Clive Owen, Greg Bryk, Jane McLean

A gritty, fast-paced action thriller, "Shoot 'Em Up" kicks into high gear with a memorable opening scene and never relents. Clive Owen stars as Mr. Smith, a mysterious loner who teams up with an unlik...( read more  read more... )ely ally (Monica Belluci) to protect a newborn baby from a determined criminal (Paul Giamatti) who hunts them throughout the bowels of the city. "Shoot 'Em Up" is written and directed by Michael Davis ("Monster Man") and is scheduled for a Sept. 7, 2007 release.

Flixster Users

66% liked it

301,931 ratings

Critics

67% liked it

157 critics

R, 1 hr. 20 min.

Directed by: Michael Davis

Release Date: September 7, 2007

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DVD Release Date: January 1, 2008

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Flixster Reviews (30,666)


  • August 24, 2009
    Crazy-ass flick, this was simply awesome
  • May 8, 2009
    "You know what I hate?"

    Starting with a repeating line from the movie, but do you know what I don't hate? Movies like 'Shoot 'Em Up'. I like action movies like any other guy, but you have to admit that the genre has not brought anything new in years. Of course there are these in...( read more)telligent action spy movies ala 'Bourne' but where are the real no-brainers that are entertaining as hell and fun to watch? Here's one!

    "Fuck you, yoy fuckin' fuckers."

    When the movie starts, all you can think about is that, this is a film that just wants to show us the viewers breathtaking action scenes without focusing on the story. Wrong. The further the movie goes the more reasonable it gets. There actually is a story in the movie! And a decent one, too.

    The dialogue in the movie is excellent. It's so over the top that it works better than you could imagine. One-liners after another come in an accelerating pace. What makes this film so good is that it doesn't take itself so seriously. It just focuses on entertaining the viewers.

    Clive Owen's been a favourite of mine for years. He stars as the mysterious brit, called Smith. He has the charisma to carry any movie his starring in. All the way from the british miniseries 'Second Sight' to 'Shoot 'Em Up' via 'Closer'. That's proof that he's got talent and can pull of any role, may it be serious drama or awesome action.

    Paul Giamatti, there's another one. He makes an excellent sidekick to any movie. One of the best supporting actors with 'Sideways' as his biggest success. My earliest memory is way back from '97 when he was in Howard Stern's 'Private Parts'. He has made a lot of crap also but when he said the following quote from the movie, it was all it needed to make 'Shoot 'Em Up' a movie that he should be proud of.

    "Fuck me sideways"

    Monica Bellucci, as the lactating prostitute, is always a joy to look at. She does manage to make a nice performance but does she belong in action movies? Not sure about that, but come to think of it, I had the same thoughts of Mr Giamatti.

    "Wait your turn, Smith. There's plenty to go around.
    - Not for me, thanks, I'm lactose intolerant"

    'Shoot 'Em Up' is one of the best action movies I've seen in years. In my opinion, referring to the action scenes, this movie sets new, high standards
    for well made, entertaining action. Of course the action may seem a bit videogame-like but like I mentioned earlier, the filmmakers have just focused on giving the viewers an action packed, funny 80 minutes. Not to be taken seriously, just to be enjoyed! You hear me? Not to be taken seriously!

    "My god, do we really suck or is this guy really that good."
  • April 6, 2009
    I expected crap and was surprised haha its as stupid as hell but the action is truely great, best for awhile. Some of the sequences are really dumb..jumping outta the plane, jumping into a car from great height and throwing the baby around like a toy spring to mind, but the gun b...( read more)attles are slick and impressive and actually look real, not much silly cgi. Death toll is er...rather high lol but thats obvious, the only let down for me was the casting of Owen..he's just no good in my opinion.
  • March 19, 2009
    Every action movie after this will feel incomplete if the hero doesn't eat a carrot after killing everyone.
  • February 1, 2009
    Mr. Hertz: My god. Do we really suck or is this guy really that good?

    A ridiculous action movie with Clive Owen continuing to kick ass as a gun toting loner.

    Mr. Hertz: Guns don't kill people! But they sure help.

    This movie goes so far over the top, that the action leaps ove...( read more)r the bar, leaves earth, lands on the moon, waves back, and then shoots it.

    It starts with Owen's character Mr. Smith seeing a pregnant women pursued by guys up to no good. He responds with the only thing that would make sense, "fuckin' hell."

    After the first of many slam-bang action sequences, the woman gives birth to the baby, but dies shortly after, leaving Mr. Smith in charge of protecting it and finding out what the hell is going on.

    Smith enlists the help of a hooker friend of his, played by Monica Bellucci, to help him care for the child, while trying to find out the truth.

    Meanwhile, Paul Giamatti also stars as the lead hitman tasked with getting rid of this kid. He, like Smith, is good at what he does, which involves being evil and cleverly guessing where to send the next victims of Mr. Smith's shooting abilities.

    There is more involved in the "story" but this is all about setting up elaborate action scenes that are clearly in the realm of guilty pleasure territory. There is one shootout that takes place at the same time Smith is in the process of makin' love to his lady. Another involves skydiving. Good stuff.

    Mr. Smith: [eating carrot] What's up doc?
    Mr. Hertz: Oh, your a wascally wabbit.

    Owen and Giamatti are both enjoying the ridiculous nature of their characters. Owen portrays Smith as a man who is angered by almost everything, and is capable of stopping anything in his path with the help of his weapons. Giamtti plays a frothing dog of a hitman, with marital issues, and the right amount of scene chewing.

    The inventive action scenes, along with the rockin' soundtrack, and dark sense of humor make for one enjoyable ride that is basically Looney Tunes meets a John Woo Film.

    Mr. Smith: Eat your vegetables.
  • November 18, 2009
    Well Clive Owen going back to his roots I guess.
  • November 17, 2009
    Intentionally mindless. Michael Davis is aware we sometimes need a guilty pleasure, but what made this film bad was its pretentious cast and action sequences that leave the audience urging for more. Fun, but Clive Owen was a terrible choice.

    47/100
  • November 14, 2009
    Mnogo akcije, pucnjave i nevjerojatnih bizarnih scena. Zabavan film pun dosjetki koje se kasnije mogu citirati. Ne mogu primjetiti Monicinu presmijesnu glumu u ovome filmu (imala sam dojam kao da gledam neku losu sapunicu), a ono iritantno grickanje mrkve cu zaboraviti, bas kao i...( read more) sam film :)
  • November 10, 2009
    Absolutely fantastic, if you're looking for something that lives up to its title.. but it does little more than that.. If you want to see a shoot 'em up flick with dumbass one liners and cliche' over the top and impossible kills.
  • November 5, 2009
    This was a bloody movie and a little weird

Critic Reviews


September 15, 2007
Roger Ebert, Denver Post

The most audacious, implausible, cheerfully offensive, hyperactive action picture I've seen since, oh, Sin City, which in comparison was a chamber drama. full review

September 14, 2007
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

The film is so fast it is over almost before it begins and so empty-headed it demands little but your inertia. On the way there are moments of weird charm, conjured by the movie's velocity. full review

September 7, 2007
Stephanie Zacharek, Salon.com

The sum of the movie's exploding parts adds up to nothing -- not even just good, sick fun. full review

September 7, 2007
Claudia Puig, USA Today

For mainstream audiences, its whiplash pacing, frenetic camera work and offhand manner toward blood spillage probably will be disturbing. full review

September 7, 2007
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle

Like Quentin Tarantino without the aesthetic posturing, the film is giddy with pop references -- and embraces the sloshy fun of exploitation genre-tweaking... full review

September 7, 2007
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Shoot 'em Up will become, I suspect, some kind of legend in the murky depths of extreme action. full review

September 7, 2007
Pete Hammond, Maxim

Loaded for fun, a trigger-happy full-frontal assualt on our senses that really seems to be winking at a whole macho-movie genre. full review

September 7, 2007
A.O. Scott, The New York Times

Shoot 'Em Up is a witless, soulless, heartless movie that mistakes noise for bravura and tastelessness for wit.

September 6, 2007
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Deliriously tasteless and shamelessly entertaining, Shoot 'Em Up is the guiltiest pleasure of the year. full review

September 5, 2007
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

This wet dream for action junkies leaves out logic and motivation -- you know, all the boring stuff. full review

View more Shoot 'Em Up reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • shibiblove
    October 1, 2009
    great movie! I think I want to masturbate rightnow...
  • dwinters66
    August 23, 2008
    I think this movie was awesome! Very action packed.

  • ikjotrana
    June 16, 2008
    WTF !!!!! worstest of the worst movie. A Romanian or a Kazak action or superhero flick would have been better. Was the director on crack or coke ( i would not know ). The carrot thing was just 2 annoying & Monica Belucchi was pissing off. The whole plot & the conspiracy was totally amateaure ( gun laws, bone marrow surgery, killing the senator ).The worst was when the baby is quiet when listening to metal cauzz metal is in his genes and how the baby smiles when clive owen is showing him the gun.
    The only good in this were the witty dialodues and the acting by the hero & villian were quite good.
  • itbegins2005
    February 28, 2008
    The most cartoon-y action film I've seen- it's (quite intentionally) like a Bugs Bunny 'toon turned into an action flick. It's NOT meant to be taken seriously (unlike a few similar movies that are just as ridiculous, but fall flat for being too stiff), which I suspect is half the reason so many people seem to dislike it so much. As much a joke about the genre as it is an entry into it, I'd say this is only for those with a sense of humor and a love for gleefully exaggerated humor.
  • milcazarais
    January 15, 2008
    thank U flbeachboy, Clive is a great actor, something Craig have missing, and he gives 007 a gay look nothing against it but that do not fit in the 007 movies. i thought this movie was crap but actually i got to like it.
  • rbevanx
    January 11, 2008
    One of the worse films i have ever seen.....Avoid
  • palxue
    January 10, 2008
    FUCK ME SIDEWAYS!

    one of the best movie quotes ever...
  • flbeachboy
    January 8, 2008
    Clive Owen could pull it off as 007, he has the attitude to him that Daniel Craig lacks.
  • ndgagne1
    January 2, 2008
    Seeing so many people hate on this movie makes me feel smart. I didn't think that the transgression here was very subtle but for those of you who somehow missed it watch it again and stop trying so hard to be offended and don't hold your breath waiting for this movie to give you a warm fuzzy feeling inside.
  • chinhnt2k3
    December 15, 2007
    What a crappy movie! Wasted 60 minutes of my life.

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

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Shoot 'Em Up Trivia


  • Who was in Shoot em up,king arthur, and children of Men.  Answer »
  • In Shoot 'em Up, what is the baby's name?  Answer »
  • In "Shoot 'Em Up," how was the first thug killed?  Answer »
  • In "Shoot 'Em Up," Hertz (Paul Giamatti) shoots how many baby bottles in the Donna's (Monica Bellucci) room?  Answer »

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