Too Many Holes To Be Entertaining

Rating: 3/10 (14 August 2007)

Bobby Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg, THE DEPARTED) is a disgruntled vet. Ultimately left for dead on a sniper mission toward the end of his career, Bobby survives while his spotter-partner "takes one for America." Several years later we find Swagger living a life of self-imposed exile in the Colorado Rockies, his only friend a mutt who guards him and his home. He has no plans to re-enter society until...
Enter Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover, DREAMGIRLS), a "patriot" who claims that the life of the President of the United States is in danger. Knowing Swagger's history and his righteous defense of everything American, Johnson approaches the sniper-extraordinaire with a proposition: help them find out how an attempt on the President will take place and thus they can defuse it.
Come to find out, Johnson isn't working for the President at all and is in the pocket of a U.S. Senator named Charles Meachum (Ned Beatty). Their plan isn't to kill the Prez but to eliminate another threat that stands near him during a speech in St. Louis (naturally money is involved).
Having utilized Swagger, the Colonel attempts to off him but fails, much to the chagrin of Senator Meachum.
Swagger is now on the run, wounded and bleeding, his face plastered on every television screen claiming he attempted to kill the President. Knowing that he has to get away no matter what, Swagger runs afoul of Secret Service agent named Nick Memphis (Michael Pena, CRASH). Hobbling him in quick, military fashion, Agent Memphis is just "glad to be alive." Which brought up a unique question: Why didn't the sniper just kill him? This drives Agent Memphis to make some terrible discoveries about his boss, his job, and what America values most.
Double-crossed for the last time, Swagger seeks out those who framed him and uses his sniper training to ultimate advantage. Anyone less than 1,000 yards away is surely in trouble now. He even eventually brings Agent Memphis into his fold and teaches him the fine art of Sniperdom.
SHOOTER's details are more interesting than the whole, as are the DVD special features. How a shooter positions himself. The effects on his shot from weather and wind to the curvature of the Earth are brought into play, making the mechanics more fascinating than the story.
There's also the fact that some HUGE holes develop later on. Swagger nearly gets killed, then suddenly BANG! we're somewhere else where he can eliminate a threat to himself. There's no rhyme or reason to this showing that director Fuqua needed a little help come editing time. And then (drum roll) the big problem: Swagger is in custody and then, without clear reason, he's set free. The ridiculousness of this event is mind-boggling, even while watching a fictitious film where one must suspend disbelief.
This film might appeal to military types who like to watch long shots being made at moving targets, but other than that, it's probably a safe pass.