I've seen this movie 4 times and I can't put a finger on the exact reasons why. I just love it for the action sequences, the explosions, and the fact that the underdog Bob Lee Swagger (Wahlberg) defeats a group of evil and powerful men in the US government against all odds. And he does it with precision, finesse, and a little flare (explosive).
There is not much more that needs to be said about this film. The action is spot on, the supporting actors all play their parts seamlessly, and are interwoven into the plot quite well. The movie has decent pacing, no boring parts (maybe a few semi-slow scenes that last only a few minutes here and there).
It's a conspiracy headed by a powerful senator (Ned Beatty) and retired colonel (Danny Glover) who are chasing Swagger, and using some of the might of the U. S. government at their disposal, unbeknownst to the good people at the FBI. These men are responsible for the pillaging of whole villages in order to build a pipeline overseas, and they feel Swagger is an expendable asset, to be used and disposed of. Swagger is unaware of their dark intentions until he's injured within an inch of his life.
Enter the brilliantly stunning Kate Mara to take care of his wounds. The writers chose not to explore a romance between them, and I'm not clear as to why, because I feel it would have added a dynamic that was sorely missed.
Michael Pena's character Nick Memphis is probably what is considered "good" in this good vs evil tale of big government trampling on the little guy. Swagger symbolizes a strong male goat and Memphis a lamb, while the cabal would obviously be some predator common to both, not so much a lion in this case, maybe a medium sized leopard.
Rhona Mitra is spot on, as usual, and no less stunning than Mara in my opinion. She plays a strong female presence in the FBI, although her screen time is fairly short overall. They should have inserted her in a few more scenes... an improvement for certain.
Ned Beatty (senator) and Danny Glover (retired colonel) are perfect in their roles as the bad guys. Danny Glover carries the weight of heading the hunt for Swagger throughout, and he feels like he's smarter, and keeps telling Swagger that he has won and Swagger has lost. Swagger is unfazed by these lame attempts at intimidation. Eventually, this brood of snakes get what's coming to them, very swiftly and violently. I was surprised how their roles were shifted a little at the end, where the focus of revenge (justice) is more on Beatty's character, even though Glover's character was the real menace. Swagger took justice into his own hands, which is interesting, and reveals the shades of grey that comprise his character. You can see a hint of his dark side here.
I highly recommend this movie for anyone that likes action. If you haven't seen it and consider yourself an action buff, you're only cheating yourself two good hours of prime entertainment and pure joy.
If you search for the first name "Mark" on IMDB, Wahlberg comes up third on the list, what?? Ok, Ruffalo is the HULK, so it makes a bit of sense.
Wahlberg has proven he can play any role. I feel he was the "American Sniper" before the Bradley Cooper version was released 7 years later. However, I prefer Mark Wahlberg in comedies more than anything. His comedic roles are his best and most memorable movies.
Comparing this to other sniper movies, I would say it stands out as one of the better ones. Bear in mind, this was before the days of American Sniper, Jack Reacher, The Accountant, and a bunch of other B-rated Sniper flicks; most of which came about at least 5-10 years after. Shooter is a pioneer film for Sniper fans. All we had at the time was an aging Tom Berenger and an archaic sniper franchise. Yes, there were a few other films like Enemy at the Gates, and even Saving Private Ryan amplified the sniper's role, albeit distorting it to some degree.
Entertainment value: 10 Action: 7 Effects: 7 Acting: 7 Pacing: 6 Average: 7.4.
There is not much more that needs to be said about this film. The action is spot on, the supporting actors all play their parts seamlessly, and are interwoven into the plot quite well. The movie has decent pacing, no boring parts (maybe a few semi-slow scenes that last only a few minutes here and there).
It's a conspiracy headed by a powerful senator (Ned Beatty) and retired colonel (Danny Glover) who are chasing Swagger, and using some of the might of the U. S. government at their disposal, unbeknownst to the good people at the FBI. These men are responsible for the pillaging of whole villages in order to build a pipeline overseas, and they feel Swagger is an expendable asset, to be used and disposed of. Swagger is unaware of their dark intentions until he's injured within an inch of his life.
Enter the brilliantly stunning Kate Mara to take care of his wounds. The writers chose not to explore a romance between them, and I'm not clear as to why, because I feel it would have added a dynamic that was sorely missed.
Michael Pena's character Nick Memphis is probably what is considered "good" in this good vs evil tale of big government trampling on the little guy. Swagger symbolizes a strong male goat and Memphis a lamb, while the cabal would obviously be some predator common to both, not so much a lion in this case, maybe a medium sized leopard.
Rhona Mitra is spot on, as usual, and no less stunning than Mara in my opinion. She plays a strong female presence in the FBI, although her screen time is fairly short overall. They should have inserted her in a few more scenes... an improvement for certain.
Ned Beatty (senator) and Danny Glover (retired colonel) are perfect in their roles as the bad guys. Danny Glover carries the weight of heading the hunt for Swagger throughout, and he feels like he's smarter, and keeps telling Swagger that he has won and Swagger has lost. Swagger is unfazed by these lame attempts at intimidation. Eventually, this brood of snakes get what's coming to them, very swiftly and violently. I was surprised how their roles were shifted a little at the end, where the focus of revenge (justice) is more on Beatty's character, even though Glover's character was the real menace. Swagger took justice into his own hands, which is interesting, and reveals the shades of grey that comprise his character. You can see a hint of his dark side here.
I highly recommend this movie for anyone that likes action. If you haven't seen it and consider yourself an action buff, you're only cheating yourself two good hours of prime entertainment and pure joy.
If you search for the first name "Mark" on IMDB, Wahlberg comes up third on the list, what?? Ok, Ruffalo is the HULK, so it makes a bit of sense.
Wahlberg has proven he can play any role. I feel he was the "American Sniper" before the Bradley Cooper version was released 7 years later. However, I prefer Mark Wahlberg in comedies more than anything. His comedic roles are his best and most memorable movies.
Comparing this to other sniper movies, I would say it stands out as one of the better ones. Bear in mind, this was before the days of American Sniper, Jack Reacher, The Accountant, and a bunch of other B-rated Sniper flicks; most of which came about at least 5-10 years after. Shooter is a pioneer film for Sniper fans. All we had at the time was an aging Tom Berenger and an archaic sniper franchise. Yes, there were a few other films like Enemy at the Gates, and even Saving Private Ryan amplified the sniper's role, albeit distorting it to some degree.
Entertainment value: 10 Action: 7 Effects: 7 Acting: 7 Pacing: 6 Average: 7.4.