Introduction

Night is falling and you just can't see
Is this illusion or reality
You're in the army now...

These are lyrics from a song by Status Quo back in the 80s, and is similar to the predicament that the 'shooter' in this movie finds himself in. Yes, it's another movie that delves into corrupt U.S bureaucrats taking advantage of poorer countries... while leaving their soldiers to take the hit! Minus the unintelligible rants of our very own favorite war hero Rambo.

Plot

Bob Lee Swagger, a sniper who fights his way out of Africa against all odds finds himself double-crossed in an effort to save the President from being assassinated. Yes, that's what you get by being patriotic, is what I felt the movie was telling us from the start.

After decimating the enemy single-handedly (and witnessing the demise of his close buddy and spotter) and then discovering that he was left for dead by his superiors, he spends three years in isolation upon returning home. That's until a corrupt Colonel-turned-bureaucrat Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) recruits him for a mission that requires him to scout the locations (where the President will deliver his speech from) and provide an "assassination-feasibility" report to the Colonel.

The rest of the movie (which is fast-paced) of course, is his tale of survival by outwitting government agents, politicians and criminals... thanks to the help of one conscientious FBI trainee, Nick Memphis (Michael Pena).

Moments to remember

- The opening scene where he snipes down an entire hostile team of attackers with the help of his 'spotter'.

- How he manages to buy supplies to stem the bleeding while knocking out the power in a store so that the clerk couldn't recognize him until much later!

- Sarah Fenn's (Kate Mara) great body & that weird accent of hers!

Quotes

Artificial sweeteners were safe, the WMDs were in Iraq and Anna Nicole married for love.

Summary

I really liked this movie! Mark Walhberg did great... and until this flick, I thought 'Rock Star' was his best movie ever! Danny Glover, as the corrupt self-assured colonel, also does a great job as always! The movie seemed really tight with the facts of guns and all that jazz, so full points to them there. All in all, a delightful movie for those who like action flicks that aren't so dramatic but just deliver cut-and-dry action with intelligence at its very best.