Shooter

Sarah: "You don't look real good."
Swagger: "I'm supposed to be dead."
Sarah: "Why aren't you?"
Swagger: "Well, the U.S. government spent a lot of time and money teaching me how not to die, after they got done teaching me how to kill people."

release year: 2007
genre: action
viewing setting: home Bluray 9/24/26 and 8/1/23 and 12/9/22 and 5/3/21 and 10/29/19 and 8/3/17 and home DVD, 8/24/15 and 4/10/14 and 1/21/10 and 4/19/08

synopsis: An elite Marine sharpshooter is consulted and then framed for an assassination; wounded and hunted, he goes about finding out who framed him and why in order to take revenge.

impressions: Outstanding! I really enjoy movies like this, which have a perfect mix of action, violence, complicated plot, and revenge. The film just keeps rolling along, mixing drama, chases, and fighting. I was highly impressed on all counts, especially with the strategy and tactics of the protagonist, which involve a lot of lateral thinking like in The Bourne Identity. Seeing as how it's been decades since I read the book this was based on (Point of Impact by Stephen Hunter), I think it's about time to read it again.

something this movie has that no other movie has: An IV improvised from various supermarket items.

acting: Mark Wahlberg does a great job as a thinking, fighting hero. Michael Pena is the FBI agent who sees the holes in the government's logic and ends up helping him. Kate Mara is the widow of his slain teammate who becomes another ally. Danny Glover and Ned Beatty are the primary bad guys.

final word: Superior.

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