Sniper (1993)

Tough guy Thomas Beckett is a US Marine working in the Panamanian jungle. His job is to seek out rebels and remove them using his sniper skills. Beckett is notorious for losing his partners... See full summary »

Director:

Luis Llosa

Writers:

Michael Frost Beckner, Crash Leyland

Stars:

Tom Berenger, Billy Zane, J.T. Walsh

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Berenger	...	Thomas Beckett
Billy Zane	...	Richard Miller
J.T. Walsh	...	Chester Van Damme
Aden Young	...	Doug Papich
Ken Radley	...	El Cirujano
Reynaldo Arenas	...	Cacique (as Reinaldo Arenas)
Gary Swanson	...	NSC Officer in Washington
Hank Garrett	...	Admiral in Washington
Frederick Miragliotta	...	General Miguel Alavarez
Vanessa Steele	...	Mrs. Alvarez
Carlos Álvarez	...	Raul Ochoa
Tyler Coppin	...	Ripoly (as Tyler Copin)
Teo Gebert	...	Ripolys Friend
Edward Wiley	...	DeSilva
William Curtin	...	Mountain Top Pilot

Storyline

Tough guy Thomas Beckett is a US Marine working in the Panamanian jungle. His job is to seek out rebels and remove them using his sniper skills. Beckett is notorious for losing his partners on such missions. This time he's accompanied by crack marksman Richard Miller, who's more of an office-type. Together they plan to seek out an important rebel leader, whilst avoiding a rogue marksman who frequents this part of the jungle.

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Plot Keywords:

sniper | jungle | marksman | tough guy | marine | 

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Taglines:

One Shot. One Kill. No Exceptions.

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Genres:

Action | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong violence and language

Details

Country:

USA Peru

Language:

English Spanish

Release Date:

29 January 1993 (USA)

Also Known As:

Beckett, O Atirador

Filming Locations:

Australia

Box Office

Gross:

$18,994,653 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Baltimore Pictures, Iguana Producciones, Sniper Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Barry Levinson was originally slated to direct.

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Goofs

In the beginning, as Becket uses hand signals with his spotter, he turns to move away. You can see the spotter wearing his rank on his cover. Marines never wear their rank on their cover, only their collar.

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Quotes

Cacique: Los ojos, quierro los ojos.
Richard Miller: He wants my eyes?
Thomas Beckett: Ah, he means antejos, your shooting glasses. Give them to him.
Richard Miller: Why?
Thomas Beckett: Because he likes them.

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Connections

Referenced in Call of Duty 4: Modern Warfare (2007)

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Soundtracks

"Medicine Man"
Written and Performed by Henry Lee Summer
Courtesy of Epic Associated Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User Reviews

Moody thriller

Two snipers travel deep in the jungles in search for their targets; a slimy South American drug-lord and a prominent general.

Moderately successful at building a brooding atmosphere, Sniper is by most accounts a very solid thriller, taking it's time, establishing it's characters and their plight and climaxing in some good action sequences. Director Llosa isn't always successful at maintaining the sombre mood and could have tightened the story somewhat; some detours here don't add up to much. But this film is far better than his Stallone/Stone travesty The Specialist.

Billy Zane, usually incredibly tiresome, does surprisingly well as the inexperienced Sniper teamed up with veteran Berenger. As for Berenger this film proved to be his last good big budget Hollywood venture. He can do these kind of roles in his sleep and he's very convincing here, reprising the role twice more in direct to DVD sequels.