Nearer to a bullseye than most

Rating: 7/10 (25 April 2009)

Snipers are frequently shown in movies that have high-stakes situations, but never before has there been a movie about a sniper. After all, how interesting is it to watch someone sneak around and wait for God-knows-how-long for the perfect shot? Fortunately, director Antoine Fuqua and the writers (adapted from a novel by Stephen Hunter) understand this, and that's what makes "Shooter" a success.
"Shooter" is more of a revenge film than a conspiracy thriller. Bob Lee Swagger (Mark Wahlberg) was one of the best snipers in the world until he was left to die on a mission that wasn't supposed to happen; his partner and best friend, Donnie (Lane Garrison) did die, which hit him really hard. Now living alone in a remote part of Wyoming, he has resigned to solitude. However, three years later, Colonel Issac Johnson (Danny Glover) tracks him down, and asks him to plan an assassination attempt on the President, so the U.S. can figure out a way to prevent a REAL assassination. But Swagger is betrayed and he has to stay alive long enough to prove his innocence.
This is the kind of role Mark Wahlberg does whenever he's playing an action hero. In this situation, it works. Danny Glover is adequate as Johnson, but he doesn't have the range to play this type of character. Michael Pena is completely miscast as Nick Memphis, the FBI rookie who becomes Swagger's partner when he realizes that Swagger is innocent. Personally, I would have picked Lane Garrison to play Memphis, who, despite being in only one scene, creates a likable enough character to have resonance throughout the movie. Originally, I would have thought that Kate Mara would have been too young for this role, but I was surprised as she is entirely believable (complete with an adorable Southern accent). Rhona Mitra is utterly wasted in the throwaway role as Memphis' co-worker. My guess is that the producers gave her the role to inject some sex appeal, but her appearance doesn't support this; she's too plain looking. But the worst offense is that her acting abilities are thrown away. Mitra is a capable actress (see Season 3 of "Nip/Tuck" for a really good performance by her).
Antoine Fuqua knows what he's doing with this movie. It's dark, intelligent, and it never drags. The film deserves its R rating (an action movie for adults! Go figure.) and is all the better for it. "Shooter" is a fast-paced thriller, but Fuqua doesn't maximize the "Big Reveals" to outrageous proportions (in fact, one might argue that they should have been done with less subtlety).
Unfortunately, "Shooter suffers from some problems. The worst offender is its terrible lighting. The film is too dark, and while only a few scenes take place indoors, it's still too dark (too dark for a gritty feel too). Less important is the conspiracy is rather hard to figure out at times.
Still, "Shooter" is a great ride.