Follow @screenit

"SHOOTER" (2007) (Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena) (R) Alcohol/ Drugs Blood/Gore Disrespectful/ Bad Attitude Frightening/ Tense Scenes Guns/ Weapons Mild Extreme Extreme *Moderate Extreme Imitative Behavior Jump Scenes Music (Scary/Tense) Music (Inappropriate) Profanity Moderate Mild Extreme None Extreme Sex/ Nudity Smoking Tense Family Scenes Topics To Talk About Violence Moderate Minor Minor Moderate Extreme QUICK TAKE: Action/Adventure: Having been set up as the fall guy in a political assassination, a former military sniper sets out to get revenge on those who wronged him. PLOT: Three years after being left for dead behind enemy lines in Ethiopia where his spotter partner was killed, military sniper Bob Lee Swagger (MARK WAHLBERG) leads a quiet life in the woods with his faithful dog. Then, out of the blue, Col. Isaac Johnson (DANNY GLOVER) and his small entourage, including Jack Payne (ELIAS KOTEAS), show up with a request. They claim they've discovered an inside plot to kill the President of the U.S. and thus need Swagger's expertise in the field to catch the shooter before he commits the act. The former gunnery sergeant is reluctant, but the call to serve his country is too strong. Accordingly, he ends up in Philadelphia where the President is scheduled to make a public appearance with the Ethiopian Archbishop. Before he knows it, the latter is shot dead, and a local cop then shoots and wounds Swagger who nevertheless manages to escape, but not before running into rookie FBI agent Nick Memphis (MICHAEL PENA). Realizing he's been set up as the assassin, Swagger tends to his wounds and, with nowhere else to turn, finds his former partner's widow, Sarah Fenn (KATE MARA), for help. As Nick discovers inconsistencies regarding the belief that Swagger is the perp, the sniper sets out both to clear his name and to get revenge on those who've wronged him, including Johnson, former sniper turned operative Michael Sandor (RADE SERBEDZIJA), and corrupt U.S. Senator Charles F. Meachum (NED BEATTY). WILL KIDS WANT TO SEE IT? Teenage males seem the most likely interested group, although fans of anyone in the cast might also want to see it. WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: R For strong graphic violence and some language. CAST AS ROLE MODELS: MARK WAHLBERG plays a former military sniper who's mad at various government types for wronging him in various ways, including setting him up as the fall guy for a presidential assassination. Extremely capable of getting the job done, he then proceeds to kill those responsible. He also uses some strong profanity. MICHAEL PENA plays a rookie FBI agent who takes it upon himself to prove that Swagger couldn't have been the shooter. He also uses some strong profanity. DANNY GLOVER plays the military colonel who recruits and then sets up Swagger as the fall guy. He tries to have him killed, uses strong profanity, and briefly smokes. KATE MARA plays the widow of Swagger's former sniper spotter who reluctantly tends to and helps him after he's wounded during the assassination attempt. ELIAS KOTEAS plays one of Johnson's minions who turns out to be a lech toward Sarah. RADE SERBEDZIJA plays a former assassin turned government operative who's working with Johnson and the others in the assassination attempt. NED BEATTY plays a corrupt and egotistical U.S. Senator who's behind the nefarious plot. CAST, CREW, & TECHNICAL INFO HOW OTHERS RATED THIS MOVIE Curious if this title is entertaining, any good, and/or has any artistic merit? Then read OUR TAKE of this film. (Note: The "Our Take" review of this title examines the film's artistic merits and does not take into account any of the possibly objectionable material listed below). OUR WORD TO PARENTS: The following is a brief summary of the content found in this R-rated action film. Profanity consists of at least 10 "f" words, while other expletives and colorful phrases are uttered. A woman is seen in her bra several times (and wears a separate top that shows partial views of her nipples through it), while her male captor acts lecherously toward her. Another man is seen shirtless several times. Violence consists of many people killed by various means, including gunfire and explosions. Much of that has varying amounts of resultant blood and gore (sometimes a lot), and those scenes and other moments of peril might be unsettling or suspenseful to some viewers (but most is played for pure action rather than true suspense). Some of that action and other behavior might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Various characters have bad attitudes, while some drink and one smokes a few times. Brief tense family material involves a woman getting upset over her husband's death three years earlier. If you're still concerned about the film and its appropriateness for yourself or anyone else in your home who may be interested in seeing it, we suggest that you take a closer look at our detailed listings for more specific information regarding the film's content. ALCOHOL OR DRUG USE Swagger's dog retrieves a beer from the fridge for him, and he then lets the dog have a little of it. Payne holds what looks like a beer and he appears a bit intoxicated while acting lecherously toward Sarah. Sandor pours himself a drink. Senator Meachum has a drink and Johnson has one in front of him. BLOOD/GORE Serving as a military sniper, Swagger shoots a gunner in the head and the same to his driver (seen from a distance, but with brief, bloody results). He then shoots more such men, with similar results, while an attack helicopter hits his partner with gunfire and kills him (with bloody results). Swagger's shirt is bloody from his chest wound, and when he removes the shirt, we see lots of blood on his t-shirt and arm. Swagger spits out some blood from being wounded. We see the bullet-hole wound in the top of Swagger's chest. Swagger shoves an impromptu IV into his arm after being shot (no blood, but the motion and notion of that act might make some queasy). Nick looks at a bloodstain on some outdoor carpet. We see a flashback to a "mugger" shooting the cop who shot Swagger. He does so three times, with the last shot being to the head (with bloody results). A bandage on Swagger's chest (covering a bullet-hole) has a bloodstain in it, while we briefly see his stitched-up wound. Nick's face is bloody while being tortured, but the three thugs are then shot, one by one in the head, with bloody results (by Swagger from a distance). We then see those other men's blood on Nick, along with his own. An intruder makes his way through Sarah's place, with her suddenly showing up and shooting the man dead with a shotgun blast (with bloody results). Sarah has a little blood on her lip while held captive. We see a little blood when Swagger stabs a guard in the neck. A man shoots himself in the chin with a handgun (with some bloody results) while committing suicide. Swagger shoots a man dead and then struggles with another before shooting him in the head (blood comes out and we then see a smear of it on the floor). We see blood spurt out and then be in the snow next to a man after he's been shot in the head. Others who are shot in the same scene are also bloody, including a man who's first shot in the hand and then has most of his arm blown off with another shot. We briefly see photos of dead and bloody bodies, including in a pit. Some blood drops down onto a person, and various people who are then shot and killed are bloody. DISRESPECTFUL/BAD ATTITUDE Swagger's commanding team leaves him and his partner for dead behind enemy lines in Ethiopia. Swagger states he doesn't like the current President, or the one before him. Johnson and everyone else working on his scheme obviously have bad attitudes. Sarah says she heard news reports that Swagger's dog was killed (by the corrupt government men). We hear that Sandor was a legendary shot and sadist in the past. Senator Meachum is a corrupt politician who's in charge of Johnson and orders him to kill Swagger. Johnson decides to use Sarah as bait to capture Swagger, thus he has his goons kidnap her. We see Sarah in her bra while bound and a captive to Payne who continues to act lecherously toward her. FRIGHTENING SCENES Scenes listed under "Violence" and "Blood/Gore" may be unsettling or suspenseful to younger viewers and/or those with low tolerance levels for such material. There's some suspense as the President arrives to give an outdoor, public speech where we know an attempt on his life is going to be made. Swagger, Johnson, and others watch from a distance, with Swagger trying to figure out where the shooter is before the shot is taken. Knowing he's been framed for the assassination, Swagger tries to elude the police in a car. He drives fast through traffic, with a truck clipping his car. Agents and/or cops then open fire on him with machine guns, prompting him to drive in reverse off a dock and into the river. As Swagger tries to get the truth out of Sandor at gunpoint, we see various armed men arriving at and around the compound. To prove a point in a government meeting, Swagger loads a bullet into one of his guns, aims it Nick, and then at Johnson, pulling the trigger (the gun doesn't fire, as Swagger knew it wouldn't). GUNS/WEAPONS Handguns/Sniper Rifles/Machine guns/Explosives/Knives/Piano wire: Carried and/or used to threaten, wound, or kill others and/or cause property damage. We see Senator Meachum and others doing some skeet shooting. IMITATIVE BEHAVIOR Phrases: "How could you f*cking miss?" "F*ck me" (nonsexual), "What the f*ck is going on?" "You sick f*ck," "F*ck off," "So f*cked up," "F*ck you," "That sh*t's awful cold," "Who gives a sh*t?" "P*ckerwood," "He doesn't give a rat's ass," "You got your ass kicked," "Scared the hell out of me," "Get your ass on the ground," "You're asking questions way out of your pay grade," "Sure as hell," "A brutal son of a bitch," "What the hell /is that/are you doing?" "What the hell am I doing here?" and "Are you out of your damn mind?" All of the action and stunts might be enticing for some kids to imitate. Swagger has apparently taught his dog how to retrieve a beer from the fridge for him, and he then gives the dog some beer from such a bottle. Swagger shorts out a store's electric service so that he can buy supplies in the cover of darkness. Swagger inhales nitrous oxide from a whipping cream can to knock himself out so that Sarah can perform surgery on him (we don't see the bullet removal or stitching, etc.). Swagger and Nick buy products for and then create napalm and pipe bombs to use on goons working for Johnson. A man shoots himself in the chin with a handgun (with some bloody results) while committing suicide. Sarah wears a slight midriff-revealing top. JUMP SCENES Scenes where people are suddenly shot might startle some viewers (this occurs at various points throughout the film). MUSIC (SCARY/TENSE) An extreme amount of suspenseful, ominous, and heavily dramatic music plays in the film. MUSIC (INAPPROPRIATE) None. PROFANITY At least 10 "f" words, 8 "s" words, 1 slang term using male genitals ("p*ckerwood"), 6 asses (1 used with "hole"), 6 hells, 4 S.O.B.s, 3 damns, and 1 use each of "G-damn" and "My God." SEX/NUDITY A photo of Sarah shows some cleavage. We see Swagger shirtless while he tends to his chest wound. We see the shape and then ever so slight partial views of Sarah's nipples through her sheer top. We see Swagger shirtless. Sarah shows some cleavage. Sarah shows some cleavage and wears a short skirt while in disguise for Swagger. We see Nick's female boss at home alone in some nightwear, but nothing explicit. We see Sarah in her bra (back and front, with the latter showing cleavage) as she changes clothes. We see Sarah in her bra while bound and a captive to Payne who continues to act lecherously toward her. We see Sarah tied up in her bra again. Sarah shows some cleavage. SMOKING Johnson twice smokes (at least once with a cigar). TENSE FAMILY SCENES Sarah slaps Swagger when he talks about her dead husband (who was killed 3 years earlier while serving with Swagger). TOPICS TO TALK ABOUT Snipers. Military service. Government corruption. The question of what to do when one's belief system collapses. There's political talk of Abu Ghraib, weapons of mass destruction, and we briefly see that Swagger has been reading the 9/11 Commission report. The comment that you can't kill human weakness with a gun. Senator Meachum talking about collateral damage in terms of government efforts. The comment that justice does not always prevail. Vigilantism. VIOLENCE We see a long distance view of a burning village (the aftermath of an unseen military strike on it). Serving as a military sniper, Swagger shoots a gunner in the head and the same to his driver (seen from a distance, but with brief, bloody results) causing the truck they're in to crash and turn over. When machine gun fire is returned toward him and his partner (both hidden), Swagger shoots and kills more men, with additional bullets and explosives fired in their general direction. He then shoots more such men, with similar results, while an explosive takes out an enemy vehicle. An attack helicopter then flies toward the two hidden men, firing machine guns at them. Swagger returns fire, and when the chopper swings back through, this time it hits his partner and kills him (with bloody results). Swagger then fires at the chopper that fires at him, but he hits it first, causing it to smoke, go out of control and crash, but we don't see the impact. It's implied that Swagger killed his former commanders who left him high and dry to die behind enemy lines. A shot is fired toward the President, but hits and kills a visiting dignitary instead (with brief, bloody results). A local cop unexpectedly shoots Swagger who falls out a window (crashing through it) and lands on something, is shot at again, and then crashes down through another structure. Wounded, Swagger then runs off. Nick pulls his gun on Swagger, but the latter grabs, flips and cuffs the former. Knowing he's been framed for the assassination, Swagger tries to elude the police in a car. He drives fast through traffic, with a truck clipping his car. Agents and/or cops then open fire on him with machine guns, prompting him to drive in reverse off a dock and into the river. We see a flashback to a "mugger" shooting the cop who shot Swagger. He does so three times, with the last shot being to the head (with bloody results). Sarah slaps Swagger when he talks about her dead husband. Some cops recognize Swagger and order him to stop, but he throws his coffee into one's face, while quickly and repeatedly striking the other. Their police dog then races up and gets one of the cops' arms by mistake, with Swagger then flipping that cop (and thus the dog) through a window, while hitting and disarming the other cop. Guns are aimed at Nick and he's then grabbed and thrown into a van. We next see him tied up, drugged in some fashion, and with a hood over his head, and a thug punches him hard. Nick's face is bloody, and a thug pours a lot of water into his mouth in a violent fashion. They then plan to fake his "suicide" with some sort of contraption that will hold his gun up to his own head, and one of the thugs punches Nick in the gut. As they're about to pull off the murder, the three thugs are shot, one by one in the head, with bloody results (by Swagger from a distance). An intruder makes his way through Sarah's place, with her suddenly showing up and shooting the man dead with a shotgun blast (with bloody results). Payne then grabs and holds Sarah in a lecherous fashion, while also holding a gun on her. Swagger and Nick infiltrate Sandor's compound, with Nick acting as the lookout and Nick making his way toward the cabin. Along the way, he grabs and stabs a guard in the side, stabs another in the neck and pulls him down out of sight (we see a little blood), and grabs and kills another with piano wire or the equivalent. Swagger shoots a guard and then holds a gun on Sandor. A man shoots himself in the chin with a handgun (with some bloody results) while committing suicide. Swagger shoots a man dead and then struggles with another before shooting him in the head (blood comes out and we then see a smear of it on the floor). Explosions take out various assailants, while Swagger shoots more of them. A massive napalm explosion blasts others, killing many, while Nick shoots several men. Men on a helicopter shoot at Swagger and Nick with machine guns, while Swagger fires back at them. They then fire at Nick as he runs for cover, with Swagger shooting a propane (or similar) tank that explodes and not only takes out a man standing by it, but also hits the chopper, causing it to crash and explode. Payne holds a shotgun on Sarah as they get out of a helicopter on a snowy mountain. A man then approaches in the distance, and a sniper shoots him (he falls, but is later seen okay due to the bulletproof vest he's wearing). Swagger then shoots that sniper (with bloody results) and then several more, also with bloody results. A man holds a gun on Sarah with what looks like a snare around her neck, all in hopes that will keep Swagger at bay. The latter, however, shoots the man in the hand first, with his second shot then blowing off the man's arm. Sarah shoots her recent and seriously wounded tormentor many times, killing him. Some blood drops onto a man and then a body suddenly falls down onto the floor. Swagger then shoots a villain, an SUV explodes, one man is shot in the knee, and a man shoots down through the floor, trying to hit Swagger. Swagger then kills others, including a corrupt politician (all with bloody results). He then breaks a gas line, and as he walks away from the cabin in the woods, it explodes. Reviewed March 14, 2007 / Posted March 23, 2007

Other new and recent reviews include:

Privacy Statement and Terms of Use and Disclaimer
By entering this site you acknowledge to having read and agreed to the above conditions.

All Rights Reserved,
©1996-2016 Screen It, Inc.