Carlito's Way: Rise to Power (2005) (V)

User Rating:

4.9/10   

Director:

Michael Bregman

Writers (WGA):

Michael Bregman (screenplay)
Edwin Torres (novel)

Release Date:

1 December 2005 (Iceland)

Genre:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

In the late 1960s, Carlito Brigante (Hernandez) emerges as the heroin czar of Harlem.

Plot Keywords:

Heroin | Mafia | Prison | Prequel | Corrupt Cop

Cast

Jay Hernandez	...	Carlito Brigante
Mario Van Peebles	...	Earl
Luis Guzmán	...	Nacho Reyes
Sean 'P. Diddy' Combs	...	Hollywood Nicky (as Sean Combs)
Michael Kelly	...	Rocco
Giancarlo Esposito	...	Little Jeff
Jaclyn DeSantis	...	Leticia
Burt Young	...	Artie Bottolota Sr.
Mtume Gant	...	Reggie
Domenick Lombardozzi	...	Artie Bottolota, Jr.
Juan Carlos Hernández	...	Sigfredo
Eric Nieves	...	Chucho
Jaime Tirelli	...	Leticia's Father
Nelson Vasquez	...	Manny Sanchez
Casper Martinez	...	Colorado

Also Known As:

Carlito's Way 2: Rise to Power (USA) (working title)
Carlito's Way: The Beginning (USA) (working title)

MPAA:

Rated R for language, violence, sexual content and drug material.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

DTS | Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:18 | Singapore:M18 | Canada:13+ (Quebec) | Canada:14A (Ontario) | Canada:18A (Manitoba) | Argentina:16 | Australia:MA | Finland:K-15 | Iceland:16 | Brazil:16 | Norway:15 (TV rating) | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Harlem, Manhattan, New York City, New York, USA

Company:

Rogue Pictures

Trivia:

The movie is based on one of Edwin Torres' book series on the criminal life of Carlito Brigante. This is based after the first book in the series "Carlito's Way". Brian De Palma's Carlito's Way (1993) took the first books title because at the time it was decided that they would not take the title of the second book "After Hours" to avoid confusion with the Martin Scorsese -directed movie of the same name (After Hours (1985)).

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The posters in the barbershop include modern day haircuts.

Quotes:

[first lines]
Carlito Brigante: Sooner or later, a thug will tell his tale. We all want to go on record. So let's hear it for all the hoods. The Jews out of Brownsville, the blacks on Lennox Avenue, the Italians from Mulberry Street, the Irish in Hell's Kitchen. Like that. Meanwhile...
[...]

Movie Connections:

Follows Carlito's Way (1993)

Total Disappointment...

If you hit your head with a shovel, write the script with your feet, you may come close to the intelligence level of this movie. There is nothing in this movie that hasn't been done a thousand times in other gangster flicks and done much better. Those who think "Scarface" was some kind of hero to be looked up to or saw "Goodfellas", "Menace II Society" or "Dead Presidents" and thought MMM "That's the life for me!" will like this movie. I thought I'd give the movie a chance, since the premise was perfect for a prequel. I should have known better after seeing Mario Van Peebles and Sean Combs were involved. Anyone above a 4th grade education, see the original with Pacino, a real actor, and be satisfied.