Guns, more guns and a naked Monica Bellucci — what more could an action fan ask for?
In director Michael Davis’s latest film effort, Shoot ’Em Up, expect a lot of bang for your buck — literally. The film is chock-full of gun fights, well-sequenced action scenes and a whole lot of violence. Unfortunately, it isn’t as strong in script or plot, but thanks to an A-list cast, it’s entertaining nonetheless.
Clive Owen plays Mr. Smith, a man with a mysterious past that’s never fully explained and a persona caught between his Sin City and Children of Men characters — a hard-ass, prostitute-hiring, gun-slinging killer with a good heart and a soft spot for babies. The movie begins with Smith delivering a baby during a gun battle and the rest of the movie has him killing the numerous villains who are after the child. He takes the baby (whom he names Oliver) to see Donna Quintano — a hooker played by the beautiful Monica Bellucci, who, at 43 years old and playing a lactating prostitute, looks classier and more glamorous than any Hollywood starlet around. Bellucci steals the show with her calm camera presence and is at her best when yelling at Smith in Italian.
Paul Giamatti plays the baby-killing hit man with gusto, but his solid acting cannot overcome the lacklustre script that has him saying cheesy one-liners like “Well, fuck me sideways” at every turn.
The atmosphere is dark and mysterious, with many of the scenes shot in back alleys and dank, dark surroundings, which helps make up for a plot that is predictable, if not clichéd. The soundtrack quickly establishes itself as Shoot ’Em Up’s strongest element through the brilliant pairing of the movie’s opening fight sequence with Nirvana’s “Breed.”
Viewers won’t come away with any intellectual stimulation from this film; the script is lacking and the characters are largely underdeveloped. However, Shoot ‘Em Up isn’t striving to be any more than what its name implies — and it definitely lives up to that. And yes, Bellucci does get naked.
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