It might not be a film for the ages, but the new thriller
"Shooter" provides pure unadulterated entertainment for the masses, with a side dish of steaming hot political commentary. From the cover, it appears to be a generic testosterone-filled trigger-finger flick, but with Mark Wahlberg's sweaty body carrying sniper rifles, it really is fun for the whole family.
Wahlberg stars as Bob Lee Swagger, a military marksman "retired" to the lonely wilderness with only the company of his loyal, beer-retrieving dog. Wooed by the irresistible charm and patriotic ramblings of Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover), Swagger agrees to assist in the prevention of a mile-long range assassination attempt on the president of the United States, or so he thinks. With a series of sufficiently violent, compelling events, the table turns as the target changes from the president to the archbishop of Ethiopia, and the alleged assassin becomes Swagger.
Swirling in a whirl of confusion and doubt, Swagger draws from his military training, not only to stay alive after suffering multiple gunshot wounds, but also to evade the FBI and local police, not to mention the conspirators that infiltrate the highest sources of "command."
Luckily, even long-range marksmen need help now and again, so newly recruited FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Pe?±a) enters to provide friendship, as he questions the world's automatic assumptions and delves dangerously into the truth of the assassination.
Strangely, it is in fact the banality of the subject matter that makes the movie so compelling, for if an audience is actually interested in yet another sniper thriller, there has to be something out of the ordinary happening. It seems so rare that a film features such a deep, intriguing hero and a complete, utterly despicable antagonist.
Danny Glover embodies every dirty military head honcho, drunk with blood and power and willing to achieve his goals at any cost. His performance is so convincing that at least half the audience would have fallen for the same assassination scheme.
As lovable as Glover was in "Angels in the Outfield" (1994), he is as wickedly manipulative in the "Shooter." His symbolic role as the military devil is, of course, also the perfect foil for the spirited, patriotic Swagger.
Wahlberg oddly fits in the role of a gun-toting Midwesterner with (believe it or not) an on-and-off Midwestern accent. In a film filled with corruption it is needless to say that there has to be at least one good guy to make life continue to seem worth living - although the message that the only way to fix corrupt America is by blowing everyone away might be more detrimental than the actual corruption.
Wahlberg succeeds again as he did in "The Departed" (2006) in exhibiting more than his sweaty six-pack abs through his performance. Swagger is flawed but passionate, and he provides the perfect man to love in a good, old-fashioned Hollywood thriller.
As light-hearted as some of the film's many witty remarks may be, the various political messages run deep, commenting on American acquisition of foreign oil and the situation in Iraq. Pop culture is also not neglected, including a crack at Anna Nicole Smith - is it too soon?
Focusing on the unnecessary force used in American involvement in African affairs opens up many opportunities to comment on the American perspective on what is "good" for others and how that should be accomplished. The stereotypes of men with Southern accents chuckling about death around a fireplace as they drink brandy, however, might be over the top. Nevertheless, the presentation of events brings to mind important questions about the sources and control of power and how, in fact, one should go about trusting it - or for that matter, controlling it.
This film is clearly a crowd-pleaser, but it certainly accomplishes its goal with flair. "Shooter"'s political targets are fairly blatant, and the guns, bombs and overall violence aren't anything new, but the compelling characters, witty script and gripping plot make it a DVD you want to have on the shelf.
