Shooter (I) (2007) User Reviews

Exciting flick. Leave your disbelief suspended at home.

[rooprect · 7/10 · 13 March 2020]

"Shooter" is a tale about a patriot who gets used & abused by the government that he swore allegiance to. Even worse, they do nasty things to his dog. It's the kind of movie that makes you want to run off to Canada, not because you hate your country but because you hate the goons who are running it. But don't pack your hockey stick just yet because the story provides enough satisfying turns to keep things entertaining rather than depressing.

"Bob Lee Swagger" (Mark Wahlberg) is an Army sniper, one of the best, who is given the assignment of planning--but not executing--an assassination. That's all I'll say about the plot because the fun part is riding all the twists & turns that follow. Danny Glover plays his government liaison while at the top is Ned Beatty playing a questionable senator.

What follows is an action packed political conspiracy thriller along the lines of a Tom Clancy story ("Clear and Present Danger", "Patriot Games") but with the noticeable difference that our hero Bob is a total badass, sort of like a dash of "First Blood". And that's what makes this movie really fun when he starts to take things on the offensive.

My only criticism is, as I implied in my title, a few preposterous things happen so be prepared. You know, stuff like when a person gets shot multiple times but is still able to swim across the Delaware River. (I mean bullets, sure, but all that Jersey waste'll kill ya faster than battery acid.) But if you can go along for the ride without raising too many eyebrows, this flick will definitely keep you riveted from start to finish. Bonus points for being shot in Philadelphia, the perfect city for a story like this.

Recipe for a fantastic, intelligent action film

[Surecure · 8/10 · 13 March 2007]

If you were to take the best parts of Tom Clancy's Jack Ryan series (Patriot Games, Clear And Present Danger, Sum of All Fears) and mixed in the best parts of the only good Rambo film (First Blood) you would end up with something akin to Shooter. Shooter is a smart, engaging and all out enjoyable action flick that never pulls its punches and always surprises you when you least expect it.

Mark Whalberg plays the role of Bob Lee Swagger, a former military sniper who quit the army following a disastrous mission where his best friend and spotter is killed when they are left behind. Three years later he is hired by a Colonel (played with gusto by Danny Glover) to figure out how a suspected assassin is going to attempt to kill the President from over a mile away, a shot that few could make. Swagger figures out how it is going to be done and is asked to supervise locating the sniper on site. But on the day of the supposed assassination, Swagger is set up with the assassination attempt that kills a visiting diplomat. Swagger is then left on the hunt while trying to prove his innocence.

Shooter twists and turns with an elaborate conspiracy that is very convincing, though of course the writers wimp out and take the cheap road of drawing international oil into the plot (can't writers think of an original plot device?). However, this is hardly a drawback since the rest of the film is solid as a rock. The film really puts you into the shoes of a sniper and gives an impressive overview of the mindset that it takes to be as accurate as someone of the character of Swagger.

The only real distractions in the film would be Elias Koteas, whose psycho performance is heavy-handed and does not fit the film, and Kate Mara who has little to do throughout the film but appear upset or in distress. The film could have done without either characters or their respective actors. As well, some of the character relations seem forced at time, particularly in the relationship between Michael Peña's character of Nick Memphis and his FBI confidante Lourdes, played by Rhona Mitra. Their almost effortless camaraderie comes off as less than convincing.

Overall, Shooter certainly delivers as an entertaining thrill-ride that is certainly not dumbed down in the least. If you want an intelligent action film with lots of impressive gun play and several elaborate, thrilling action sequences to boot, Shooter is right up your alley and will not disappoint. 7.6 out of 10

Engaging, worth seeing.

[StevenAWebb · 8/10 · 13 March 2007]

I had the opportunity to catch an advance screening of this film the other day. Similarities to other projects aside, I was impressed by the use of some of the newer military technology involved. The film was both engaging and entertaining, and Mark Wahlberg did a very good job of portraying the character in all of his idiosyncrasies. It was good to see Danny Glover again as I have not had the opportunity to see him in any films of late. His character was not exactly multidimensional but I would assume that it was what the writing called for, and certainly different from the one he portrays in the "Lethal Weapon" series, not much comedy here. Now if I could only get a hold of the script... Needless to say, my wife and I enjoyed the movie very much and would definitely recommend to go and see it.

Honour. Duty. Betrayal. Cliché.

[snow0r · 7/10 · 3 November 2007]

Shooter opens with Swagger (Wahlberg) in the middle of a failing black-op in Ethiopia. His spotter is killed, and he's left for dead by the agency that sent him in, leaving him to somehow escape the situation on his own. Cut to 3 years later, and Marky Mark is set up in a ranch in the snowy mountains in a remote location, sporting an awful haircut, and owning perhaps the best dog in the world. His reclusive existence is interrupted by Colonel Johnson (Glover), who arrives with a mysterious offer that he just can't refuse...

It sounds a bit...obvious, doesn't it? For a man who's been betrayed by his government once before, Wahlberg falls for Glover's dubious plan a little too easily. And it doesn't even seem like he's trying to conceal the duplicitous nature of the operation. Glover plays his role like Nosferatu in a suit; I half expected him to bite into Wahlberg's neck, although he obviously couldn't find the time in between his evil-caricature gestures and husky whispering. Taking the bait, Swagger sets himself up for quite a fall, and, luckily for us, quite an enjoyable film. Cue the government conspiracy and the one-man-killing-machine's mission to reveal the truth...

During his quest to clear his name, Wahlberg finds allies in the form of rookie FBI Agent Nick Memphis (well played by Michael Pena) and his former spotters' girlfriend Sarah, played by Kate Mara, and these two partnerships affect the film in quite different ways. When Swagger is teamed up with Memphis, Shooter plays out like an action-heavy buddy movie, but when Swagger's placed in the care of Sarah and the movie's romantic dramatic sub-plot is gestured at, it slows down awkwardly. We know Marky Mark has to recover from his bullet-wounds somewhere, but perhaps it could have been the recovery that was suggested instead of the awkward forbidden romance scenes that this pairing generates. The rest of the supporting cast are generally good, although a special mention should go to Elias Koteas for his role as Glover's oversexed supervillain henchman, who provides a great deal of sex-fiend-caricature entertainment. That being said, Wahlberg's presence is missed and the film appears to jar awkwardly and slow down without him. Without his moral outrage and willingness to shoot his way through his problems, the movie loses its momentum. While it handles similar issues to the Bourne franchise (government hunter becomes hunted) and attempts to make the same sort of contemporary political statements, Shooter doesn't quite have the same sort of grittiness. Instead, its polished look, complete with lush landscapes and Fuqua's sun-soaked direction, seems to nod continuously in the direction of Michael Bay. However, that's not a bad thing. The movie is very set-piece oriented, and Swagger's gung-ho approach keeps things moving forward at a relatively exciting pace.

The only problem is that it never really seems like Swagger's in any real danger, despite the fact that he's being chased by pretty much every law enforcement agency in America (social comment, perhaps?). This makes the film quite predictable, its sequences and dialogue clichéd, and its conclusion pretty much an obvious inevitability, but if you just sit back and accept it for what it is, you'll find Shooter an enjoyable, action-packed movie that's worth a look.

Surprisingly Good!

[chris-976-332846 · 10/10 · 21 June 2011]

I watched this film, expecting to be let down. However it really did tick most of the boxes for me. I found it engaging and entertaining all the way through, for me a film where you want to watch through to the end because you WANT to watch, not out of a masochistic urge to "find out what happens". Mark Wahlbergs performance was top notch. Although there are a few "no chance" moments in the film as there always are with these type of films, the majority of it was for me within the realms of possibility. The soundtrack was also excellent and melded well with the action on screen. Both myself and my Fiancée enjoyed this film greatly. I can't really think of any negatives for this film and can only recommend it.

I Still Have the Shovel

[tedg · 12 February 2008]

Like so many other projects, you have to find something not intended or not well exploited to enjoy it.

The film itself is ordinary, a noir revenge story. Its modern noir because the hero is captured in the story and the twists of reality he goes through are organized for our benefit.

Government conspiracy of extreme competence? Check. Individual with superhuman powers who unfailingly undoes it, leaving no man standing? Check. Pretty girl who gets swept up? Check. There really isn't much else left to the extremely strict formula, expect for the obligatory but minor plot twist associated with our hero's past.

What this has that is interesting are two things.

One is the idea about watching from a distance. These noir things depend on the notion of a watcher, us. Modern noir has a watcher folded into the story. Here, its our hero who can watch and touch from over a mile away. Its a big deal, a big idea that isn't quite exploited here. The director is too ordinary. Tony Scott could have done it.

The second is a short scene in the middle. Its there for purely expository reasons, to explain a key plot point. But its pretty darn good, one wonderful scene in the midst of a tepid movie. It a visit to an old fellow in the country. He's an expert gunsmith, supposedly the best. He's also clued into the "government" who is here portrayed as existing only to create attractive fictions.

The actor is immensely talented. The setup and writing here is a cut above the rest of the script, incisive, deep and many-layered. In the midst of a rant about conspiracies, he mentions that the shooters from the grassy knoll were dead three hours after the JFK shooting and buried in the desert . When slightly questioned our man simply says "I still have the shovel."

Its very impressive writing. It must have been someone else.

Ted's Evaluation -- 2 of 3: Has some interesting elements.

A Good Action-Thriller

[tabuno · 7/10 · 21 January 2019]

23 March 2007. Warning: Spoilers. I can't say I was impressed with the ending, but most of the movie was involving and interesting. This solid action thriller is held together by Mark Walberg and contains the classic "Three Days of Condor" suspense and chase as well as the "The Bourne Identity" sophistication to make an overall nice thriller. Of course Walberg's near escape from death has already been pointed out as being a bit suspicious but the aftermath is handled about as well as any movie I've seen. There is a good interweaving of two characters trying on different tracks to solve this mystery, though its final explanation isn't as nefarious as some movies, more like "The Interpreter." While not in the top flight class of thrillers like "Bourne Supremacy," this movie definitely adds to the quality of this genre. Seven out of Ten Stars.

Amazing

[thecrow22 · 10/10 · 24 March 2007]

I came into this film with loads of skepticism, but I came out feeling completely the opposite. Shooter takes you into the life of retired Marine Scout Sniper Bob Lee Swagger, who retired after a mission went completely wrong. He is called back to give information as to how someone would be able to kill the president from over a mile away. He ends up being framed for the attempted murder of the president, and the murder of an archbishop of Ethopia, and must prove his innocence, at any cost.

Mark Wahlberg does a perfect job of portraying a detached veteran who has no respect for the government, and really brings the character to you. He is backed up by an outstanding Michael Pena and Danny Glover who add to the film like no one else could. The only real complaint is that Kate Mara's character, the widowed wife of Swagger's best friend seems to only play two emotions, distressed, or hysterical, and it does get annoying, though she plays the part well. Elias Kosteas did a good job playing Jack Payne, a borderline psychotic government agent, though at times his part seems over the top.

All in all this film blew me away and I couldn't have loved it more. Anyone who is into action movies of any kind definitely needs to see this movie.

The first "American Sniper" was Mark Wahlberg

[MickyG333 · 7/10 · 23 March 2022]

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.

Wahlberg may be next Bruce Willis

[jpanyard · 8/10 · 23 March 2007]

Mark Wahlberg might be the Bruce Willis of the new generation. His taciturn Bobby Swagger is perfect. The action is basically nonstop and very gritty. Bobby is a sniper who has retired to the mountains after being screwed by the government in an event which finds his sidekick dead. After being set up, he is stone cold killer. Think Jason Bourne as someone who remembers his past is really p.o.'d about it. The acting is good all around, with Glover and Beatty as bad guys you love to hate. Underlying all this a morality tale about what this country and its government have become. Many situations, of course, stretch the imagination , but watching a sense of honor prevail, no matter how briefly, is worth the price of admission. No Oscar nominations here, but a big bundle of money for the producers will be no surprise.

well-worn storyline with some refreshing elements

[Buddy-51 · 6/10 · 1 April 2007]

Though little more than a strung-together collection of man-on-the-run, action movie clichés, "Shooter" provides a veritable feast for conspiracy-theory paranoiacs and a decent enough time at the movies for the rest of us.

Mark Wahlberg plays Bob Lee Swagger, an embittered ex-marine gunnery sergeant who's been living a hermitlike existence ever since he and his sharpshooter buddy were left to perish on an Ethiopian hillside by the American forces that had sent them on the mission in the first place. After three years holed up in the wilderness of Wyoming with no one but his devoted pooch to keep him company, Swagger is coaxed out of retirement by the FBI to help foil a planned assassination of the President of the United States. When Swagger discovers at the last minute that he is actually being set up as the fall guy for the killing, he barely escapes with his life and spends the rest of the movie dodging the authorities while attempting to clear his name and bring the true culprits to justice.

Wahlberg, all brooding stoicism and macho-man swagger (pardon the pun), continues his run of tough guy roles in this film, though one wishes he would return to the more nuanced, multi-layered portrayals he managed to put forth in movies like "Boogie Nights" and "Three Kings." As the woman who befriends Swagger, the attractive and talented Kate Mara has considerably more screen time in this film than she did in "Brokeback Mountain," but far less worthy material to work with. The most compelling performance is by Michael Pena as the low-level FBI agent who believes Swagger is innocent of the crime and who winds up joining forces with Swagger to uncover the conspiracy. The Average Joe demeanor that Pena brings to the character provides a proper counterbalance to Wahlberg's strutting self-confidence and superhuman athleticism. Danny Glover seems to be phoning in much of his performance here as the leader of the covert FBI cabal, and Ned Beatty does his best as a stereotypically smarmy senator who's up to his ears in venality and corruption.

The plot often doesn't make a whole lot of sense, and it is easy for a layperson to get lost in all the arcane machinations that come flying fast and loose off the screen. Still, the screenplay does a nice job fitting the pieces of its puzzle together, merging the two story lines that run along parallel tracks for the first half into a unified whole at about the midway point. The action scenes are strikingly well done, even though they often sacrifice verisimilitude and plausibility for mass explosions and preposterously lopsided gun battles.

The movie makes a lot of grand speeches at the end about governmental corruption and what it truly means to live in the land of the free and the home of the brave, but "Shooter" is designed to be a generic thriller not a big-think social drama. And, on those terms only, the movie succeeds more often than it fails.

Still Invincible

[ThatMonkey · 8/10 · 23 March 2007]

I was surprised in many ways by shooter. #1, I was surprised by the release. I follow movies and I didn't hear about this title until early this year. #2, I was amazed by Marks ability to sell me on his acting skills. #3, By the fact that the most established actors in this title, Ned and Danny may have given career killing performances. I think Tony Todd and Stephen Root would have been solid choices, but my guess is the two poor performances were bought for name recognition.

To me this had Eastwood written all over it. At times I thought I was watching Line of Fire at others Unforgiven, but in the end it was just really good entertainment, much like The Bourne movies.

I think it's worth the watch and the story although not new was presented in a fresh manner. This one will go in my collection when available. I'm sure it will have a host of deleted scenes and alternate endings.

Solid film!

Active Shooter

[RobTheWatcher · 7/10 · 7 March 2022]

A very well thought out and entertaining action thriller. Mark does a good job and there's overall good acting and quality production. There were some sloppy gaps in the story but regardless it was good.

Directionless, without substance, story and soul

[chrisklecker · 4/10 · 16 July 2007]

Shooter is the essence of a soulless movie bent on nothing more than pushing the horrific profession of a "sniper" onto the audience to illustrate just how incredible an assassin they make. You have an interesting plot line from the start, "two snipers caught in a domestic and international war with no rules", however the movie soon turns into a biased anti-government knockoff that is bent on showing conspiracies and crooked politicians.

Mark Wahlberg plays Bob Lee Swagger, a ex-sniper special forces operative who just lost his friend/partner during a mission in Ethiopia. He retreats to the mountains and is approached by Danny Glover (Col. Issac Johnson) to tell them how a sniper could hit the President so they could stop a potential sniper they think is about to assassinate the president. Bob agrees, gets double-crossed, finds Pena (FBI agent Nick Memphis) tells him he's innocent and runs off ala John Rambo to seek revenge on those who wronged him.

The first five minutes are actually not bad, but then the movie goes downhill fast and when Michael Pena makes his first appearance. One must question what the director is thinking as Pena kicks the dirt in a rather poor attempt to be a "rookie, no-brains" FBI agent who later turns out to be an easily trained army commando.

The bottom line is Shooter was marred from the start. No real direction with the plot, no clear message, and a complete mis-use of some big name actors that have already proved they were excellent actors before starring in this sorry excuse for a movie. What is more interesting is what some new-comers to movies would think of these actors if Shooter was the first movie they saw, never realizing that's Ned Beatty from Deliverance, that's Danny Glover with one hell of a portfolio, and Mark Walhberg from The Departed and The Perfect Storm and last but definitely not least Michael Pena from Training Day. All of these actors have more talent than Shooter can provide and it's pathetic having to watch them squirm through the shallow plot line and cheesy dialog. I actually cringed when Ned Beatty shouts to Mark, "I'm a US Senator".

Shooter fails in more ways than one. The only thing it doesn't fail at is being somewhat of a no-brainer popcorn entertainment which is even debatable for me. In my humble opinion if you want a sniper movie with more intelligence, better dialog and solid plot, watch Sniper with Tom Berenger and Billy Zane.

Excellent, full of high powered action and intensity

[nims-1975 · 7/10 · 28 January 2023]

'Shooter' is a film about a retired marine called Bob Lee Swagger(played by Mark Wahlberg) who is confronted by US Army Colonel Isaac Johnson(played by Danny Glover) and told using his skills to play an assassination on the President. Johnson and his associates review Swaggers. The Presidents guest is killed causing big controversy and Swagger finds out that he has been set up by Johnson and the FBI who suspect Swagger of the killing which he did not do. Swagger is furious and uses his skills and effort to track down the people who did kill the Presidents guest and kill them. This film is absolutely brilliant and has some excellent acting by Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena, Danny Glover and Kate Mara. The film is also full of high powered action, intensity, explosions and is definitely an absolutely brilliant film which I really enjoyed watching.

A Nutshell Review: Shooter

[DICK STEEL · 8/10 · 5 April 2007]

Never mess with someone who can drop you with his gun from miles away. Snipers somehow has this aura of mystique and sexiness associated with the motto of "one shot, one kill", as exhibited in movies like Enemy at the Gates, or memorable war characters such as in Saving Private Ryan. In Shooter, this gets demystified for a while, hitting home that not only should one be gifted with the pulling of the trigger from incredible distance, a sniper is also a master mathematician, having to compute the trajectory of the round with factors of humidity, wind direction, angle etc just to hit the target.

Mark Wahlberg stars as Bob Lee Swagger, whom director Antoine Fuqua makes him literally walk with a swagger in all the silhouetted slow motion shots. A battle hardened veteran with ghosts from the past (don't they all), he gets tempted back to assist the authorities in order to feed his patriotic adrenaline, only to find himself screwed and framed for a treasonous crime he did not commit. It's cat and mouse as prey becomes hunter, and tries to exact justice and at the same time, to try and prove his innocence. Expect the usual guns, explosions, and plenty of blood and gore.

Shooter plays off like an urban Rambo meeting The Fugitive, only this time Dr Richard Kimble has biceps the size of melons and fights back with deadly accuracy from his rifle. He runs from the authorities, firmly put as the scheming villains involved in shady deals and the existence of a covert group of greed ala X-Files, one of whom is played by Danny Glover, in a rare turn of alignment to the dark side. No self-respecting beefcake wannabe can do without some DIY operation scene to keep alive, or some montage in gathering and making new weapons (pipe bombs, napalm anyone?), and half the time I was wondering about Mark Wahlberg being the quintessential new generation action hero.

Gone are the days when Hollywood action movie were ruled by the Stallone-Schwarzenegger- VanDamme trio, and surprisingly there are no permanent beefcakes who can readily step into and fill the void. Wahlberg has been slowly inching his way in my opinion, though Marky Mark's filmography of The Italian Job, the Planet of the Apes remake, The Perfect Storm and the more recent Four Brothers, do suggest that more should be done to cement this status, hence Shooter. I can't wait for his Brazilian Job to hit the screens, though that one plays more like an Ocean's Eleven rather than the individual one-man-saves-the-world action hero type. The Departed was a vulgar bit role, so that doesn't count.

Antoine Fuqua is no stranger to directing action movies, or movies with the hero caught up against unfair odds. From Training Day to Tears of the Sun, you can see earlier influences creep their way into Shooter, making it a little familiar territory visited. There are many sweeping shots used to try and epic-ize the movie, and set action sequences take priority, reducing character development to the token time available between scenes, and sometimes at the expense of plausibility.

The supporting cast was fun to watch, as Michael Pena (World Trade Center, Crash) almost stole the show with his rookie FBI character being caught up in the wrong place at the wrong time, and almost against his training, wishes and protocol, forms and becomes an important ally for Wahlberg's Swagger. The woman folk however get relegated to backseat roles, as per the usual Fuqua movies with Eva Mendes, Keira Knightley and Monica Belluci. Don't expect Kate Mara or Rhona Mitra to do much. As for the rest, they are your token cardboard characters, there to chew the scene.

Shooter is an action fan's fodder, and it is nothing more than a guilt trip watching a cowboy of a hero mopping up the town's scum, exactly in the way we like to see justice served - without remorse, exacting, and served extremely cold. A satisfying actioner with the usual thrills and spills.

It Is About Freedom, It Is not About Oil

[claudio_carvalho · 7/10 · 16 January 2008]

In Ethiopia, in the end of a secret mission, the sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) and his friend and spotter Donnie Fenn (Lane Garrison) are betrayed, left behind and Donnie is killed. Three years later, the lonely Bob is living in the mountains of Wyoming with his beloved dog Sam when he unexpectedly visited by Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover). The colonel uses Bob's patriotism to invite him to work in the security of the President of USA, trying to foresee where a sniper could shot him along his visit to Washington, Philadelphia and Seattle with the Archbishop of Ethiopia. When the Archbishop is deadly shot in Philadelphia, Bob is double-crossed and also shot twice by Officer Stanley Timmons (Alan C. Peterson) and accused of the murder. Wounded and chased by dozens of agents and policemen, Bob seeks help with the only person that could believe him, and while seeking the real killer, he finds a huge conspiracy related to oil supply.

"Shooter" is an entertaining full-of-action movie, with a great beginning and development but a weak conclusion. I do not understand why Bob destroys the tape of Senator Charles F. Meachum; if he had no intention of using it because he knew how huge the conspiracy was, why did he record the words of the senator? I liked this film, but the foregoing scene with the meeting with the colonel and the senator in the helicopter was absolutely unnecessary. My vote is seven.

Title (Brazil): "O Atirador" ("The Shooter")

Very good at illustrating the systemic aspects of Imperialism

[hitchikingalaxy · 10/10 · 14 May 2008]

I was quite skeptical at watching the film, and didn't even get around to watching it until just last night(5/13/08), well over a year after it came out. What I saw was a pretty good political analysis as to what the major cover ups are and the cause of this Imperialist oil war.

Yes, they do sprinkle a big ole plop of conspiracy theory, notably burying the snipers who did JFK in the desert. The line, "I still have the shovel" was quite amusing. Yes, the protagonist is a superman with the penchant for arriving in the nick of time and the ability to kill everyone. Chuck Norris isn't as bad as this guy.

What I found to be impressive though was that the movie placed the blame on a consortium of haves. It did not narrowly define exactly who the enemy is, so much as allow for a broader condemnation of capitalism and imperialism. The FBI agent sympathetic to the hero even goes so far as to wear a Che t-shirt.

So, when the aptly named Swagger tells Sarah Fenn, his buddies ex-wife, that the reason he took on the mission was because he fell for patriotism, we are given a quick condemnation of the flag waving jingoism that the US is trying to use to recruit young people for their imperialist wars. The WMD's are brought up, and are quite resonant in the context of a system without morality and only haves and have-nots.

I was impressed with the film.

I'm gonna see it through Shooter

[jaredmobarak · 6/10 · 9 April 2007]

Director Antoine Fuqua has a style and filmography that I have enjoyed in the past. With Training Day and King Arthur, he delivered some action packed movies that had both story and popcorn pyrotechnics. I will say that after seeing the trailer for his new film Shooter, I was a bit underwhelmed, but until I went to one of his works and was not entertained, I would at least give it a shot. I'm glad I did as Shooter ended up being a well told, nicely paced actioner that knew what it wanted to do at all times and lived up to its goals. We are never led into a situation that may twist in a way that will bring us out of the reality of what is happening; our hero has been framed and he will do anything necessary to find justice. Fuqua tells us who the good guys and who the bad guys are at all times. There is never an opportunity for the audience to second guess someone's motives because the filmmaker is willing to appreciate our intelligence and spin a linear tale of revenge, trying to set things right against a corrupt government.

A big part of the film's success lies in the performance by Mark Wahlberg. I have never been a real fan of his acting prowess, but I must give him credit for getting better each time he is in front of the camera. In my opinion, he was horrible early on in his career in movies like Fear. Sure he had a great turn in Boogie Nights, but I hold that true because he was basically playing himself—a young man new to the entertainment industry, trying to understand his role in it all. Only when he came out with possibly the best role in the phenomenal movie I Heart Huckabees did I finally say to myself, "this guy may be able to do the job after all." Wahlberg is wonderful as Bob Lee Swagger on his journey to find out who is behind the conspiracy that led to his being framed in a Presidential assassination plot. The role may not be very demanding as far as range goes, but that is OK, because he does all he is asked and is believable as the ex-army sniper. All the weaponry jargon that spews from his mouth may sound like gibberish, but he sells it that he knows what he's talking about.

The supporting cast help prop up the film as well, allowing for some nice sequences. Michael Peña is great as the FBI agent who sees that something isn't right and becomes willing to help uncover what truly happened the night of the shooting. Ned Beatty has a nice turn as a corrupt Senator, and although I kept waiting for him to mumble "yes sir, Mr. Luthor," he did a nice job. Also, mention must be made for the fantastic Elias Koteas. When he is given a role that he can really run with he takes it over and is electric. He plays the villain perfectly and between the slimeball moves and the hilarious scene at the end, (I love that he takes his belt off in the background while on the ground trying to make a tourniquet—most actors would probably just squirm there after what happens, but even when not the focal point he tries to bring the role out), you got to love the guy.

Besides the competent acting and some nice camera-work, (when Wahlberg enters what he knows is a trap, the camera composes each view of him in a way to show a vast space behind, making you think that someone will be turning up to take him out; the framing makes the suspense rise even higher), there are some problems. Sure the story is a convenient one, smart enough to get where it wants to go, taking the usual liberties action- flicks of this kind take, but it is effective and straight-forward. I don't mind this shortcoming because it is better than trying to be more than you are, ruining any credibility you might have had. What I do mind is bad acting. Upon viewing the trailer I thought I would be pulling my hair out listening to Kate Mara's fake hick accent, however, she wasn't that bad. The atrocity actually came from Danny Glover. Whether it was his decision or the director's, I don't know, but his mouthpiece-causing lisp was terrible. At first I was wondering if he got that old he was wearing dentures and they were falling out, but when looking closer you can see a clear mouthpiece on his bottom row of teeth causing a bad speech pattern. I cringed each time he opened his mouth.

At the end of the day though, Fuqua delivers the action and his actors do the job at pulling it all off. Shooter is by no means a masterpiece, but who actually goes to these types of movies expecting one? If you have two hours to spare and want to be entertained with a minimal amount of brainwork to pull you through, I can think of many worse things to do instead of checking out Wahlberg's one-man fight against the tyranny of influential people in high places.

Entertaining action film with controversial viewpoints

[johnslegers · 8/10 · 17 September 2009]

Although not accurate all the way, this film is one of the more realistic action thrillers I've seen. It's one of the few films where the main character actually spends a lot of time taking care of just two gun shot wounds (without vital organs being hit), one of the few films that puts governmental corruption in a more or less correct perspective, one of the few films where the lone hero needs a sidekick to help him with the planning, etc. On top of that, the film is entertaining from beginning to end and character motives are believable.

But then again.... this film is not for everyone. Left wing supporters are likely to be offended by its pro-gun message. American right wing supporters are likely to be offended by the strong anti-US government viewpoints clearly expressed in this film. Pro-constitution anti-federal government paleoconservatives and right wingers outside of the US without an in depth knowledge of sniper rifles are probably the only ones to enjoy this film to the fullest. And boy oh boy, how little are they in number... which probably explains why this film did not become the blockbuster hit it could have been.

Gun go brr

[bjornar-13327 · 7/10 · 29 August 2020]

Very good: Direction, Production Design, Special Effects, Editing, Pace, Dialogue.

Good: Plot, Themes and Tone, Acting and Characters, Cinematography.

Fair: Score.

" This is Serious, . . . They Killed My Dog "

[thinker1691 · 8/10 · 28 August 2007]

It has always been one of the great mistakes of militaries around the world, to recruit the best young men and train them to kill ruthlessly. Some become so proficient at their task, as to glean the admiration of ambitious and callous individuals who will then use these human weapons for any purpose necessary. For the film student, this scenario is not new, but has become a repeatable staple for movie directors whenever they need intrigue, drama and action. The list of films who's name resembles, " Marksman, Sniper, Assassin, Killer, Agent, Mercenary, Machanic, Sanction or just plain Liquidator." is as long as your arm. The only difference here is the title has been shorten to "Shooter." In this story our hero, Bob Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) is an Ex-Iraq era Marine sniper, now retired and reputed to be the very best at his art is once again recruited to serve his country. A very sincere military Officer, Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) convinces him to help protect the President of the United States. Convinced, Swagger details the 'where and how' to the Colonel and his men, only to discover, they are not what they appear and the Marine finds himself the target. On the run, he must now evade a nationwide manhunt, clear his name and find the truth behind the deception. Along the way, he discovers an ally in a rookie F.B.I. agent named Nick Memphis (Michael Peña) who also becomes a wanted fugitive. Based on the novel by Steven Hunter the fast action film includes notable Ned Beatty and Elias Koteas as Jack Payne. If you're looking for action, drama and a plausible movie for the times, you've found one. ****

A Well-Made Conspiracy Revenge Tale

[peeedeee-94281 · 7/10 · 4 October 2020]

This is a movie that could divide viewers based on the angle it takes. People who hate movies about conspiracies and evil governments will find fault in this one, while those who do believe in those things will probably be more generous. I probably fall in the latter category. I thought the movie was well-made. Fuqua does a good job of concealing the set-up, and I found some of the twists and turns surprising. It was like watching a good chess game. The final ending was satisfying, if not cliched and predictable. The action was pretty good. Yes, Wahlberg's character kills a lot of people. But hey, what was he supposed to do, give them all hugs while they're firing high caliber rounds at him? And if you've seen Wahlberg and Pena in other (action) movies, they tend to play up the comedy in those. In this one, they're mostly playing it straight. Maybe one or two low-key humorous moments, but the overall tone is fairly dark. And they don't show EVERYTHING, like what happened to Kate Mara's character the time she was off-screen while Wahlberg & Pena were in Virginia. Not that I really needed to see the gory details, it felt more glossed over, and didn't explain why she was needed later on. Overall an entertaining flick, good for a weekend rainy afternoon.

The Good & Bad Of 'Shooter'

[ccthemovieman-1 · 5/10 · 30 June 2007]

THE GOOD - What a great start! The first half hour of this is outstanding and the first hour very good. It looks like, as advertised, that if you enjoyed the "Bourne" movies ("The Bourne Identity" and "The Bourne Supremacy") you should like this and that was the case with me.....for the first hour. Mark Walhber's "Bob Lee Swagger" is a likable hero, a good guy in every sense. Yes, he's macho, intelligent, a thoughtful, patriotic guy, etc.. The scenes where he is eluding everyone in Philadelphia in what would be an impossible dragnet lack a little credibility but they sure are fun to watch.

The first half included an interesting study on what it takes to be a good "sniper." It also had good photography and I especially liked the overhead shots of Philadelphia. The chase scenes were fun to watch, too. Near the end, the white sniper camouflage outfit Walhberg was wearing in Montana was really cool.

THE BAD - Who wrote this script? Oliver Stone? Michael Moore? The DNC? I couldn't believe all the politics - all the Liberal conspiracies and the anti-Bush Administration comments - in the last hour of this movie. First, this extreme paranoid view that everyone in the government is corrupt is vastly overworked by Hollywood and this movie is the topper where they aren't even subtle about these crackpot theories. Talk about biting the hand that feeds you! Filmmakers make literally millions of dollars in this country and do nothing but bash the government. It's really worked to death in this film, more than the Bourne stories. To what extremes film writers go, just check out Elias Koteas' portrayal of government agent in here, and you get my drift. No guy in that position would act like that.

The Oliver Stone-like politics come into play big-time when Swagger meets this old guy in Tennessee who espouses every Liberal conspiracy theory that Stone likes to dish out. They still are trying to pass on all the conspiracy theories on the JFK assassination. That, and a not-so-subtle dig at WMDs, President Bush's comments why we are in Iraq, the Secretary of Defense supposedly being a liar and other negative opinions connected with the Iraq War, just keep coming after that. It's unrelenting.

They turn a decent action thriller into one big Left Wing propaganda piece. They didn't do that in the Bourne movies, but they sure spew out their political venom in here.

That's bad enough but the Rambo-mentality was an insult to all viewers, regardless of political persuasion. There had to be at least 50 trained army guys storming a house with our hero in it, along with his FBI friend, and all 50 guys are killed and the two "good guys" don't even get a scratch?! Then, a helicopter arrives with more guys shooting at them, and Swagger kills all of them, too! This is embarrassingly moronic.

OVERALL - After a great first hour, this movie dumbed down so badly in the second half that it just left me shaking my head in disbelief! How a film can be so entertaining and somewhat intelligent and go down the dumper so fast and be so stupid in the second half is staggering. It winds up being a "coulda, shoulda" movie in which we just lament how good this should have been, but wasn't

A decent action-thriller...

[ajs-10 · 7/10 · 3 July 2011]

This film is based on a novel by Stephen Hunter caller "Point of Impact". It charts the betrayal of a marine sniper and his efforts to clear his name. Originally set around the time of the Vietnam War, the film brings events up to date and into the 21st Century. There's plenty of action and explosions, and even a damsel in distress, so it covers most of the bases. I'll give you my thoughts after a brief summary.

Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger is on a mission in Africa when is spotter, and best friend, Donnie Fenn is killed. Left to die by his superiors, he eventually gets out and immediately resigns his commission. Three years later he's living alone in the mountains with his dog when a Colonel Isaac Johnson comes to him with a proposal. There has been a threat on the President and they believe only a highly trained sniper could carry it out. They want Swagger to scout out possible locations and report back to them. They play on his patriotism and eventually he agrees. On the day the threat is due to become real; they insist he attends in order to advise them. Little does Swagger know, he is about to be set up. Injured, he escapes and, with the help of a couple of friends, he plots his revenge.

A very well made film with some nice action scenes, stunt work and CGI. A decent plot with plenty of twists and turns, not all of them too predictable, thankfully. Performance wise, I thought Mark Wahlberg did a decent job as Bob Lee Swagger, as did Michael Peña as FBI agent Nick Memphis. Of the bad guys, the pick of the bunch were, Danny Glover as Colonel Isaac Johnson and Ned Beatty as Senator Charles F. Meachum. Oh, and I should also mention the damsel in distress, Kate Mara as Sarah Fenn.

As revenge thrillers go, this is pretty run-of-the-mill stuff. There are no stand-out performances, outstanding dialogue or even radical plot-twists. One thing that did strike me was the total lack of humour, not even one wise-crack from a bad guy… quite disappointing. But having said all that, it does do what it says on the tin and I did find it quite entertaining. It's never going to win any prizes, but still… Recommended.

My Score: 6.7/10