Cast: Louis Gossett Jr., Fred Dalton Thomas, David Herrera, Rachel McLish, Ray "Boom Boom" Mancini
Director: John Glen
Producer: Ron Samuels
Screenplay: Kevin Elders
Cinematography: Alec Mills
Music: Harry Manfredini
Several questions come to mind while contemplating Aces (then again, why anyone would bother "contemplating" this movie is beyond my comprehension). Why wasn't the film released directly to video? How slim was Lou Gossett Jr's bank account when the producers came looking for a recognizable name? Are we really supposed to buy all those phony accents? And, most important of all, how can an action film be so deadly boring?
There's no doubt that by every conventional (and unconventional) movie definition, Aces is an unmitigated failure -- not to mention a complete and utter waste of time, effort, and money. This is the kind of movie that I'd feel embarrassed about watching if I fell asleep while it was playing on TV.
The acting, what little there is of it, is awful, with each the various "performers" taking turns being wooden, over-the-top, or merely ineffective. Lou Gossett Jr. is there, all right, but he doesn't have much of a presence. Understandably, he's doing his best to blend in with the scenery. Rachel McLish, the only actress with a significant part (and someone known for things other than acting), is howlingly bad.
The plot is at about a kindergarten level of intelligence, proving once again that low-budget action flicks shouldn't try to develop a storyline -- it only becomes a liability. John Glen, who helmed the recent James Bond films, directs without flair or style, and the editing is sloppy. The action sequences, if viewed in a mindless way, are capable of diverting for a moment or two, but there aren't nearly enough of them. Ultimately, it's sluggish pacing that kills Aces. Dullness is death to an action film, especially one with as few redeeming qualities as this one.
Zzzzzzzzz....
© 1992, 1994 James Berardinelli