“Shoot ‘Em Up” (New Line Cinema)
A Blaze of Glory
“Shoot ‘Em Up” is an action packed, profanity riddled, escapist cartoon of a movie that takes off with a blast of energy and doesn’t slow down one bit for the next hour and thirty-three minutes. Clive Owen plays a man with energy to spare and luck that never ends. He is a one man dream team of protection and he takes it upon himself to save the life and future of a baby boy. The movie is totally unrealistic but who cares when you are having this much fun.
Mr. Smith (Owen) is sitting on a bench minding his own business when a pregnant woman runs past him. A few seconds later a man with a gun comes chasing after her. Much to his chagrin Smith feels a need to protect this woman and does. He ends up delivering the baby while fending off a bunch of thugs who wish her and the baby harm.
The mother ends up getting herself killed but Smith and the baby escape. He takes the baby to a house where a prostitute named Donna (Monica Bellucci) works. He asks her to take care of the baby but before he can leave her with the infant a new group of assassins appear, led by the mysterious Mr. Hertz (Paul Giamatti). More gunfighting ensues.
Before the movie ends there are tons of bodies left in Mr. Smith’s wake and baby Oliver is still cooing. It is an odd manner of violence to portray on the screen – one with a baby at the center. Still the story is so farfetched that you know the baby is never in any actual danger.
Smith is an ultra hero and one of the coolest dudes ever seen on screen. He can hold off fifty men at a time and still manage to have a munch of a carrot to get him through his day. This carrot passion brings to mind Bugs Bunny, and Mr. Hertz’ nebbish demeanor conjures up thoughts of an evil Elmer Fudd. This all fits in with the cartoonish air of the film.
If any one could pull off the complex mannerisms of Mr. Smith and add a comic flair to the goings on it is Clive Owen. He is amazing in the role and makes Mr. Smith not only fearsome but also likeable. He even makes you believe his love affair with Donna. Of course Ms. Bellucci adds her own charm to that relationship.
Giamatti is perfectly cast as Hertz and makes a fearsome competitor for Mr. Smith. He is great at screaming out his frustration as he tries to kill Smith over and over and can’t. He also suffers from having idiots working for him.
The film is definitely rated R for profanity, nudity and violence.
“Shoot ‘Em Up” is not going to satisfy everyone in the audience. Many will find it too violent, too profane, and too cartoonish. But some will find it a perfect blend of all three. And those people will have a great time from beginning to end. So take a chance, you might just be in that latter category. I was!
I scored “Shoot ‘Em Up” a blasted 7 out of 10.
