Director Dito Montiel is a major fan of New York City. It’s been the setting for all his pictures, and the helmer loves to infuse his work with urban juices of bravado and street honor. For all his labor and knowledge of the area, Montiel has yet to tell a story with any type of encouraging success. With “A Guide to Recognizing Your Saints,” “Fighting,” and “The Son of No One,” the filmmaker has summoned tremendous passion and grit, but there’s always been a lack of substance. “Empire State” adds to the nagging emptiness surrounding Montiel’s screen efforts, only this tale of a heist gone wrong is more streamlined, calculated to appeal to fans of the subgenre, and it still shows no signs of life. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com