Shooter

If you want to see a good movie, lower your expectations. After high hopes for Zodiac and Breach, it was time to see a movie with a trailer that seems to give the entire film away. Expecting nothing, I got an entertaining movie with action that swings between reality and Hollywood reality with plenty of humor to keep it moving.

It seems to be a requirement in every action movie to have the hero chased by a helicopter with a gun turret. How the gunman always misses makes sense only in Hollywood reality. That aside, the movie starts by throwing you straight into the action with Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) and his partner, Donnie Fenn (Lane Garrison) in the heart of Africa showing off their skills with one head shot after another. At this point, the film was still grounded in reality, as the shooters take into account weather conditions and all the variables affecting the shot. But things don't turn out well"¦

Fast forward three years later, and Swagger is just man living with his dog in the woods. Unexpected company takes the form of Danny Glover as Colonel Isaac Johnson with an inexplicable speech impediment. He is joined unnecessarily by his minions, Jack Payne (Elias Koteas who was unforgettable as Casey Jones in Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles III) and who-was-that-guy? Louis Dobbler (Jonathan Walker). After a patriotic guilt trip, Swagger signs on to stop an assassination attempt on the President. Conspiracies ensue"¦

Wahlberg plays a quiet killer well, talking business only. He's part Terminator (see bathroom scene), part Rambo, and all determined to "burn their playhouse down." Glimpses of humanity are seen, but for a movie like this, humanity is irrelevant, we just want to see the enemies get their comeuppance.

The enemy, unsurprisingly is Glover, who pulls off the cold-hearted, unrelenting characteristics of the antagonist needed in an action film. He doesn't go so far as being cruel. That is left to Jack Payne who is happily assigned to take in Swagger's partner's fiancée, Sarah Fenn (Kate Mara). Even with an R rating, director Antoine Fuqua decides to imply rather than depict Payne's doings with Sarah, which is a good choice as it wouldn't further the plot but only help the sickos (who me?) in the audience get off. The violence aimed at Payne, however, is the grossest and most satisfying moment in the film (funny how that works).

The relationship between Swagger and Sarah is an odd one. In any other movie, Sarah would be the love interest, but Fuqua once again avoids the cliché, establishing a strong friendship (read: if there's a sequel, they'll be together). Mara's acting is mostly maintaining her Southern accent, but as a nurse, what more do you need than the veil of Southern hospitality?

The action scenes were all enjoyable, even when they become far

fetched. The politics became a bit heavy towards the end considering the entire movie beforehand was an extended chase scene. The enemies are no one we haven't seen beforehand: fat, rich politicians. But this isn't a groundbreaking film, just an entertaining one.

I just wish Fuqua had used the scenery more, especially towards the end where there is an amazing potential for suspense on a snowy mountaintop. This would enhance the theater experience, because as it stands, Shooter is easily a film fit for home viewing.

Movie Grade: B-

Synopsis:

“Shooter” is an action-packed thriller starring Mark Wahlberg as Bob Lee Swagger, a former Marine Corp sniper who leaves the military after a mission goes bad. After he is reluctantly pressed back into service, Swagger is double-crossed again. With two bullets in him and the subject of a nationwide manhunt, Swagger begins his revenge, which will take down the most powerful people in the country. Antoine Fuqua (“Training Day”) directs.