Without a brain, Shoot ‘Em Up’s brawn would relegate it to the bargain bin, an exploitative piece of popcorn cinema. But it becomes clear very early on in the film that Davis has paid close attention to every inch of celluloid on the screen. What might seem like throwaway lines are actually tongue-in-cheek metafilmic references and, if one pays attention to the details (as espoused by Giamatti’s character to his henchmen), the experience can be very rewarding.

Davis’ Smith is not your typical gun-slinging hero and, likewise, Shoot ‘Em Up is not your typical, well, shoot ‘em up. Owen is a tough guy who advocates gun control, even while blowing away a room full of bad guys. The usual clichéd “pained backstory” for such a gruff hero is cleverly addressed, without ever actually being admitted to. “C’mon!” Giamatti’s Hertz implores, trying to goad Smith into revealing a chink in his armor, “That was you, wasn’t it?” But Smith merely keeps his mouth shut and continues firing.

You may have heard by now about the film’s numerous action sequences – gunfights while in midair and while in… Ms. Bellucci (ahem), along with Smith’s repeated use of carrots as a deadly weapon. It’s the playfulness of Davis’ script that convinced New Line to let him direct in the first place, and convinced a trio of award-winning actors to join up with an unknown director. And yet, despite his inexperience, Davis orchestrates these sequences like a masterful conductor, hitting all the right notes. Shoot ‘Em Up is a thoroughly inventive and joyful piece of cinema, one of those films that is destined to become a cult classic. And with it, Davis announces his arrival with a bang.

Movie Grade: A+

Synopsis:

A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, Shoot 'Em Up kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith, a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlikely ally (Monica Belluci) to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city.