Bryan Singer mechanically directs an intricate neo-noir script by Christopher McQuarrie, about five small-time New York thieves who find themselves caught up in a revenge scheme in Los Angeles with a $91 million payoff. If Reservoir Dogs is a lively rethinking of Kubrick’s The Killing, this is a less than lively retooling of Reservoir Dogs without the characters or punch, albeit with loads of macho posturing clearly intended to take their place. I didn’t believe this story for a minute, even in movie termsthough it’s less offensive than a piece of junk like Apt Pupil, Singer’s subsequent feature. With Stephen Baldwin, Gabriel Byrne, Chazz Palminteri, Kevin Pollak, Pete Postlethwaite, Kevin Spacey, Suzy Amis, Benicio Del Toro, Giancarlo Esposito, and Dan Hedaya (1995). R, 108 min. (JR)