“Fuck you, you fucking fuckers.” - Mr. Smith

I can’t remember having a better time in the theater this year than the one I had watching writer/director Michael Davis’ action spectacular Shoot ‘Em Up. In fact, it was so entertaining, I ended up seeing it 3 times. This film doesn’t spend time on coherent plot details. It starts off with guns blazing and rarely pauses to reload. Shoot ‘Em Up is definitely the Crank of 2007.

The best part of this film is the actors involved. Clive Owen, Paul Giamatti and Monica Bellucci all took time away from their typical serious roles to instead play gunmen, thieves and lactating prostitutes.

While waiting for his next bus ride, Mr. Smith (Owen) intervenes as a psycho with a gun starts unloading clips in a pregnant woman’s direction. During the gunfight, Smith delivers the woman’s baby moments before she takes a bullet in the head. Now Smith must decide whether he should leave the baby or protect it from the group of men trying to kill it. This group, led by Hertz (Giamatti), will stop at nothing to kill this kid. But what harm can a little baby do your gang that has you wanting to kill it?

Quintano (Bellucci) decides to help him protect the baby, no matter how close the bullets get to her head. Hertz and his crew follow the pair all around the city until Smith decides to go to them. Being that he is now a bulletproof babysitter of sorts, he decides to figure out how this baby got its death wish, and with this journey brings one incredibly ridiculous ride. Shoot ‘Em Up is the action picture of the year for those of us who miss late 80s Schwarzenegger flicks. Imagine if Live Free or Die Hard kept up with the McClane credo set forth in the other (far superior) entries. Smith is that guy, and then some.

Those following the film prior to its release may remember a few animatics that posted online. This new DVD includes the story behind this animated storyboard and details on how Michael Davis used this to sell the premise to New Line. The feature “Ballet of Bullets” has an in-depth interview with Davis. He discusses the obvious, like how the film’s inspiration stemmed heavily from John Woo’s classic Hard Boiled (1992), and how he doesn’t really like to compare his film to a cartoon.

Anyone who grew up watching Looney Tunes may have a hard time noticing Mr. Smith’s connection with Bugs Bunny (especially as he eats carrots in virtually every scene). Hertz even draws some mannerisms of Yosemite Sam. This connection with familiar cartoons shouldn’t be seen as something negative. It makes the film all the more fun.