Shoot Em Up

Starring: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monica Bellucci, Stephen McHattie, Greg Byrk
Directed by: Michael Davis
Review: Dave Burbidge
Release date: 21st Jan 2008

Whan assassins attack a pregnant woman on a bus, Mr Smith (Owen) is soon blasting back, before going on the run with a hooker Donna (Bellucci), after he helps deliver the baby. On their trail are agents of both the government and an arms company under the control of Hertz (Giametti). Despite being captured and tortured after a series of gunfights Mr Smith manages to keep the baby's location secret and eventually kill all who oppose him.

A vehicle for explosive gunplay, with a plot cobbled together on the back of a postcard. Nonetheless Owen and Giametti have sone good (if cliched) lines and a macguffin of a carrot has to be seen to be believed. There seems to be a bit of John Woo homage going on here and the main emphasis is on action, and then more action. Bellucci is merely a carboard cutout character, and there is little history to Mr Smith either. It seems a bit like a PC video game, and perhaps this is why it acquired the fairly obvious title.