Late at night, in an unnamed U.S. city, a solitary man sits at a bus stop. A pregnant woman runs by, pursued by a man with a gun. With reluctance, the man at the bus stop rescues her and assists with the baby's delivery, while additional pursuers fire at them, including the gang's particularly nasty leader, an intuitive man named Hertz. Our hero, known only as Smith, determines to save the child and find out why Hertz wants the baby dead. At a local bordello, he tries to employ a lactating hooker to watch the child, but things quickly escalate, and this makeshift family is soon on the run. Heavy metal music calms the baby. Why? A laboratory, gun factory, and presidential campaign all figure in Smith's quest for the child's safe deliverance.
Genre(s): Action, Adventure, Comedy, Crime, Thriller
Runtime: 86 minutes
Rating: 7.0/10 (55,920 votes)
Release Date: 26 July 2007
Country: USA
Languages: English, Italian
Company: New Line Cinema
Sound: SDDS, Dolby Digital, DTS
MPAA: Rated R for pervasive strong bloody violence, sexuality and some language.
Director(s): Michael Davis
Producer(s):
Rick Benattar – producer
Cale Boyter – executive producer
Douglas Curtis – executive producer
Toby Emmerich – executive producer
Jeff Katz – associate producer
Susan Montford – producer
Don Murphy – producer
Writer(s):
Michael Davis – (written by)
Cast:
Clive Owen – Smith
Paul Giamatti – Hertz
Monica Bellucci – Donna Quintano
Stephen McHattie – Hammerson
Greg Bryk – Lone Man
Daniel Pilon – Senator Rutledge
Sidney Mende-Gibson – Baby Oliver
Lucas Mende-Gibson – Baby Oliver
Kaylyn Yellowlees – Baby Oliver
Ramona Pringle – Baby's Mother
Music: Paul Haslinger
Tagline: Just another family man making a living.
Recommended Links
Archives
I saw this film after buying the DVD on a whim at Wal-Mart. I was onlyvaguely familiar with the story and I knew both lead actors were andhaving enjoyed their other film work had decent expectations for anaction film. This film was essentially a rehash of the lone gunmanprotecting a woman and child scenario but it doesn't execute that ideaparticularly well. Instead, Shoot 'Em UP is a big ugly beast of anaction movie that tries too hard be funny with the insipid one linersspouted by the hero Smith (Clive Owen) and villain Hertz (PaulGiamatti, a good character actor in a badly miscast role), but managesto fail miserably. This fact, coupled the over the top action and downright disgusting (and creepy) content, make this movie barelywatchable.
As for the plot, well it goes something like this: a pregnant woman isrescued by Smith (Clive Owen) after being attacked at a bus stop. Smithkills her attackers while delivering her baby. Unfortunately, themother is killed after the child, a boy, is delivered. Smith takes theboy with him to a lactating prostitute named Donna Quintano (MoncaBellucci). He attempts to leave the boy with her but is refused. Heleaves and later returns chasing off Hertz (Paul Giamatti), a thugringleader working for an arms manufacturer. Smith, Donna, and thebaby, whom they name Oliver, spend the rest of the movie running awayfrom (and fighting) the arms manufacturer's hugs and the enforcers ofSen. Rutlidge, a Democratic front runner the US Presidency. Sen.Rutlidge needs the baby (the result of a baby factory) in order toreceive a bone marrow donation so he won't die of cancer before theelection. Smith and Donna fall in love along the way and adopt Oliverwhile blowing a lot of stuff up and killing a whole lot of bad guys.
My main problems with the movie came down to 2 things; the over the topgun play and bizarre sexual gags in this film. I was never a big fan ofthe twin-gun ballet craze pioneered and popularized by John Woo evenwhen it was at was at its height. I can take the graphic violence butfive minutes of a man flying through the air with a gun while mowingdown 50 extras and not making a dent in the number of enemies is juststupid. I suppose a lactating prostitute, watching Paul Giamatti fondlea dead woman, and having a man get a genital piercing ripped out areall funny to the 17-35 year old Family Guy-watching idiots I'm surelove this film but those are images I'd rather forget.
It's astonishing to see that a movie which is so simple can bemisunderstood so often. This is not a violent action movie, it is anihilistic comedy. Best comment I've read here is entitled "KnowinglyAbsurd, Self-Consciously Ridiculous". Hits the nail, umm… carrot onthe head. That is not only shown in the over-the-top action scenes, butalso in the dialogues when Bellucci asks Owen: "Is there anything youdon't hate?" or Giamatti's mobile phone always rings when he is -"sorry, I'm just busy" – killing someone. Clive Owen is better thanever, a tired pro, explained so little that we don't even find out hischaracter's real name. Just Smith then. Monica Bellucci is over 40 nowand perfectly cast as a prostitute whose best days are over but shestill is very… motherly. Wouldn't have worked as well with a youngeractress. Paul Giamatti is an excellent opponent, a lunatic who thinkskilling everyone is the best solution for finding peace. Thereshouldn't be too many movies like this, because in the end it's acynical way of filming, and the art of creating characters with acertain depth shouldn't vanish, but once in a while a ride like this isterrific fun and a guilty pleasure. Extra point for the powerfulsoundtrack courtesy of Motörhead, AC/DC, the underrated Midnight Moviesand more.
I believe that many watcher will think this is very fast! 86 minutes ofthe non-stop action, dark comedy, pervasive unrealistic scenes andintense of the sex scene movie. Shoot 'Em Up should be one of thegreatest dark action movie.
I am very proud of Michael Davis and his crew. Someone could be thinkthat Davis is the 13-year-old freak child. His movie is no realistic atall! I really have many words for this movie but I will tell all of youin the order of case.
Action of this movie was flawless. Everything is unrealistic andextraordinary. Many extravaganza shooting should be seen in this moviefor pumping everyone's adrenaline. It was very surprised about howfrequently shooting was in the movie, may be the movie's name "Shoot'Em Up", so the result was unstoppable shooting. I love this kind ofaction. Like Jason Statham's Crank and The Transporter 2, this movieand my previous example are all the real extreme action, not some moviewhich try to sell extreme action but its results is really crap.Finally, Unbelievable, Amazing and Overload. is my description for theaction scene of this movie.
This movie also one of the greatest dark comedy movie. Shoot 'Em Upshowed many dark comedy skit which could shook everyone. I couldn'tbelieve that Shoot 'Em Up try to sell as Action – Dark Comedy moviebecause this movie has a very dark tone and advertise like an actionfilm. However, many dark and unbelievable skit made me believe that.Like many film's criticizing website. This movie is a complete "vile,crude, nasty, saucy and devilish" movie. I never seen any kind of themovie like this before.
For the cast. Clive Owen took on his role very well. He could changehimself from "the jealous, unfaithful and human-being" businessman in"Derailed" to become the "chilly, cold-blood and unexpected"gunslinger. He could show his ability as fighter and gunslinger in manyextraordinary way. Paul Giamatti also has a very good acting. He madehimself "A nasty arrogant villain". he could be almost my heinousvillain except he didn't rude to women or child by slapping orpunching. (I like this, I hate the villain who rude to women and childby slapping or punching, I called them "heinous villain". I hate manymovie to do that kind of villain.) Even he had some rude act to DonnaQuintano but this is very ridiculous and never seen in any moviesbefore. I accepted the cast was great! However, I have some complaintabout it. The plot hole in this movie. I didn't like the plot of"covering character biography". Mr.Smith's profile is a kind of that.It's too much. I believe many fans should watch the movie more thantwice to understand the plot. What the hell of Hammerson? What the hellof Rutledge? How the hell they have some connection. The movie's crewmay be think everyone understand your plot? Silly! You made theextremely complicated plot for everyone! I have no complaint about theaction, comedy skit and the cast but the script should have lesscomplicated. Every watcher should see this movie without confusing.
And also Mr.Smith's profile. I hoped that I could understand the crew'spurpose. I think they try to make every watcher imagine and designtheir hero. They try to design the big brother protagonist without flawor sensitive to mind games. Without history or reason, I suggest thatthey use the video games's hero for designing the character. "Noexplanation, but extreme only!" I think this is very long time tocomment. Like the previous, I have many words for this movie becauseI'm very proud of it. The unstoppable action, intense of dark comedy(especially, cracking all of the old action scene is very funny, weshould see the new one!), the new way of story telling and also thecast acting. I like this movie very much. This is one of my favoritemovie, except the plot hole. Please! Michael Davis! If you want towrite and direct the new movie, please do the clear and no questionableplot. I hope not to see the character's history covering or unexplainedplot. Almost flawless except plot holes!!!
This joke of a film has no redeemable features. It offers poor jokes,poor script, poor acting and a flimsy plot. The action isn'tparticularly rewarding, even though one would be entitled to hope thatit would be, what with it being called 'Shoot 'Em Up' and all…
You know, I love shoot-'em-ups. Quake, Call of Duty, Halo – these areall great games. But this is an awful film. Clive Owen is anunconvincing lead, Paul Giammatti puts in a (rare) sup-par performance,and Monica Bellucci is – as always – wonderful window dressing butsorely lacking when called upon to actually ACT.
So yeah: keep your pennies and go watch 'Crank' instead. It's much morefun.
Thanks, KM
Even as a funny, unserious, violent, malitia for over the top actionand random twists; this movie is still messy and in its own wayannoyingly stupid.
That said, if you throw away the idea of a realistic plot and premiseyou're likely to find this movie to be a lot of fun.
How the plot goes: an unknown man played by Clive Owen and a lactatingstreetwalker played by Monica Bellucci get swept up in a deadly game ofcat and mouse with a maniacal hit-man played by Paul Giamatti and hisendless sum of henchmen to ensure the life of a new born baby.
From there a whole lot of twists, turns and continuous scenes ofbloodthirsty, vicious violence from start to finish send the film intomovement but never into focus. And as entertaining and grisly as theaction scenes may be your not likely to find one where you don't go 'awcome on'; hence, the reason why taking this movie seriously is likelyto make you hate it.
The best character in it is Played by Paul Giamatti; but that'sprobably a bias opinion cause Giamatti's my favourite actor in themovie. But regardless, the scenes between him and Smith are the moviesgolden moments; especially their interesting stand off at the end.
This movie is know where near a masterpiece, even for just its genre.But it follow through on it own premise to be a lot of fun and crazilyenjoyable in a guilty pleasure sort of way. And lets face it, anyonewho watches it is likely to know exactly what they're getting into justby looking at the title. So if you're gonna decide to hate this moviecause its not your normal brand of movie entertainment then why'd yougo see it in the first place.
And really what is an action movie without a random sex scene in it; atleast they turned it into an action scene as well.
I give it a 7 out of 10 cause it was enjoyable and my sort of movieentertainment, among many others; but none the less extremely sloppy instory structure, ideas and even some of the action.
If spinach makes Popeye stronger, carrots prove to be the source ofstrength for Mr. Smith, the hero of this highly charged movie of actionthat never gives the audience a moment to relax! I say that based onwhat happens on the screen during its 86 minutes running time. This hasto be one of the fastest movies in years, bar none.
Written and directed by Michael Davis, we are taken for the ride of alifetime. Our hero, Mr. Smith, is a resourceful man, to put it mildly.He seems to smell danger coming even when it's a mile away. He is oneof the most talented man with a gun in movie history. The title aloneis a proper way to call his job description.
At the core of the film is the birth of a young child that Mr. Smith isresponsible for delivering into the world amid a gun battle. That childis the key figure in the plot, even as an infant. We discover this babyis the object of the search a corrupt politician has ordered. We learnhow he has hired Mr. Hertz, a criminal man that will stop at nothing intrying to get the boy.
In order to help Mr. Smith take care of the infant, he asks DQ, a ladywith a certain reputation to come with him to mind the baby while hegoes after the bad guys. The hoodlums, headed by Mr. Hertz, are alwaysa stone throw away and they mean business. At one time, there are, whatfeels like hundreds of black clad gun toting men trying to get rid ofMr. Smith, something that is almost impossible.
The last sequence of the film keeps the viewer at the edge of his seatjust watching how our hero battles his opponents as he jumps from ahigh flying jet. There is no other action film that matches the sheerexcitement of the battle in midair of all the criminals against Mr.Smith.
Clive Owen was made to play this role. He gives a great reading to hisMr. Smith. He is savvy, sophisticated, and knows all the tricksimaginable to evade the evil forces that want to off him. Thevillainous Mr. Hertz is played by Paul Giamatti. Monica Bellucci, whoplays DQ, the love interest of the leading man, has some excellentmoments in which to show her beauty.
Recommended for fans of action films thanks to its creator, MichaelDavis.
This has got to be one of the worst movies I have ever seen. It belongsin the bottom of the bargain movie bin at Walmart, and that is beingkind. From beginning to end this movie's sophomoric script and banal,predictable plot leaves one asking, "Why was this movie ever made?". Iread several comments on this movie from people convinced this movie issupposed to be a comedic parody of all action movies before it. If thisis true, then this formula for a movie simply does not work. Not onlywas this movie not funny in the least, it just came across as a stupidflick. The problem I have with parodies, if in fact this movie wasactually a parody, is that they are a lot easier to make than actuallymaking a believable movie. Take really rotten movies such as DisasterMovie or Scary Movie, they are badly done, horribly acted supposedcomedies which are worse than any of the movies from the genre they aretrying to poke fun at. Honestly, getting back to Shoot Em Up, thisstinker did not waste a single minute in its attempt to glorify CliveOwen's "shoot em up" abilities, all done in concert with a white-breadalternative rock soundtrack. Most insulting to one's intelligence wasthe opening scene with a pregnant woman fleeing her obviously insaneboyfriend or husband, and of course Mr. Owen, barehanded runs to therescue and hence the shooting begins in this movie after hemiraculously obtains a gun. If there was a poster child for teen-ageleap-of-faith tactics, this movie would have to be the winner handsdown. Frankly, this movie has all the merit of a bad hair-band musicvideo from the 80s. So, in other words, don't waste your time on thisstinker.