Shoot ‘Em Up (2007)

“Guns don’t kill people! But they sure help.” 22 June 2021

A man named Smith (Clive Owen) reluctantly makes the decision to help a pregnant woman who’s being chased by a gang of heavily armed gunmen.  Unfortunately, the woman goes into labor.  Smith delivers the baby while simultaneously fending off a dozen or so baddies.  And that’s just the first five minutes.

As far as entertainment goes, I haven’t seen many movies recently that I enjoyed as much as Shoot ‘Em Up.  It’s fast-paced, adrenaline-filled, stylized hyper-violence and a total blast.  While the movie may be light on plot, with this much action, who cares?  Sure, some of the violence and situations may be “cartoony” where physics and the other laws of nature don’t necessarily apply, but if you can just go with it, Shoot ‘Em Up is a kick-in-the-rear good-time.

Beyond the violence and action, two areas where I felt the film excelled were the technical aspects and the acting.  First, technically, Shoot ‘Em Up is a delight.  Lighting, set design, and special effects are amazing.  But the star is the gymnastic-style camera work and the sharp, crisp, frenzied editing.  It’s a joy to behold.  

Second, as for the acting, I loved all three leads.  Clive Owen is perfectly stoic as the film’s hero.  His persona is a wonderful contrast to the craziness going on around him.  Paul Giamatti is a real treat as the main baddie.  He’s absolutely perfect.  And, finally, Monica Bullucci is rock solid.  Her chemistry with Owen works.  

I'm amazed that Shoot ‘Em Up only made $27 million on a $39 million budget.  It’s better than that and certainly more entertaining than the 6.6 IMDb rating suggests.

8/10