*** Official SHOOT 'EM UP Review Thread (1 Viewer)

[Phil Florian]

Saw a preview of it tonight with packed house. What a hoot! This was honestly the most fun I have had at the movies in a while. It has been a sluggish summer with sequel after sequel and this movie was just plain fresh. Even with so many seemingly purposeful references to style of action movies, there were few, if any, direct rip-offs. Which is saying a lot, since US action movies have been mining the Hong Kong action film for decades now. This has the two guns whilst leaping in air, sure, but so many scenes are just over the top and nearly Looney Tune in manic energy that is has created a series of new stunts and situations that others are going to mimic.

I think this is safely the first, best Gun Satire out there. While The Pegg movies of zombies (Shaun of the Dead) and cops (Hot Fuzz) were farcical laced with loving homage, this movie was straight on satire of guns, violence and their use in movies and even the real world. But who cares. I giggled and guffawed most of the movie.

I have to wonder if people should know going in to expect this, though. This has more in common with the original Robocop (another wonderful satire that most thought was a straight on action movie) than most action movies it hints at. Anyway, with probably a lot of previews tonight I don't know if this will become the review thread or not but I will wait to discuss specifics until a thread is started for just such a thing.

Short version is go see this and go expecting the most over-the-top action and gunplay this side of Hong Kong but with a smart helping of satire to make it stick.

Enjoy!

 

[Robert Crawford]

This thread is now the Official Review Thread for "Shoot 'Em Up". Please post all HTF member reviews in this thread. Any plot details that could negatively affect another's viewing pleasure should have spoilers attached to those comments.

Any other comments, links to other reviews, or discussion items will be deleted from this thread without warning!

If you need to discuss those type of issues then I have designated an Official Discussion Thread.



Crawdaddy

 

[Patrick Sun]

This film played so over-the-top that you had to at least appreciate the attempt to make a live-action R-rated cartoonish film with so much gunplay and black potty humor sprinkled throughout. Both Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti are up to the task of spitting their lines, with Clive getting more of the one-liners (some are flat-out groaners), and Paul just has a blast chewing up as much scenery in most of his scenes. Monica Belluci is sort of wasted in the role, but she does contribute to a nutty tryst/gunfight scene that just makes you smile just for the attempt at such a scene.

The action is fast and hard and uncompromising, while the plot is a bit on the ludicrous side while providing enough of a framework to put in many of the fun action sequences and raise the action genre to another level of hyper-surrealism.

Check your brain at the door, and prepare to have some good laughs at the expense of some deadly action with this film.

I give it 2.75 stars, or a grade of B-.

 

[Robert Crawford]

I had a great time watching this film and found the over-the-top violence and the film's dialogue too funny. Sure, the plot was very thin, but it wasn't essential to me for enjoying a film made with the tongue firmly planted in cheek. Also, I like the director's attempts to place certain personal dislikes into the film like the behavior of certain drivers or parents punishing their children in public. The performances were good and with the film only about 80 minutes or so long, the length of the film was just right with the non-stop action throughout the film. And yes, Monica looked very good in the film.





Crawdaddy