I have been wanting to watch an action bonanza for a while and unfortunately nothing has come along in the recent past that has satisfied the action junkie in me. However, I can finally say that has been fulfilled with Shoot ‘Em Up. Yeah I agree it requires suspension of logic and probably even common sense, but yet on the whole its pure popcorn fun like nothing else in the recent past. Clive Owen is pure dynamite as the carrot crunching hero who can shoot and shoot very well and at all times and in every situation. You have to see to believe some of the situations the action takes place in. The story itself is wafer thin. It begins with Clive Owen protecting a pregnant woman who is being chased by some bad guys. He delivers her with a gun in his hand (shooting the umbilical cord) and when the unfortunate woman takes a bullet, Clive is left with a newborn infant playing its protector from hordes and hordes of henchmen out to kill the child. The why is something that is unraveled as the movie goes along and we have the beautiful Monica Bellucci giving us company during this thrill ride of a movie. The very talented Paul Giamatti plays the bad guy out to kill the child at all costs and he does a fair job, but not menacing enough and nothing spectacular.
Please do note, Shoot ‘Em Up will not be everyone’s cup of tea. It very certainly was not my wife’s. The action though is fast and furious and very entertaining. Of course it goes without saying that all critics will only pan this kind of movie and will shred it to pieces, but then ordinary viewers like me and you will enjoy and give it positive reviews as even reading the reviews at BBC will evidence this out. Go ahead Shoot ‘Em Up and have a blast while doing it!
