|
Retired Special Operations sniper Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) leads a hermit-like life in woody Nowhere Land, having only his dog for company. One day Col. Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) together with his sidekick-bodyguard Jack Payne (Elias Koteas) knock on his door, recruiting him for a special mission: to plan the best way to foil an assassination attempt on the US President which, according to their intelligence reports, should take place within the next two weeks. He accepts and leaves his virtual hermitage for Philadelphia to save the President’s life but soon discovers a conspiracy to frame him for the assassination attempt. Now the moving target of hundreds of government guns, Swagger has only two allies—FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Pena) who has discovered evidence of the conspiracy, and Sarah (Kate Mara), the widow of his former military partner.
Brisk action and superb characterization are the hallmarks of this thriller. While the theme is not that extraordinary—conspiracy, double-dealing and backstabbing involving corrupt government officials—the story keeps its power to hold the viewer’s interest and curiosity to its unpredictable end. Wahlberg as the wronged man projects a very human and winsome hero: down to earth, smart, yet noble. Pena’s is an excellent companion to the Wahlberg character, underplayed and supportive of the hero. The conspirators Glover, Koteas, Ned Beatty (as the corrupt senator) and company are mean to the marrow and bereft of scruples. Of special interest is Swagger’s resourcefulness in fashioning killer guns homemade from ordinary supermarket hardware.
Shooter mirrors the news worldwide where political muck, conspiracy theories and distrust of government serve as staples. Populating this reel world of Shooter are recognizable types in the real world: the corrupt senator, the shadowy military man, a sprinkling of prejudiced FBI men, and the unyielding fighters for truth and justice. It is important to note that the film projects a cynical view of the political power structure in the United States and uses the protagonist’s solution to evil which is his reaction to being betrayed. Saying “The Army taught me how not to die after they finished teaching me how to kill,” he is forced, to his deep regret, to apply both skills in handling the situation. While the hero in Shooter is a character that can easily win audience sympathy because he is on the side of right and seems moved by justice instead of sheer revenge, we must be reminded that handling justice in his manner should only happen in the movies.
(Date Reviewed: 20 April 2007)
|
