This summer has been full of surprises. Movies such as the Transformers, 1408 and Superbad have all taken us by surprise. Today I welcome another movie to the party, “Shoot Em Up”. Shoot Em Up is written and directed by Michael Davis. Michael Davis’s approach to this movie is simple and straight ward with no serious plot building what so ever. Is this a problem? No. The style and flair Davis brings to Shoot Em Up is entertaining, fun and exhilarating. Clive Owen (Mr. Smith) feels like he is fresh out of Sin City. He has some past (that we never learn about) and is pretty much just part drifter and part boy scout. His witty banter and sarcastic comments drives the majority of the movie and it works to perfection as Clive is once again a charismatic likable character playing the good guy who must do the right thing (as in Sin City and Children of Men) as he is faced with two choices: Watching a pregnant woman die or lending a hand (the woman is not Monica Bellucci) to save her. Playing Boy Scout he manages to deliver the baby while shooting mobsters but eventually the woman is killed and he is left with the child who has now become the target of Hertz who is played by Paul Giamatti.

Paul Giamatti’s performance is long overdue. Paul should be cast as the bad guy more often as he seemed to be enjoying himself quite a bit in this movie. Paul plays a Head Mobster with a temper, sense of humor and a slight bit of necrophilia (as he seemed to enjoy touching a dead woman’s chest in the movie). His pursuit of Mr. Smith, Donna (Monica Bellucci) and the Baby dominates the majority of this movie but it is the heroics of Mr. Smith that sustains the entire movie. His ability (Hertz) to find comedy in a situation that continually worsens is refreshing but also takes some of the edge off which is good and also bad.

Monica Bellucci plays Donna who is a Prostitute that Smith turns to for help. Monica is HOT as usual and turns in a decent performance for an action film which climaxes with her Orgasm while Smith is shooting bad guys. Clive is one lucky man in this scene as he is enjoying the best of both worlds.

The stunts in Shoot Em Up are unrealistic and defy physics but WHO CARES as each stunt is done with the coolness of John Woo action films (not as elegant but good) and the brashness of graphic novels. At times the stunts are silly and only work because Clive is so “cool” in his delivery that the end result is extremely pleasing. One example is his first kill with a Carrot, yes a Carrot. He shoves the Carrot in the mouth which of course is silly but his next move is anything but silly as he smashes the guy in the mouth sending the Carrot through the back of the head. It is a wicked scene and one of many. I will not divulge anymore details as many of the stunts are the backbone of the movie (since the plot is light as a feather).

The movie moves at an incredible pace. Each scene is filled with great shooting and tons of action aided by good post production work and excellent cinematography. At 1 hour and 28 minutes the movie feels like the hundred yard dash especially with the appropriate but abrupt ending. Shoot Em Up is a gun movie that offers some cool stunts, good acting and plenty of wow moments. Add this movie to your agenda for the weekend and enjoy yourself...

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