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View Full Version : Film Review - SHOOTER (2007) A+ Entertainment.



DjfunkmasterG
24-Jul-2007, 03:45 PM
This past weekend I scraped up a few films to entertain me over the weekend. For the las few months I have been somewhat off on my DVD buying and rentals... I guess for me being a 10+ year fan the novelty has worn off with hvaing the latest and greatest in my collection on the day of release.

Anyway, while at the local renatl store I grabbed 3 films, one of which I have already blurbed about, Black Snake Moan, now I would like to talk about film #2... Shooter starring Mark (Marky Mark) Wahlberg, is actually a very entertaining and well put together crime thriller. Honestly, in my opinion, it is probably the best film of 2007, so far.

Shooter is about Bobby Lee Swagger, a retired military expert sniper whose unit was left behind during a mission in Africa. When a crack government team is called up to prevent a shooting of the president, they hunt down Bobby because he is the best of the best, but he is not into helping too many people out especially since this same government left him for dead, but when the Colonel leading the outfit, played exquisitely by Danny Glover, starts playing the Patriotism card... Bobby is ready to serve his country once again.

As events unfold Bobby is the one getting the blame for the shooting, however, Bobby isn't as dumb or ready to roll over as the government thinks, in fact he is pretty much hell bent on clearing his name, and getting those responible with the help of an FBI agent played by Michael Pena. Bobby's path to the truth reminded me of a similar film from the early 80's... First Blood. Now while Stallone has made John Rambo an iconic action star, Wahlberg doesn't go that root, it isn't about how many people you kill or how much stuff you blow up, it is getting to the truth and making sure those cloest to you are protected and safe.

Bobby has his hands full from start to finish, especially with some of the Colonels guns for fire, one of which was played with extreme creepiness by Elias Koteas, but these are the small potato's in this operation, and the more Bobby digs the more shocking information he uncovers.

Shooter is directed by the man behind Denzel Washington's Oscar performance in Training Day. Director Antoine Fuqua helms this paramount pictures release, and he has come a long way since the 1997 action fest The Replacement Killers. Here he shows how to get it done and get it done right, with little to no downtime in the story. The visuals and editing were a nice touch as well, and it is shame Shooter didn't do better at the box office because it truly is a great piece of filmmaking from start to finish.

All in all I highly recommend you rent this, pick it up, steal it from a friend or just go buy it and I pretty much can safely say I think you will enjoy this as much as I did.

Shooter is rated R from Strong Language and Violence. The running time is 2 hours 4 minutes.

8.7 out of 10

AcesandEights
24-Jul-2007, 03:52 PM
I keep reading good things about this movie. I remember someone saying it was an unexpectedly smart, if generically (re)named, action/thriller film.