Shoot ‘Em Up

Directed by Michael Davis, Shoot ‘Em Up follows Clive Owen’s Mr. Smith as he attempts to protect a woman (Monica Bellucci’s Donna) and a newborn from a vicious gangster (Paul Giamatti’s Hertz). Filmmaker Davis, armed with his own screenplay, delivers a wildly over-the-top and mostly entertaining thriller that establishes its cartoonish sensibilities right from the get-go, as the movie has been hard-wired with a gleefully broad sensibility that’s reflected in its myriad of attributes – with the plethora of larger-than-life action sequences certainly perpetuating the picture’s less-than-subtle vibe. And while the relentlessly slick and stylized feel does result in a few lulls, particularly as one begins to crave something (anything) of real substance, Shoot ‘Em Up, anchored by Owen and especially Giamatti’s deliciously excessive, exaggerated efforts, generally comes off as a mindlessly engaging endeavor that sustains one’s interest and attention for the duration of its appreciatively brisk running time.

**1/2 out of ****