An irreverent send up of action movie cliches that also manages to revel gleefully in them. It's got Clive Owen completely drenched in dedication, its got a bad guy that can't even give a good monologue, its got guns that only need reloading when it's convenient, its got one liners that laugh in the face at the very concept of a one liner.
It's got a dark sense of humour but in the same sort of way that something like South Park does; It's harmless, with creative action and some truly laugh out loud gags.
It's an indie-rock response to the seriousness of Bourne and the veneered ugliness of Bond. It acknowledges the silliness of action with all its love and heart. And post John Wick, I'm thinking it's time for more. Shoot Em Up is the Garth Merenghi pastiche of action rather than the Scary Movie parody. This film is not for everyone but it is for me.
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Offworld_Colony7 February 2020
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BA_Harrison22 September 2011Given the choice, I prefer my action films to be as brutally realistic as possible, but if film-makers are insistent about going down the cartoonish violence route, they might as well go the whole nine yards, as in Shoot 'Em Up, a relentlessly OTT slam-bang actioner that starts out all guns blazing and doesn't call it quits until writer/director Michael Davis has thrown every possible crazy idea he can come up with onto the screen.
This wild, anything goes approach could be compared to the previous year's Crank, but unlike that film, which was crippled by unlikeable characters, unnecessary vulgarity and a glut of irritatingly showy editing tricks, Shoot 'Em' up remains a classy and often clever piece of film-making despite its highly preposterous plot: Davis's effective direction is cool and slick without resorting to migraine inducing visual gimmickry; stars Owen and Bellucci effortlessly ooze sex appeal and charisma, whilst Paul Giamatti, as ultra-vicious killer Hertz, is utterly loathsome; there are some inspired visual gags for the eagle-eyed; and the never-ending gun-play is both brilliantly inventive and absolutely blistering. Hell, the film even manages to deliver an ironic anti-gun message whilst all the bullets are flying and people are dying.
In short this film is everything Crank would dearly have loved to have been, and then some.
7.5 out of 10, rounded up to 8 for IMDb. -
badger_gal2917 September 2007People who rate this movie poorly obviously do not realize that it is a comedy. If you go into it hoping for awesome action and realistic events, prepare to be disappointed. The entire movie is just completely ridiculous action sequences that not only would never happen but never COULD happen in any possible way. It's as if someone took every action scene that got cut from other action movies for being too outrageous or physically impossible and jammed them all into one movie. That is what makes it so funny! There were scenes with no dialogue that had me rolling with laughter. There aren't any dull moments either with someone getting shot pretty much every 10 seconds. The movie was not what I was expecting, but ended up SO much better. It's just plain fun!
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bob the moo13 July 2008Smith is minding his own business when he sees a heavily pregnant woman being pursued by an armed man. He defends her honour and, in the ensuing gun battle, he delivers her child just before she is shot. He flees with the infant but finds that the target is none other than the baby itself. Turning to a lactating prostitute for help, Smith remains a target for an increasing number of killers under the instruction of violent family man and contractor Hertz.
Let's get one thing out of the way here from the very start because I think it is one thing that all viewers can agree on whether you liked this film or not it is utter nonsense. Not "silly" or "lacking logic" but just out and out nonsense. OK, so now that we have agreed that, what we shall disagree on is just how important that is in regards the enjoyment of this film. You see the film actually works on two very important levels which I think probably explains why it is generally well regarded on this site despite it being, well, nonsense. Instead of worrying about character and plotting and other things that most action films at least try to have, this just goes all out in a ballet of violence and guns that is about as close to action film pornography as I think I have ever seen. However at the same time it never takes itself seriously a fact proved by just how bad some of the gimmicks (the carrots) and dialogue is as well as just how overblown the action is.
By doing this the film hits two audience sectors. Mostly obviously it will appeal to those who just love to see things explode, people die and guns look cool. No doubt it appeals to them because this is a film where the action is constant and even the sex scenes with gorgeous women turn into a gunfight where the phallic nature of the gun could not be made more obvious unless it had a pair of grenades taped either side of the barrel. It revels in violence and gun play, with the gun even forming a marriage band of sorts at one point. However what makes the film worth seeing is that it also appeals to those of us that like action but won't watch any old rubbish. Amazingly it does this by being so overblown and ludicrous that it actually takes the p1ss from the genre in a way that is fun to watch (and also allows those with intellectual aspirations to enjoy the violence while also distancing themselves from it). It sounds unlikely and it may have been a fluke but this is what the film does and it is really good.
I'm pretty sure it was planned because the cast seem sold on the sheer ridiculousness of it all. Owen is great in this dual action hero role and he puts himself 100% into it while also having his tongue in his cheek. Likewise Giamatti, who is not at his best here but yet still drives the mockery and effectiveness of his character. Bellucci concludes the starry cast with a so-so turn, which is perhaps understandable as she is solely here for her sex appeal (which is immense). The rest of the cast are either solid bit players with little to do or goons who fall over. Kudos to the effects department as well for the "baby", which manages to look real for the majority of the time.
Shoot 'Em Up is not a great film and it is based on nonsense but yet it somehow works. By being overblown to the degree it is, it works as both an excessive action film and also a pastiche on how excessive the action genre can be. It will not appeal to everyone even with this, but this made it work for me on both levels and it was much better than I expected it to be as a result. -
ncfc-canary3 October 2007Some of the comments left by people on here show just how clueless movie goers can be. As if you can't tell that there's a slight tongue-in-cheek feel to the movie. Doesn't the stupidly high kill count or OTT methods used to kill people make that obvious to you? Does a movie with the title "Shoot em up" sound like a serious piece of work? Come on some of you just need to relax and use your brains a little.
I haven't much to say on the movie itself since its ones of those "entertained me but probably won't buy the DVD" films I so often see in cinemas. Acting was good, action was good, plot was OK. Go see it. If you love it - great, if you don't - oh well. It really is one of those kind of movies. Just remember not expect a serious film reminiscent of James Bond or Die Hard, OK?. -
dead475488 January 2008A film that aims to be a parody on the extremeness and over-the-top tendencies of the action genre, and succeeds in becoming entertaining and exhilarating. I doubt there will be a more entertaining piece of work this year. It was so over-the-top and hilarious. Some of it did go a tid bit too far for me (the firefight while jumping out of a plane, the fact that there wasn't a single cop to be found) but all of the wild absurdity combined with an encompassing metal soundtrack and perfectly choreographed action made it one of the funnest movies I've ever seen. The clash of Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti certainly added a great stride to it, with Clive's deadpan hilarity and Giamatti's winning charisma. It's this extravagance and extreme unrealism that makes the film entertaining, but can also be a flaw from time to time. But it is absolutely impossible not to have an uproarious time watching Clive Owen shoot an umbilical cord to separate it from the mother, kill numerous people with a simple carrot, and (in my favorite scene of the film) have raunchy sex with Monica Bellucci whilst laying out an endless supply of armed hit men. Certainly something I could see myself re-watching time and time again.
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Insane Ian4 September 2007Wow. Shoot 'Em Up is exactly what it claims to be. An action movie. Balls to the wall, no holds barred, but nothing more. And that's exactly what you get. Don't go expecting high art...SEU doesn't take itself seriously enough for that. But that's exactly what makes it work. It KNOWS it's over the top, and doesn't try to hide it. Clive Owen's Smith character is the Bugs Bunny to Paul Giamatti's Hurtz Elmer Fudd. The film takes the best cartoon elements, makes them flesh, and still kicks in that over the top craziness. Bad puns that are so bad they're good, action sequences that there just for the sake of having an action sequence, and the wildest sex scene ever...it's amazing. It's the funniest, coolest, most amazing mix of stunts, bad one liners and paper think plot lines.
You get everything you expect from Shoot 'Em Up...and it's all great. -
blanche-215 October 2015Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Monica Belluci star in "Shoot 'Em Up," a 2007 film that I believe is a parody of the action genre. It has to be.
Owen plays a former black ops who helps a woman deliver a baby and then finds himself on the run with the baby as hundreds of people chase him and shoot at him.
I won't go into the whys and wherefores. I will only say that it is non-stop action, with Owen shooting in all kinds of situations - sliding on oil leaks under cars, having sex, sitting, standing, running, jumping, parachuting out of a plane -- he never stops. When he's not shooting he's punching, knifing, or slamming someone's head somewhere. Or eating a carrot.
Monica Belluci is the hooker he asks to help care for the baby as the two of them run for their lives, the baby in tow wearing a bullet-proof vest.
The body count is unbelievable.
Exciting, fun, bloody, violent, and preposterous, you'll be on the edge of your seat rooting for him to make the world safe.
Someone once told me that movies are made for 15-year-old boys in Taiwan. This kind of action film definitely is. You can sit back and watch car chases, thermal guns, nudity, you name it - you don't need to know a word of English.
Clive Owen comes up against Paul Giamatti, and the two actors couldn't be more different. Owen is deadpan and deadly, Giamatti is a showman who can play an evil character like this or comedy with equal facility. I understand he recently played, of all things, Hamlet, and received wonderful reviews.
I really hope Clive Owen plays James Bond. I think he'd be wonderful. -
backrowreviews11 August 2007In this deliriously over-the-top masterpiece of outrageously clever mayhem, star Clive Owen is an unstoppable good-guy gunman who is given to asking the question "you know what I hate?" immediately before letting all hell break loose.
You know what I hate? Dishonest, hypocritical reviewers like the one sitting two seats away from me at the "Shoot 'Em Up" screening I attended. Although he made amused grunts and other appreciative noises during the deliciously inventive stunts, laughed out loud at the jokes, gasped and groaned at all the right gasp-and-groan-worthy places, and generally appeared to be having a grand old time, he said afterward that he didn't like the movie.
What the hell is wrong with critics like that? Are they afraid the art-house crowd won't take them seriously if they express appreciation for a film in which a newborn's umbilical cord is cut with a gunshot, or a thug gets killed by having a carrot shoved in his mouth and out the back of his head? What, you mean Bergman or Antonioni never filmed a lactating hooker tearing out a ring from a Marilyn Manson lookalike's "personal area" to convince him to talk?
Ahem.
Although the posters for "Shoot 'Em Up" resemble Frank Miller comic-book drawings come to life, the actual movie has more in common with the work of another comic-book great: Garth Ennis, writer of such jaw-droppingly hyper-violent heroes as Marvel's the Punisher. (Although the awful 2004 "Punisher" movie included some supporting characters and plot points that originated with Ennis, it lacked anything resembling his very dark yet fiercely entertaining style. The guy definitely has a way of making vigilantes and their dangerous toys fascinating.)
Owen plays Mr. Smith -- and that's probably not his real name -- a guy who is simply waiting for a bus when he gets drawn into one of the wildest, most crazy-violent action opening scenes of all time. By the time the bullets stop flying, Smith is on the run with a complete stranger's targeted-for-death baby and one hell of a lot of questions.
Smith enlists a kinky "got milk" hooker (Monica Bellucci) to wet-nurse the infant. Despite some tough talk, she turns out to be more placidly sensual and maternal than kick-ass tomboy, which makes for a nice change in this kind of movie.
Meanwhile, a sadistically evil genius appropriately named Hertz (Paul Giamatti) dogs their trail with a never-ending army of hired killers and, yes, a couple of dogs. Giamatti scores as this badass with brains, who is shocked and hilariously furious about how Smith & Company keep managing to survive. "Do we suck this bad," he says at one point, "or is this guy really that good?"
Writer/director Michael Davis has loaded the film with one unforgettably imaginative image after another: spent shell casings bouncing off a pregnant woman's stomach, a gun dropping in an unflushed toilet, a hand with bullets between the fingers shoved into a fireplace as an improvised weapon. There are showdowns, standoffs, car chases, airborne gun battles and even a shootout in a firearms factory.
Best of all, the screenplay manages to both glorify in and yet subvert some of the things you'll be expecting. For example, it's a mega-body-count, blizzard-of-bullets barrage that's actually a plea for gun control at heart. Seriously. Also, although it has scenes referencing bits from movies as diverse as "Lost Highway," "The Transporter" and even "Raising Arizona" (how's that for range?), it still feels fresh and original.
And there's one perfectly done little scene that's so poignant you may actually find yourself tearing up. Don't worry, though -- a hail of gunfire follows very shortly thereafter. Heck, a hail of gunfire follows shortly after EVERYTHING in this movie, usually including other hails of gunfire!
I can't wait to see what relative newcomer Michael Davis does for his next movie, but it will be hard for him to top this one. "Shoot 'Em Up" is a flat-out joy to watch. When it was over, the first thing I said was, "I want to see this movie again RIGHT NOW!" It's that good! -
claudio_carvalho29 March 2008In the middle of the night, while waiting for a bus in a bus station, a lonely stranger called Mr. Smith (Cliven Owen) sees a pregnant woman being chased by a man with a gun. He follows the couple, kills the man and helps the delivery of the baby in the middle of a shootout while a gang of hit-man tries to shoot them up. The woman is killed but Smith saves the baby, escaping from Hertz (Paul Giamatti), the leader of the killers. Then he meets the prostitute Donna Quintano (Monica Bellucci), who has just lost her baby, and asks her to breastfeed the newborn. They are chased by Hertz and Smith discovers the reason why the mean man wants to kill the baby.
"Shoot' Em Up" is an enjoyable and extremely funny action movie, with the gorgeous Monica Bellucci, the tough Clive Owen and he versatile Paul Giamatti playing cartoonist characters. This pleasant film was a great surprise and the DVD has been an excellent entertainment for this Saturday night. My vote is seven.
Title (Brazil): "Mandando Bala" ("Shooting Bullet") -
thebumswillalwayslose28 January 2008Where do I begin with this film? To say that this has got to be one of the worst films I have ever seen would be too simplistic and it would be letting this film off lightly. Yes, it is one of the worst films I have ever seen, however how bad it is exactly cannot be measured by a mere passing remark.
I am a huge fan of Paul Giamatti & Clive Owen, their combined body of work is impressive to say the least, with works such as Sideways, The Illusionist and American Splendour (Giamatti) with Croupier, I'll Sleep When I'm Dead and Children of Men (Owen) to their name, this is a pedigree of some standard and to bring them together on a project has gave this film some much needed gravitas that has allowed it to have a cinema release, because believe me if this film didn't have these actors in it, it would have never seen the light of day.
I am not adverse to films of a mindless nature, believe me I have sat through films such as Deep Blue Sea and Transformers and been thoroughly entertained, they are what they are, however when you have a mindless action film that have bad set pieces terrible dialogue, even worse scripting and woeful special effects all you are left with is Shoot 'em Up.
From babies being delivered in the middle of gunfights, people having sex in the middle of gunfights, people parachuting in the middle of gunfights, gunfights in the middle of gunfights, this film is loud, clichéd, stupid and just basically a mess.
The dialogue sounds like it has been written by a 1st year film student who has been watching Lock, Stock and two Smoking Barrels on a continuous loop. The action sequences are terribly handled, feeling unrealistic, stilted and just plain rubbish. The special effects make this already bad film just feel even worse, I am aware what this film is trying to do with its tongue in cheek take on the action flick, however not to throw any money into the budget of this film (£23,000,000) has meant it doesn't even have its special effects to rely on, they make it look cheap and quite unremarkable.
Ultimately what is unfortunate about this film is that it has been able to attract two of Hollywood's brightest talents and shoe-horn them into one of the biggest piles of sh*t I have ever seen. I am sure that their careers will not suffer too much, however I feel that the paying audience have suffered enough. You watch this film at your own peril...don't say I didn't warn you. -
Duellist27 July 2007I rated this movie a 10 in the context of other action movies; it's nowhere near a 10 when compared to classics like Casablanca, but in it's genre, it accomplishes exactly what it sets out to do.
Clive Owen stars as "Smith" a guy with a past (that's slowly revealed during the crazy gun fights) who shows up as a knight in shining armor to a lady who is about to pop a baby and is being chased by baddies, headed up by Paul Giamatti. After he rescues the kid, he links back up with an old flame, DQ, played by Monica Bellucci. The movie starts out with a bang, quite literally and doesn't settle down the entire time. There's a plot somewhere in the movie, but if you think too hard, it'll disappear in a puff of logic.
That being said, the gunfights and car chases are stellar. They are lots of fun, with ridiculous things going on the entire time. Just suspend your reason & logic, strap into your theater seat and enjoy the ride.
Michael Davis spoke before the preview and said he was an action movie buff since the beginning and made the movie he wanted to make. As an action movie fan, I thank him! -
jotix1001 April 2009If spinach makes Popeye stronger, carrots prove to be the source of strength for Mr. Smith, the hero of this highly charged movie of action that never gives the audience a moment to relax! I say that based on what happens on the screen during its 86 minutes running time. This has to be one of the fastest movies in years, bar none.
Written and directed by Michael Davis, we are taken for the ride of a lifetime. Our hero, Mr. Smith, is a resourceful man, to put it mildly. He seems to smell danger coming even when it's a mile away. He is one of the most talented man with a gun in movie history. The title alone is a proper way to call his job description.
At the core of the film is the birth of a young child that Mr. Smith is responsible for delivering into the world amid a gun battle. That child is the key figure in the plot, even as an infant. We discover this baby is the object of the search a corrupt politician has ordered. We learn how he has hired Mr. Hertz, a criminal man that will stop at nothing in trying to get the boy.
In order to help Mr. Smith take care of the infant, he asks DQ, a lady with a certain reputation to come with him to mind the baby while he goes after the bad guys. The hoodlums, headed by Mr. Hertz, are always a stone throw away and they mean business. At one time, there are, what feels like hundreds of black clad gun toting men trying to get rid of Mr. Smith, something that is almost impossible.
The last sequence of the film keeps the viewer at the edge of his seat just watching how our hero battles his opponents as he jumps from a high flying jet. There is no other action film that matches the sheer excitement of the battle in midair of all the criminals against Mr. Smith.
Clive Owen was made to play this role. He gives a great reading to his Mr. Smith. He is savvy, sophisticated, and knows all the tricks imaginable to evade the evil forces that want to off him. The villainous Mr. Hertz is played by Paul Giamatti. Monica Bellucci, who plays DQ, the love interest of the leading man, has some excellent moments in which to show her beauty.
Recommended for fans of action films thanks to its creator, Michael Davis. -
I sat in the darkened theatre pondering this question: if the 7 teenagers in front of me were having such a great time, why wasn't I? Was I missing something here? Did I not get it? I came to the conclusion as the credits rolled, that I got it alright. It just didn't work. I glance at the kids in the rising light looking like they just got off a roller-coaster, and I understand. I'm not a teenager.
This is more of a kid's movie than any of the so-called kid's movies I saw this year. Stardust was an adult oriented fantasy. Ratatouille had distinctly adult oriented humour that no doubt went over most kid's heads. Yet a film that is supposed to be adult, Die Hard 4.0, was aimed directly at the kids. And now this, the kind of movie I would have lapped up at 15 or so. It has everything I would have wanted back then: Gunfire, swearing, boobies, bad puns, lots of blood, increasingly gory deaths. Oh, and er, lactating hookers. This is a film that is decadent and racy for the sake of it, possibly to have it's pre-pubescent audience snigger at the use of a rude word. There are those who would frivolously use the word 'satire' to describe this film. Shoot 'Em Up does not even come close to being that deep. In the end, it just becomes a pale imitation of the folly it pokes fun at.
The plot is non-existent. I expected this much, only I half expected for there to be at least a thread to hold it all together. I was wrong. Instead, it has different variations on that cinematic darling, the gunfight. We have gunfight while eating carrot, death by carrot, firing a gun with a carrot, gunfight during sex, gunfight while birthing, gunfight while parachuting and gunfight with no workable fingers with which to fire (that's where the carrot comes in again). Imagine if you will, an E! Entertainment special, Top 1001 movie gunfights and you have Shoot 'Em Up. It's trying to be desperately clever and winds up being desperately generic. Some are even pretty well constructed, but others, the majority, instantly forgettable.
There's no character development to speak of, which again, I expected, but these people are literally made of cardboard. How can an audience be expected to be thrilled by a gunfight if they don't care about anyone in it? Furthermore, the script is so full of cringe-worthy lines, it's hard to see why writer Michael Davis may have thought he was being clever when writing them. Clive Owen's mythical charisma is lost on me. I see him at his best in small films such as Croupier or Children of Men in which he actually plays a character, but so far his blockbuster roles have been disappointing. His King Arthur was about as stale as they come and his deadpanning in this role feels forced and unenthusiastic. Paul Giamatti looks like he's having fun chewing the scenery, but chew the scenery is all he does and try as he might to be menacing, he falls short of creating any kind of tension.
Director Michael Davis brought us some teen comedies early in the decade such as 100 Girls and Girl Fever, neither of which impressed me due to their complete immaturity and their utter tastelessness, compared even to the likes of Tomcats. Shoot 'Em Up has done nothing to change my mind about his work. Thanks to Girl Fever, I'll never be able to think about Clint Howard the same way again.
So, to sum up, a gormless mess of action sequences, starring the 'almost James Bond' with less plot than a Michael Bay extravaganza and a large abundance of carrots. Movies need a certain amount of substance to survive. This had none. A waste of time and money. -
joe_momma98 September 2007As I stated above, this movie is a fun ride. The script was probably written by a 13 year old kid who plays a lot of video games, but that's why it's great. You can just kick back, turn your brain off for 80 minutes, and enjoy. It is the ultimate guy movie. And for the one liners: as cheesy and lame as you could ask for. Shoot Em Up was made to entertain the 20 something action junkie, so if you aren't one, you will no doubt hate this flick. But for the rest of us, who all have that 13 year old immature video gamer still inside, you gotta see it. I think Clive Owen might be the first true action star Hollywood has had in a long time. One other enjoyable feature: great soundtrack. Shootout scene with Motorhead's "Ace of Spades" in the background: you can't ask for anything better. I give Shoot Em Up 8 out of 10.
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Starring Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, and Monica Bellucci, "Shoot 'Em Up" is a maniacal take-off on action thrillers with a body count (according to IMDb) of 106, killed on the ground, in cars, in planes, and in the air. Most of the bad guys are shooting at (and missing) our hero with automatic weapons as he picks them off one by one with a pistol.
The action scenes are purposely so over the top they're funny. The plot is purposely ridiculous, and director/writer Michael Davis makes it work ridiculously well. This is a very funny movie with laugh out loud scenes all the way through it, all played totally deadpan and serious.
It seems to have escaped the notice of many that "Shoot 'Em Up" is a parody of action thrillers. It actually is a comedy. Giamatti is remarkably good as the villain, and Owen is competent as the impassively masculine hero. I give Giamatti more credit for his acting, though, because he walks the fine line of deadly serious evil man with an exasperating wife and the only overtly comedic lines without a misstep. -
Kalifire7 January 2009The sole reason I watched this is because I love Paul Giamatti. It's easily the most ridiculous action film I have ever seen, but done with tongue placed as far as it can get into cheek. It's self-consciously absurd, with next to no plot, zero character development, awful dialogue and loads of guns. The performances are perfectly in sync with the rest of the movie (both Giamatti and Clive Owen play it completely straight, hitting just the right daft tone), and the whole thing achieves what it set out to do. It reminded me of the kind of movie you might watch at 11pm when you're 15 and it's way past your bedtime, then you go to school the next day, ask if anyone else saw it and it turns out all your mates did and you decide between you all that it's the best movie ever, talking endlessly about "did you see that bit when..." and saying things like "that was well bad!!" with big grins and a strong sense that you've just had a good long look through a window meant for grown ups. It's not good for anything much more than that, and nor was it ever meant to be. I quite enjoyed it!
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unscripted16 September 2007I wasn't really sure what to make of this movie before I went to the advanced screening. I heard from a friend of mine at the Chicago Tribune (she's female, and you'll see why that matters in a second) and she said, "It was so stupid! It was like, BANG BANG BANG, EXPLETIVE EXPLETIVE EXPLETIVE, BANG BANG BANG! Then gallons of blood and we move on." For some reason, the little boy in me that loved the scene in Predator where all of the soldiers shoot at open woods for a complete minute, got very excited. She wasn't kidding, either, that's just what this movie was. Don't worry about the plot, it's not really a concern. Don't worry about the script either, the lines are so over the top and shallow that you know a man wrote this script without allowing anyone to comment on it.
At the same time, this movie is just plain fun. You will find yourself laughing from the moment the movie starts to the ending (which you won't be glancing at your watch while waiting for). There are funny lines, funny situations, and stuff that is so impossible in the real world that you can't help but chuckle. Various moments during the film, I found myself applauding along with the audience, maybe not for the film, but for how writer/director Michael Davis got our hero out of another situation.
The directing, as opposed to the writing, was done very well, especially for a movie like this. If you take the directing too seriously, the script won't work, which is probably why Michael Davis did both. Clive Owen delivers another strong performance, adapting to the cheesy script and outrageous events like a participant in a prank or gag. Monica Bellucci plays the most serious role in the film, and still takes to mocking her life and situation in this movie like the rest of them. My favorite character would still have to be the sly Paul Giamatti, who is given some pretty crazy situations himself but they are coupled with the only lines of any intelligence (or longer than about four words).
By the end of this movie, I was having a lot of fun watching a plot unfold that I didn't really care about. That doesn't deter the film, though, because it's kind of like a stunt show, you're not really concerned with the story. I loved it and, apparently, so did most of the audience. It really reminded me of seeing, well, a live action movie that was more like a video game (we even have coordinated colors for the costumes of the "bad guys" in the various "levels"). I'd like to use this film as an example to my (former) favorite critic Roger Ebert as a perfect example of how video games can be construed in the same light as video games, because Roger, this is clearly a movie made by a large video game fan. -
ma-cortes12 December 2020An amusing film including thriller, noisy action, punches , and excessive violence with tongue deftly in cheek. This demystified as well as amible action movie deals with a man named Smith : Clive Owen takes care of a baby who he gets during a shootout. He joins forces a beautiful prostitute : Monica Bellucci and both of whom are mercilessly by a suspicious nasty : Paul Guilfoyle . Along the way chases and shootouts take place on and on until the unexpected finale . He isn't name , no past , nothing to lose. It's a better investment than a crib ?. I'm a British nanny, I'm dangerous .
A non-stop action movie with thrills , pursuits, mayhem, and lots of shootouts . A well-developed film with high quality , several surprises and nicely paced . A farcical and disconcerting action-comedy in which there are laughs , slapstick , violence, blood and gore. There are also various nutty roles and improbable happenings that wind out at a final apocalyptic . This violent as well as hilarious action movie is a sort of live-action equivalent of the cartoon series in Warner Bros style , adding action scenes with John Woo choreography . The surprising and twisted script besides having more than its fair scraps of funny lines , throws up sympathetic characters . Duo protagonists : Clive Owen and Mónica Bellucci are very well , while Paul Guilfoyle steals the show as the really baddy but likeable contender . And other secondaries in brief appearances as Stehen McHattie , Greg Bryk , and Daniel Pilon as Senator Rutledge . Nowadays, it is considered to be a cult fave of the early 2000s thanks to its twisted violence along with tongue-in-cheek humor .
The picture is finely amused and agreeable in spite of the high body count and gory events . Efficiently written and directed Michael Davis , though contains some repetitive scenes and eventually lost in camera trickery . Inexplicably, this Shoot'em up being his last one , and formerly making a few movies such as "Monster Man , 100 Girls, Eight Days a Week , Beanstalk and American Girls or Girl Fever" . Rating ; 7.5/10 . Worthwhile seeing . The flick will appeal to Clive Owen fans . -
fezrok5 September 2007Think about the title of the movie, because if you don't like that than just stay home. This movie lives up to its name in a fresh, fun and humorous way. Clive Owen is great as Mr. Smith, the coolest action hero I have seen in a long time. Paul Giammatti is witty and surprisingly enjoyable to watch as the bad guy. If you take this film too serious than you will not like it. Yes, it is a ridiculous film filled with non-stop action that would never be humanly possible, babies being thrown around but yet staying protected by the humorous Mr. Smith. This film was so fun and yes over the top, but if you expect anything more you probably will be disappointed. The violence was very extravagant, but what else did you expect from this title? It is the sort of violence that doesn't really bother you in a film. It's flashy and well, it's entertainment. Just like this movie, it was entertaining and I loved it.
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misbegotten28 September 2008Most of the early reviews of Shoot 'em Up described it as being one long, non-stop, ninety minute action sequence, without any plot or characterisation whatsoever. I'd disagree with such assessments, though the action scenes are fast, furious and frequent. Reviewers who argue that this movie bears no relation to reality and is filled with ridiculous stunts that ignore the laws of physics are missing the point: Shoot -em Up is clearly intended to be a satire. Director Michael Davis knows how ridiculous and excessive the big-budget Hollywood action film has become, and so has made a movie that celebrates the glorious absurdities of the genre, while simultaneously poking fun at it's in-built outlandishness (Davis isn't the first film-maker to go down this route. For other examples that adopt the same approach, see Con Air, the Charlie's Angels films, Torque, and the more subtle & misunderstood Escape From LA).
Prior to release, much was spoken about Shoot 'em Up being a homage/tribute to John Woo, and while there are some typical Woo-style flourishes, the general tone of the movie reminds me more of The Replacement Killers, while some of the gunfights seem clearly inspired by Kurt Wimmer, writer/director of the cult hit Equilibrium and the under-rated Ultraviolet. You sense that this was a film which the cast all had fun making, especially Paul Giamatti, who's clearly enjoying himself enormously as a sleazy, pitbull-like henchman. -
archimegabeto8 September 2007As the subject line implies, you will either love or hate this movie. It has been said before, but this is strictly a non-stop, no-brainer shooter. DO NOT EXPECT ANY: back-story, great comedy, acting, directing or soundtrack (unless you are under 25). DO EXPECT: outrageous stunts, gratuitous violence, one-liners, carrot eating, a nerdy bad guy, babysitting and "heavy metal" at every, and I do mean EVERY, sign of action.
I am being to-the-point because the film is an action movie like no other. It was not meant to be taken seriously and delivers what it promises, shooting -- non-stop shooting. The movie has no depth and it was not meant to. If you want to see Clive Owen shoot an endless amount of bad guys, you have come to the right place!
This review is meant to be as neutral as possible; I did not enjoy the film, but you might. Again, you will either love or hate it, no in between. My girlfriend and I did stay until the end, upon her request. The best comparison I can make is if you want to watch a film adaptation of a first person shooter video game along the lines of "Max Payne" this is for you. If you want more bang for your buck, no pun intended, watch "The Bourne Ultimatum." Wait until it is out on DVD, you will enjoy it more or not feel as bad when you wasted your time. :) -
bowmanblue8 October 2018I'm lobbying for a new film genre to sit alongside the existing ones such as drama, science-fiction, horror and comedy. The new category I'm proposing would be 'Snakes on a Plane.' Besides the obvious Samuel L Jackson film, this genre should be populated with films that tell you everything you need to know about them from the title, thus giving you everything you need to know about whether or not you will enjoy them without sitting down to watch. 'Shoot 'em Up' falls into the 'Snakes on a Plane' category perfectly.
The film 'Shoot 'em Up' is about shooting and killing things. With guns. And carrots (you'll have to watch the film to see whether I'm being serious about the 'carrots' comment). A man, Clive Owen eating a carrot incidentally, witnesses some thugs hunting down a clearly distressed pregnant woman. He just so happens to be possibly the most highly-trained man with a gun in the world - and the perfect person to protect an infant in danger. From then on he takes on every dispensable thug and paid lackey in the entire city, much to the dismay of head bad-guy, Hertz (Paul Giamatti).
Besides the obvious clue in the title as to what the film is about, the only other thing you really need to know is that it NEVER takes itself seriously. 'Shoot 'em Up' knows that it's ludicrously daft and brilliantly over-the-top and it just gets better and better. The action/shooting scenes are clearly the high-points and each one attempts to outdo the last, creating battles in places you probably never thought you'd see and ways of using a gun/bullets that will delight anyone with an appreciation for overblown action scenes.
There's a loose plot, but I won't go into it. It's totally secondary to the gunfights. However, the film is more than just action - largely thanks to its two main stars. There's more than a few references to 'Looney Tunes' and Paul Giamatti stands in for the long-suffering Elmer Fudd as he attempts to track down his Bugs Bunny, the mysteriously-titles 'Mr Smith' (Clive Owen). The two play off each other perfectly and you won't just laugh at how over-the-top the gun scenes are, but also with their constant banter. There are few bad guys you'll love as much as Paul Giamatti!
If you like your films serious and realistic then steer well clear. However, if you like tongue-in-cheek and want something to lose yourself in while you leave your brain at the door, then you'll have everything you want here. If you've also seen either of Jason Statham's 'Crank' films then you'll know roughly the sort of film you're getting here. -
the amorphousmachine26 August 2008Clive Owen and Monica Bellucci star in this intentionally over-the-top action/comedy that proves that no scene is exempt from inserting guns and violence! Deliciously funny cat-and-mouse chase movie where our hero becomes the cliché character who has some sort of mysterious training in the past. Michael Davis, director of '100 Girls' is clearly having fun with the genre, and so should the audience! The best part for me was Owen's character in Smith taking out a bunch of SWAT team guys whilst making love to Bellucci's character. So ridiculous, it's funny!
Davis has managed to take the action movie, and make it absurdly inventive. Whether it is through and elaborate gun booby-trap in a warehouse, or being able to fire guns whilst skydiving. The basic plot is, bad guys are after innocent baby, and Owen must protect that baby for some unknown reason. A reason that would obviously come later in the films equally absurd plot. Paul Giamatti works as the villain, because no matter how downright ruthless Clive Owen can be, you still can't bring yourself to see Giamatti win. Clive Owen is one of the few actors who can get away playing a mean callous character and still make him likable- partly because it is hard to take the movie seriously on any level! Smith's carrot-chewing hero is referencing Bugs Bunny to a certain extent, which not only displays the cartoon-like qualities of 'Shoot Em Up', but the ability of the main character to get away with just about anything!
Slickly produced, and with inventive action scenes that never get boring, 'Shoot 'Em Up' is a funny commentary on violent action movies, though I don't believe the film was trying to make any profound statements. Some action films work with tongue and cheek qualities, and if you liked films like 'Crank' or 'The Big Hit', then you might enjoy 'Shoot 'Em Up'. Certainly not a misfire by any means, as every bullet seems to hit the target eventually! A film that has cult following written all over it!
***½ out of *****! -
chris_dm12 September 2007It's official. This is the worst movie I've seen this year. I find this rather unfortunate because I had been anticipating Shoot 'Em Up for quite some time and had heard many good things about it.
The action was so redundant I was bored out of my mind. The dialogue was god awful and corny. It also failed as a comedy because I think there was only one (maybe two) parts where I laughed.
I wasn't expecting a ton of plot or characterization going in but I was expecting an entertaining movie which this failed terribly at being. By all rights it feels like it was written by a high school student.
So many plot holes are present and the director expects the audience to have way too many suspensions of disbelief. I understand something being over the top but when a filmmaker chooses to completely disregard reality, common sense, and psychics it's not only lazy but insulting.
I was expecting something clever but instead got something dumb and trite. Rather than being a parody of the action genre it merely managed to sink lower than the worst case scenarios of bad movie making and become a prime example of a genre at its absolute worst. I'm honestly amazed at the amount of positive feedback this movie is receiving.