The Quad

Issue date: 9/17/07 Section: Entertainment

The action film is a staple of American cinema. Action movies are best when they have very little plot and high-adrenaline shootouts and fights. However, today, most action films try to have both, and most fail miserably. There is hope for the genre, though, because every year, one movie comes out that reminds us just how enjoyable these films can be. Last year, it was "Crank." This year, it is "Shoot 'Em Up."

"Shoot 'Em Up" reminds us just how fun action movies can be. From the first frame to the last, this film is a no-holds-barred, adrenaline thrill ride. The plot is very thin, but that is ok, because going into "Shoot 'Em Up," the audience does not want much of a plot, just endless action. Clive Owen ("Sin City") and Paul Giamatti ("Sideways") play characters outside of those that we have seen in recent films, especially Giamatti. Filled with witty one-liners, senseless violence and some very outlandish scenes, this action-packed film has everything one would wish for in an action film.

"Shoot 'Em Up" is the biggest guilty-pleasure movie of the year, for it is not a great film, but it is certainly enjoyable.

There is a plot in "Shoot 'Em Up," albeit an inane one. However, a moviegoer who pays for "Shoot 'Em Up" should not go in looking for a deep film. The plot revolves around Smith (Owen), an angry loner who, at the beginning of the film, finds himself the protector of a newborn child who some want dead. When Mr. Smith delivers the child in the middle of a gunfight, he soon discovers that the child is the target of a shadowy team of hired-guns, led by Hertz (Giamatti). Smith then teams up with a prostitute named DQ (Monica Bellucci) to solve the mystery about why everyone wants this child dead.

If a person went into "Shoot 'Em Up" wanting a smart action film, they would be very disappointed. Thankfully, most people who see this film will not be looking for that. The action scenes in the film are over-the-top, so much so that they become laughable. This may sound negative, but it actually makes this film extremely enjoyable. To call this film violent is an understatement, for this film may contain some of the most violent action sequences in modern film history; it is so intense that it would make John Woo blush. Blood splatters everywhere throughout the 90-minute running time, which perfectly accompanies the action scenes. The opening of the film has Mr. Smith shooting at people while trying to deliver a child. Later, there is a scene where Smith fights off enemies while falling from a plane. However, the most outlandish scene of all shows Smith shooting at enemies while having sex. These sequences are great fun, despite how ridiculous they may seem.

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