Taglines: Two worlds collide.
Victor Rosa (John Leguizamo) is a drug dealer in New York City who sells a specific brand of heroin called “Empire”. His territory is located in the South Bronx, where his other rivals all maintain an uneasy truce maintained because they all purchase their drugs from the same supplier, the drug lord La Colombiana (Isabella Rossellini).
Victor is invited to a chic white collar party by his girlfriend Carmen (Delilah Cotto). The party is being thrown by her friend Trish (Denise Richards) and her boyfriend Jack (Sarsgaard), an investment banker. With a baby on the way, Vic decides to go straight, and begins to invest money with Jack, receiving significant returns. His friendship with Jack affords Vic a whole new lifestyle, and creates a rift between him and Carmen.
Jack offers Vic an investment opportunity for over 300% return, but there’s a catch: the minimum buy-in is $4.5 million, $1.5 million more than Vic has. He approaches La Colombiana with an offer, in which she agrees to lend Vic the money he needs, if he gives her a 500% return and stops a feud between his best friend Jimmy (Vincent Laresca) and a rival dealer.
However, the feud escalates and Jimmy kills the dealer. Vic receives his money and gives it to Jack, who disappears the next day. Victor tracks him down and tries to get his money back, but kills Jack and Trish when they resist. He escapes with Carmen and her family to Puerto Rico and opens a bar on the south side of the island with what little money he has left.
Empire (2002)
Directed by: Franc. Reyes
Starring: John Leguizamo, Peter Sarsgaard, Denise Richards, Sonia Braga, Isabella Rossellini, Delilah Cotto, Nestor Serrano, Rafael Báez, Carlos Leon, Karina Arroyave, Tanya Byers
Screenplay by: Franc. Reyes
Production Design by: Ted Glass
Cinematography by: Kramer Morgenthau
Film Editing by: Peter C. Frank
Costume Design by: Jacki Roach
Set Decoration by: Jacqueline Jacobson Scarfo
Art Direction by: Frank White
Music by: Rubén Blades
MPAA Rating: R for strong violence, pervasive language, drug content and some sexuality.
Distributed by: Universal Pictures
Release Date: December 6, 2002
Visits: 151
