULL REVIEW
40
Watching John Leguizamo labor to keep this leaky vessel afloat, I was reminded of all those Hell's Kitchen melodramas James Cagney rescued in the early 30s.
By J.R. Jones FULL REVIEW
38
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."
By Jack Mathews FULL REVIEW
25
Witless, unoriginal mishmash of gangsta-drama clichés.
By Rene Rodriguez FULL REVIEW
10
Doesn't deserve the energy it takes to describe how bad it is.
By Desson Thomson FULL REVIEW

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 11 User Ratings
5.0
18% Positive
2 Ratings
55% Mixed
6 Ratings
27% Negative
3 Ratings

User Reviews

 View All
User Score
Mixed or Average Based on 11 User Ratings
5.0
18% Positive
2 Ratings
55% Mixed
6 Ratings
27% Negative
3 Ratings

There are no user reviews yet. Be the first to add a review.

Details

 View All
Production Company Arenas Entertainment, Bigel / Mailer Films, Universal Pictures
Release Date Dec 6, 2002
Duration 1 h 30 m
Rating R
Genres
Tagline Two worlds collide.
View All Details

Awards

The Stinkers Bad Movie Awards
• 2 Nominations

Related Movies

The Godfather

100
Universal Acclaim

Touch of Evil

99
Universal Acclaim

Pépé le Moko (re-release)

98
Universal Acclaim

Rashomon

98
Universal Acclaim

The Night of the Hunter

97
Universal Acclaim

Rififi (re-release)

97
Universal Acclaim

The Maltese Falcon

97
Universal Acclaim

12 Angry Men

97
Universal Acclaim

Mean Streets

96
Universal Acclaim

Pulp Fiction

95
Universal Acclaim

Collective

95
Universal Acclaim

Double Indemnity

95
Universal Acclaim

Taxi Driver

94
Universal Acclaim

The Irishman

94
Universal Acclaim

Carlos

94
Universal Acclaim

The French Connection

94
Universal Acclaim

Elevator to the Gallows

94
Universal Acclaim

Shoplifters

93
Universal Acclaim

The 39 Steps

93
Universal Acclaim

Uncut Gems

93
Universal Acclaim

Band of Outsiders

93
Universal Acclaim

Days of Being Wild (re-release)

93
Universal Acclaim

Related News

2024 Movie Release Calendar

2024 Movie Release Calendar

Jason Dietz

Find release dates for every movie coming to theaters, VOD, and streaming throughout 2024 and beyond, updated weekly.

  • movie
Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

Every Zack Snyder Movie, Ranked

Nick Hyman

With the arrival of Zack Snyder's latest Rebel Moon chapter on Netflix, we rank every one of the director's films—from bad to, well, less bad—by Metascore.

  • movie
Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Every Guy Ritchie Movie, Ranked

Nick Hyman

We rank every one of the British director's movies by Metascore, from his debut Lock, Stock, and Two Smoking Barrels to his brand new film, The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare.

  • movie
April Movie Preview (2024)

April Movie Preview (2024)

Keith Kimbell

The month ahead will bring new films from Alex Garland, Luca Guadagnino, Dev Patel, and more. To help you plan your moviegoing options, our editors have selected the most notable films releasing in April 2024, listed in alphabetical order.

  • movie
DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

DVD/Blu-ray Releases: New & Upcoming

Jason Dietz

Find a list of new movie and TV releases on DVD and Blu-ray (updated weekly) as well as a calendar of upcoming releases on home video.

  • movie