Shoot 'Em Up

Year of Release: 2007
Genre: Action / Thriller
Rating: R for for pervasive strong violence, sexuality and language.
Director: Michael Davis
Starring: Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti, Stephen McHattie

Date Of Review: February 2008

“I'm a British nanny and I'm dangerous”. Clive Owen certainly is just that in “Shoot ‘Em Up”, one of the most stylish but excessively violent action films to hit the screens in recent times. Owen plays Mr. Smith a tough–as-nails-gunman who helps deliver a woman’s baby during a violent shoot out. His method for severing the umbilical cord with a single gunshot is unique to say the least and is certainly one of the most unconventional child birth sequences you are ever likely to see. Amidst a spray of bullets the mother is killed but Owen is able to rescues the baby and then becomes committed to protect the child from a ruthless army of criminals led by a psychopathic killer, played with malevolence by Paul Giamatti (“Sideways”). To add spice to the proceedings Owen calls on Monica Bellucci, a prostitute, who reluctantly becomes the baby’s surrogate mother. “Shoot ‘Em Up” is so full of hyper-kinetic violence that it is almost impossible to find a cohesive story amongst it. It is just one endless gun battle after another with literally tons of black humor thrown in for good measure. How they managed to rake up an A-list cast for such a B-grade plot is anybody’s guess.

“Shoot ‘Em Up” may have tanked at the US box-office but I am sure it will find a place for itself on DVD. A film such as this is little more than a ballet of bullets and blood. It should come with a box warning as it has no respect for the human condition. It also has a high sleaze quotient that it cannot override and comes with such a carnivorous appetite for human flesh that some audiences may find it repulsive. However, the 20 something crowd will probably embellish this one as much as they do their videogames. The film must have been a logistical nightmare for the stunt guys and choreographers given the number of bullets and blood that was splattered on screen. There literally seems to be a gun going off every few seconds, it’s loud, it’s continuous and the rat-a-tat-tat of bullets almost doubles as a background music score.

On the positive side, the film is technically well produced and very stylish in its look. Clive Owen looks great in the role and is perfectly cast as the old-fashioned gunslinger in the long dark coat. Clive doesn’t have as much dialogue as he gets in his usual films, but it’s a physical role, one that requires him to move and react quickly. He has to handle a gun just like an assassin and look cool doing it, all at the same time. Like Antonio Banderas in “Desperado”, Owen manages to achieve the same effect in “Shoot ‘Em Up” but you can only take some much gun-play. One thing I will take away from “Shoot ‘Em Up” is that never before has a film found such an inventive way to use carrots. Bugs Bunny, eat your heart out, but this film is certainly not for the kiddies. Enough said.

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Pick Of The Flicks - Recommended Links:
Shoot 'Em Up at Hollywood Teen Movies
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