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Empire

  • 20022002
  • RR
  • 1h 30m
IMDb RATING
5.9/10
7.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
John Leguizamo, Denise Richards, Sônia Braga, Anthony 'Treach' Criss, Fat Joe, and Peter Sarsgaard in Empire (2002)
A successful South Bronx drug dealer turns his back on his roots and gives money to a Wall Street broker to invest for him.
Play trailer2:21
1 Video
99+ Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Thriller

A successful South Bronx drug dealer turns his back on his roots and gives money to a Wall Street broker to invest for him.A successful South Bronx drug dealer turns his back on his roots and gives money to a Wall Street broker to invest for him.A successful South Bronx drug dealer turns his back on his roots and gives money to a Wall Street broker to invest for him.

IMDb RATING
5.9/10
7.6K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Franc. Reyes
  • Writer
    • Franc. Reyes
  • Stars
    • John Leguizamo
    • Peter Sarsgaard
    • Denise Richards
Top credits
  • Director
    • Franc. Reyes
  • Writer
    • Franc. Reyes
  • Stars
    • John Leguizamo
    • Peter Sarsgaard
    • Denise Richards
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 66User reviews
    • 53Critic reviews
    • 38Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 nominations

    Videos1

    Official Trailer
    Trailer 2:21
    Official Trailer

    Photos126

    Delilah Cotto in Empire (2002)
    Isabella Rossellini in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo and Delilah Cotto in Empire (2002)
    Fat Joe in Empire (2002)
    Denise Richards in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo and Peter Sarsgaard in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo in Empire (2002)
    Director Franc Reyes
    Peter Sarsgaard in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo and Delilah Cotto in Empire (2002)
    John Leguizamo (left) and Vincent Laresca (second from right) take five with friends on the set.

    Top cast

    Edit
    John Leguizamo
    John Leguizamo
    • Victor Rosaas Victor Rosa
    Peter Sarsgaard
    Peter Sarsgaard
    • Jackas Jack
    Denise Richards
    Denise Richards
    • Trishas Trish
    Vincent Laresca
    Vincent Laresca
    • Jimmyas Jimmy
    Isabella Rossellini
    Isabella Rossellini
    • La Colombianaas La Colombiana
    Sônia Braga
    Sônia Braga
    • Irisas Iris
    • (as Sonia Braga)
    Delilah Cotto
    Delilah Cotto
    • Carmenas Carmen
    Nestor Serrano
    Nestor Serrano
    • Rafael Menendezas Rafael Menendez
    Anthony 'Treach' Criss
    Anthony 'Treach' Criss
    • Cheddaas Chedda
    • (as Treach)
    Rafael Báez
    • Jayas Jay
    Fat Joe
    Fat Joe
    • Tito Severeas Tito Severe
    • (as Fat Joe 'Joseph Cartagena')
    Carlos Leon
    Carlos Leon
    • Hectoras Hector
    Felix Solis
    Felix Solis
    • Joseas Jose
    Omar Pastran
    • Jasonas Jason
    Rob B. Campbell
    Rob B. Campbell
    • Det. O'Brienas Det. O'Brien
    Granville Adams
    Granville Adams
    • Det. Jonesas Det. Jones
    Jean-Luke Figueroa
    Jean-Luke Figueroa
    • Little boyas Little boy
    Nicole Gomez Fisher
    Nicole Gomez Fisher
    • Waitressas Waitress
    • (as Nicole Fisher)
    • Director
      • Franc. Reyes
    • Writer
      • Franc. Reyes
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    A big time drug dealer Victor Rosa is looking to get out of the game and sees his chance with a big deal and a new friend who happens to be a Wall St. stockbroker. Thinking this will be his chance to go out on top, Victor soon finds out that he has been double crossed and his last option is to get revenge. —El Toro
    • sexy woman
    • sexy girl
    • money
    • drug dealer
    • friend
    • 118 more
    • Plot summary
    • Add synopsis
    • Taglines
      • Two worlds collide.
    • Genres
      • Crime
      • Drama
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong violence, pervasive language, drug content and some sexuality
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To train for his part, John Leguizamo hung out with a gang of drug dealers and gangsters for a few days. They told him how to spot surveillance vans and deal drugs.
    • Goofs
      When Fat Joe's son is playing with Playstation, he pauses the game. You can see in the background that the game he's "playing" is a recording on a VCR tape, shown from the tell-tale VCR pause picture static.
    • Quotes

      Tito Severe: [to Bobby] Go home, wash your fuckin' ass, tell good-bye to your mother and your fuckin' kids, then come back here. Then I'm gonna kill you, you fuckin' piece of shit!

    • Connections
      Featured in HBO First Look: The Making of 'Empire' (2002)
    • Soundtracks
      Welcome to My Empire
      Written by Franc. Reyes and Tony Aliperti
      Performed by India
      Courtesy of Sony Discos, Inc.

    User reviews66

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Just so much recycled hash
    "Empire" is all about a streetwise drug dealer (Leguizamo) in South Bronx, NY who self-narrates his take on how to work your way out of the ghetto and go legit. A slick shoot with a bunch of trite recycled street crime and gangland snippets pieced together for a screenplay, this predictable and contrived flick never really gets where it's trying to go. Chock full of plot holes and nonsequiturs, the auteur asks us to care enough about a thug, murderer, and drug pusher to sit through 1.5 hours of all-sizzle-but-no-steak nonsense about his life. A so-so no brainer action/drama for Leguizamo fans and crime buffs only. (C+)
    helpful•14
    9
    • =G=
    • Apr 26, 2003

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 6, 2002 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United States
    • Languages
      • English
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Імперія
    • Filming locations
      • Miami, Florida, USA
    • Production companies
      • Arenas Entertainment
      • Bigel / Mailer Films
      • Universal Pictures
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $4,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $17,600,423
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $6,281,415
      • Dec 8, 2002
    • Gross worldwide
      • $18,591,272
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 30 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.39 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    John Leguizamo, Denise Richards, Sônia Braga, Anthony 'Treach' Criss, Fat Joe, and Peter Sarsgaard in Empire (2002)
    Top Gap
    By what name was Empire (2002) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
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