Title:
Shoot ‘Em Up
Year:
2007
Genre:
Action, Comedy, Crime
Director:
Michael davis
Writer:
Michael Davis
Runtime:
86min
Cast:
Clive Owen, Paul Gamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen McHattie
Produc.:
New Line Cinema. Angry Films
Budget:
$39 million approx.
In
Shoot ‘Em Up, Smith (Clive Owen) is a mysterious lone gunman, who, unwittingly
finds himself trying to thwart a government conspiracy.
Smith
is relaxed. He is enjoying one of his only pleasures, eating a carrot, while
resting on a bench on the sidewalk.
Suddenly,
Smith finds himself facing quite an unusual situation. A young pregnant woman
(Ramona Pringle) shows up running, very agitated, and continues into an alley.
Anyone who had seen her would not have hesitated to help. This, however, does
not seem to affect this man, who shows no signs of going to do anything. Not
until he sees that the lady is been chased by someone armed and with a scowl. Just
then, is that he changes his priorities. But not without first giving a bite to
his vitaminic food.
Smith
follows victim and attacker to the alley, even though he is not armed. Seconds
later, the offender has already got the girl in the spotlight, ready to liquidate
her, moment in which Smith appears. In the middle of a shooting, Smith manages
to carry out a labor, after which he show the mother into a corner that he believes
safe, but it is not, for herself and her child. Meanwhile, he will continue to
try to save both their skin.
The
opening scene shows us this good citizen, putting him right away, between a
rock and a hard place. The result ends up being the fierce persecution, between
a man and a battalion of hired assassins, all led by the fearsome Hertz (Paul
Giamatti), who, if he does not like you, he tells you so, but with the trigger.
There
are lots of action and lots of shooting. And such a cool fellow, that he even
gets somebody else’s gun for his own advantage. Then, to finish with the first
adrenaline scene, it could not be missed the spectacular jump from a balcony to an
apartment, that Smith does with the little one in arms. It is of those
circumstances in which the only thing missing would be the bad guy shouting
something like, "I will avenge!" But, fortunately, it does not
happen.
As
the plot progresses, Smith's past is not necessarily too important, but we do
know some demotivaiting details.
Here
what we have, is a guy who has gotten where he should not, but who, coincidentally
has extensive knowledge of anatomy and use of firearms, combat techniques or
escape routes. Why not say it: a sort of MacGyver. And all for wanting to save
a newborn, who, in the end, indeed, has become an orphan.
Starting
from this premise is that everything else flows, where each situation is a
constant, of shooting and being shot at, and where, no matter if there are
dozens of assassins against just one guy, our hero is who is to be victorious.
It
should be noted to the director, that all the scenes worked, all based on
shootings, with pistols or machine guns, and without resorting to other elements.
Together, Davis leads his hero to the extreme, but without looking ridiculous.
Wich were, indeed, for example, the case of Darius Stone in XXX 2, who made a
vehicle work without wheels on a railroad track, which was already excessive.
With
this what I am saying, is that it is known that a director can, and often
"needs" to take certain liberties with his characters, though, always
considering that there "must” be set a limit.
Davis
does not forgot of the female component, either. Donna Quintano (Monica
Bellucci) is a prostitute who ends up being Smith´s sole support, and which
allows for a romantic and erotic component.
Shoot
‘Em Up is action and shooting, from start to finish. Is, the good guy versus
the bad guy. Both built under the usual stereotypes, but here, relaying on
Michael Davis nice touch. Who, although, did not discovered gunpowder, he certainly
knew how to use it.
My
rating: 5/10
