Shoot 'Em Up DVD Review

"Shoot 'Em Up" reviews

DVD

Shoot 'Em Up

Author

anonymous

Date reviewed

2008-01-25 15:40:17

Provider

MRIB

DVD Review

Never mind the superfluous plot, feel the action, in this ridiculously riotous ninety minutes. Guns, guns, guns, guns guns and out of this world, over the top stunts.

A man sits on a bench when a pregnant woman runs past in panic pursued by a nasty nutter with a gun. Cue Mr Smith the hero, who dispatches said henchman using a vegetable! This triggers a tidal wave of bad guys with lots of guns and lots more guns (but no ability to aim), whilst Smith delivers the baby and escapes (the mother gets it in the temple though). Realising the baby needs feeding Smith goes to a lactating prostitute. Before you know though the baddies are all over them and it's then gun battle after gun battle. Each one with it's very own skit and super-stunt.

Clive Owen proved his action chops on Sin City and here he's fun, exciting and loveable (and British, which somehow makes his character even more loveable on the mean streets of New York). The sharp one-liners (including Paul Giametti's witty "**** me Sideways" line) makes this a funny as well as lightning-paced action film. No doubt without Owen, Giametti and Monica Bellucci, this would have been straight-to video-fodder. They give it breathing space, putting it head and shoulders above its contemporaries. Though don't expect this to raise the bar on intellectual action in any way.

Director Davis knows exactly where to put his camera too, unlike those all-too-common action films which rely on jolts and jumps to build the energy, but leave you wishing they'd present it properly. It's a film on a budget, though, and the skydiving shoot-out proves it. Otherwise treat yourself to lavish explosion of action littered with disposable bad guys. It's just like they edited together all the best shoot outs from all the great movies.

Copyright © MRIB 2008.