Shoot 'Em Up splatters the bull's-eye

Published on September 27, 2007

Shoot 'Em Up

Cast: Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti, Monicca Belucci,

Stephen McHattie

Directed by Michael Davis

Running time: 86 minutes

Hanuman rating: HHHHH

Action fans will probably notice thesimilarities with "Yojimbo", which has been remade as "A Fistful of Dollars" and more recently "Last Man Standing".

Yet this tongue-in-cheek version by Michael Davis has quite a few wild twists. The high body count and raunchy jokes should be enough to make it the no 1-talked-about film for some time to come.

At first it looks as if Owen is resurrecting his role as"Dwight" in "Sin City".

But that's where the similarity ends. There is none of the beauty or artistry here that was crafted by "Sin's" directors Robert Rodriguez and Frank Miller.

Owen plays "Smith", and like Clint Eastwood's Man With No Name in three westerns from Sergio Leone, our hero is drawn into a fight he wants nothing to do with.

Owen's opening line - "F***king hell" - gives away the spirit director Michael Davis has embodied to craft this flick, delivering one of the most over-the-top action films you will see this year.

A scene where Owen uses his gun to severe an umbilical cord left half the audience squealing with laughter and the other half in a state of shock.

That's the kind of surprise Davis is capable of drumming up - refreshing for some, but not all.

Fans of Rodriguez, Miller and Quentin Tarantino will probably find plenty of merit in the film, despite the lack of finesse.

Paul Giamatti looks like he's having a whale of a time playing the villain and Monica Belucci provides the film's more tender moments.

If you are easily offended and prudish, stick with Speilberg films or Disney fare.

But if you want something closer to "Kill Bill" - films which are never shown in full by the time they reach cable - this may be what you are looking for.