JohnDoe
Bryn
BrentonShoot Em Up (2007) - Trailer Included
October 3rd 2007 02:37
A fistful of flesh, bullets bang and loaded words.
Fearing that John Doe’s blog is turning into a travel diary, it’s time to review a film that he saw in New York City’s Times Square at the famed Empire AMC Multiplex.
The US Poster
Starring: Clive Owen, Monica Bellucci, Paul Giamatti
“My god. Do we really suck or is this guy really that good?” – Mr Hertz
Saturated in an atmosphere of gunpowder, bloody carnage and cool dialogue, Shoot Em Up is a high speed comic books style action film that starts off at 100 miles an hour and continues to gain momentum. Excessively violent, this is ludicrous entertainment that just gets more absurd with each inventively choreographed action set piece, fortunately the audience is in on the joke all the way.
“Does anyone know what a Jimmy Cagney love scene is? It's when Cagney lets the good guy live.” – Mr Hertz
Opening with a Sergio Leone inspired close up of our hero Smith’s (Clive Owen) squinting eyes, knowing audiences will smile as the camera then cuts to show his mouth that instead of a cigar sees him munching on a carrot.
“What's up doc?” - Smith
Seated at a bus stop he is nonplussed as a pregnant women runs screaming past him exiting into a dark alley. While Smith laconically continues to chew on his vegetable a black trans am comes hurtling around the corner and slams into a parked car. From the wreckage crawls a heavily armed hitman who chases his prey and shortly afterwards Smith reluctantly decides to help the damsel in distress.
“You know what I hate?” - Smith
Effortlessly dispatching the would-be assassins brains out the back of his head, an army of killers immediately show up for a battle royale. As the bullets fly the pregnant women starts giving birth and inevitably our man of action ends up cutting the umbilcle cord with his firearm and nursing the new born.
“You are the angriest man in the world!” – DQ
Narrowly escaping with the child, Smith is now relentlessly pursued by the vicious pack of killers for hire led by an ex forensics profiler Hertz (Paul Giamatti). Wth the help of a lactating prostitute (Monica Bellucci) he must stay alive to solve the mystery of the infants origins and why he has become a target for extermination.
“Aren't guns just fucking great, Hammerson?” – Smith
Cock sure and ready to rumble
John Doe says:
Obviously influenced by John Woo’s action masterpiece Hard Boiled and adopting the wham bam style of last years Smokin Aces, just about every scene contains a twist on the genre that has never been seen onscreen.
Light on plot, staged for maximum impact and clever visual feats with 2 guns blazing make the rock n roll fuelled combat fast and hilarious. The script exists to set up each progressive scene of ferocious tongue in cheek conflict while giving the characters memorable super cool dialogue with minimal development.
The movie has its glaring faults, trying to hard at times some of the lines are clumsily out of place with the rhythm of the story and some scenes also upset the flow. The saving grace is that they still work as standalone moments.
The biggest problem is the non existent chemistry between stars Monica Bellucci and Clive Owen who never quite seem to gel on camera. (Especially in a sex is violence tryst that arrives out of nowhere.)
Writer/Director Michael Davis doing his job
Clive Owen’s charisma (Croupier, Sin City, Ill Sleep When Im Dead, Gosford Park, Children of Men) lifts the enigmatic man with no name type anti hero. Dealing with serious rage issues venting the only way he knows how, by destroying anyone who crosses his path.
Die hard thespian Paul Giamatti (Safe Men, American Splendour, Sideways) plays along with the OTT concept and keeps himself amused by adopting a unique accent and extroverted villainy that works.
Monica oh Monica, beautiful, beautiful Monica Bellucci (Malena, Irreversible, le Apartment, Doberman, Secret Agents, Passion of the Christ) sure she can act too but her visual splendour is all that’s needed here and we even get some more T&A for the Italian Belle.
John Doe considers this the ideal film to see with a rowdy New York crowd, the audience was hooting and hollering throughout and a constant wave of applause accompanied each fresh kill. Shoot Em Up will never be labelled a masterpiece or even a good film but in this era of insulting CG and unimaganitive cliché it’s refreshing to see a film that has no illusions about its place in the cinema universe. Destined for cult status this is an adult video game experience that caters to a niche market with sublime success. “Oh yeah, kick start my heart hope it never stops…”
Sorry gang there is no Australian Release date available at this time.
Watch the trailer
Here is an exclusive interview with the stars that also includes an uncensored scene of carnage.
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Comment by KylieW
Celebrity Obsession
Hopefully this gets an australian release soon
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
Im a big Clive Owen fan too ever since Croupier. In its own way this Smokin Aces style of action film blends witty scripting with the fast cuts and ultra violence for solid adult fun.
Its the energy behind the lens that follows through and doesn't worry about meeting a wide demographic, instead catering to those who want fresh, hip spectacle rather than kiddie friendly death and destruction.
Not sure if it will make to Oz anytime soon because it didn't make much of a profit in the states due to the R rating and flippant, twisted carnage that is meant to amuse but probably shocked those who are Michael bay fans.
Comment by Cibbuano
20/20 Filmsight
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Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
I would never insult anyone by calling it a good film, but it kept both guns blazing from beginning to end and was well aware of it ridiculous action staging...its a comic book film that delivers more thrills than most actual comic book adaptations....
Its ludicrous and absurd and knows it...for me I liked it far more than the usual video game style action fluff we usually get, at least it offered a lot of new ideas in execution and kept moving forward. I found myself remembering most every scene because of its violent annihilation of physical cliche.
Not for everyone, but if you liked Smoking Aces which is the film its comparable too then you may just dig it.
Comment by mr_tza
Guru of Film
Comment by JohnDoe
Film & TV on DVD
It was a braindead ride afterall.