SNIPER: GHOST SHOOTER

US, 2016, 96 minutes, Colour.

Chad Michael Collins, Billy Zane, Dennis Haysbertd, Nick Gomez, Ravil Isyanov, Stefanie Vogt, Enoch Frost, Dominic Matham.

Directed by Don Michael Paul.

Another in the somewhat prolific franchise of Sniper action adventures. The franchise began in 1993 with Sniper, Tom Berenger in the title role. He took up sequels, Sniper 2, Sniper 3 in the early 2000 is. In 2008 it was decided to begin a new series focusing on Berenger’s son, played by Chad Michael Collins. And this continued for 15 years, at least, into the 2020s. (And Tom Berenger appeared in two of them.). This film was released straight to video in its time.

Also in the cast are Billy Zane and Dennis Haysbert who both appeared in other Sniper films. Billy Zane is seen here in action as a sniper but in the succeeding film, Ultimate Kill, he appears as a Washington bureaucrat.

One of the advantages of most of the Sniper films is the emphasis given to location photography, the great deal of attention given to the locations, beauty, practical life, and overall immersion of the audience. In this film, the opening is in Turkey moving to Istanbul. The action then transfers to Georgia, a pipeline through the countryside to Eastern Europe, and then action in beautiful snowclad mountains.

The plot is familiar, the audience identifying the goodies and the baddies and not worrying too much about the details of what is going on because so much of it will be fighting and sniping.

Chad Michael Collins has made this role his own. Although, in the first sequence, he freezes and does not shoot a child who, in fact, conceals a bomb. However, the authorities encourage him and he then is ordered to be part of the action in Georgia, in attack on ground level which goes wrong (as is usual in these Sniper films), the discovery of an expert Sniper, then in action on the mountains, along with a Russian whom he is able to save during an attack.

As always, some of the fellow-fighters and snipers are women, and there is also a woman in authority.

So, lots of fighting, ambushes, lots of shooting, a great deal of attention given, especially in the final confrontation about the skills and accuracy of the Sniper. And, with modern technology, the commander is able to watch all the action on screen and make directions and decisions as he watches.

Direction by actor Don Michael Paul also can directed another Sniper action.

1. The popularity of the Sniper franchise? The originals? The series with Chad Michael Collins? This film early in this series?
2. The focus on snipers, their weapons, their accuracy, their personalities, geared to kill, orders to kill? Moral issues? As raised in the dialogue?
3. The Marines, training, codes, action, independence, collaborations? Beckett and his background, being part of team, relationship with the authorities? His personality?
4. The opening, the mission in Turkey, the ambush, shooting, Beckett freezing, the boy, the bomb? The aftermath, in Istanbul, the encounter with the woman, his being enlisted for Georgia, discovering her place in command?
5. The Colonel, watching action on the screen, the technician and his voicing the commands?
6. Georgia, the situation, the pipeline, the government, business leads, manipulation for ownership, discussions with the locals? The target for snipers?
7. The action sequence, the convoy, the shooting, the businessman and his own Sniper and skills? Deaths?
8. The sequences in the mountains, the Russian as part of the team, discussions with Beckett, the thieves in the mountain, the confrontation, the backup, shooting, their taking the Russian, Beckett and his sniping and freeing the Russian?
9. The final confrontation, the death of the Sniper, Beckett and his skills and achievement?
10. The personalities of the team, the Russian, the women, Billy Zane, the Colonel and his visits in Istanbul?
11. A film for those who like this kind of action adventure?