Empire State

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson stands center frame on the movie cover, but he’s just a supporting character, a cop who tries to break the case of an armored car company heist involving millions of dollars. The main character is an armored car guard (Liam Hemsworth), whose application to the police department is rejected. Nevertheless he sees a business opportunity in his company’s lax security, and involves a friend (Michael Angarano) in the plot.

ClearPlay In Action!

Though there are some scenes of violence that ClearPlay trims, the bulk of the ClearPlay work comes in cleaning up language. Profanity is pervasive, with some scenes a continuous barrage of F-words. Even ClearPlayed, however, the movie isn’t the best choice for family viewing, as the main characters break the law with impunity.

Does the sun set on this Empire?…

Despite good performances by the actors, Empire State feels a bit mundane. The movie is based on a true story, like Pain & Gain a few weeks ago, but lacks the dark humor of that film. I get the sense that director Dito Montiel wanted Empire State to be his Mean Streets, but there is nothing to really distinguish the picture from any other crime movie. Best suited for fans of Hemsworth and Johnson.

Marty Nabhan - ClearPlay Brinks Driver

Rated R for violence and pervasive language; 94 min; Directed by Dito Montiel