2/3's a great film.

Rating: 6/10 (3 July 2007)

As my summary and score indicate, there is something missing with this movie. To be precise there is 33% missing. First I'll cover the 66% that made it. Marky Mark is spot on. I still haven't figured out why he isn't a huge action star. He's a good looking kid and a far better actor than other more popular action stars. He has certainly been successful, but action super stardom has eluded him. In this movie he is pitch perfect as a the disgruntled ex-military sniper. He is bitter, intense, and deliberate. The overall direction of the films is quite good also. The look and feel of the film is somewhere between Ridley and Tony Scott. It is razor sharp and a little frenetic. Most of the supporting cast is good. The procedural look at the sniper craft is really cool.
Now, the 33%. There are Gaping plot holes in this movie.$ It seems to give a great deal of screen time to stupid stuff, and then totally ignore things it shouldn't. Ned Beatty and Elias Koteas are awful in this film. The real shame is both of their characters seem unnecessary. I would also like to point out something that has bugged me for a long time. In all of the sniper movies they talk about all the precise adjustments necessary for these long shots they take. Then, when the camera cuts to the scope view it is centered right on the target's head. I love the procedural minutia, but they really should explain this. My last and largest complaint about this movies is the final acts. This movie has two endings. The first one is on the mountain, where it should of ended. The second one makes NO sense whatsoever. Did they reach the end of filming, realize they had some money left, and just keep on rolling. I am not going to give away the endings, but you will know what I am talking about.