SNIPER: ULTIMATE KILL

US, 2017, 90 minutes, Colour.

Chad Michael Collins, Danay Garcia, Billy Zane, Tom Berenger, Joe Lando.

Directed by Claudio Fah.

The Sniper franchise began in 1993 with a thriller, set in Mexico, showing the work of the sniper, with that as the title. In the early 2000s, there was Sniper 2, Sniper 3. Later in the decade, a decision was made to start the franchise again, this time focusing on the son of the original sniper, Tom Berenger. He was to be played by Chad Michael Collins – who was to appear in all the later Sniper action films, from 2008 to 2022 and on. Tom Berenger appeared in a number of these, in retirement and under threat and his son helping to save him, he is still in action and in control of the mission in Colombia. Billy Zane also appeared in several of the films, sometimes in action as a Sniper, then later as a Washington official.

This film is set in Colombia, the suicide of a fellow soldier, the effect on Brandon Beckett, Billy Zane as commander sending him to Colombia where his father is in charge. The local aim is to capture one of the drug lords. However, the drug lord has employed a Sniper, very accurate, who kills one of the government soldiers during a botched assignment. In charge, locally, is a young woman, played by Danay Garcia.

The background shows sequences of the drug lord, playing billiards, dominating his henchman, but eventually caught and transferred to Miami. There is also the background of the sniper, his skills, his contacts, seeing him in action.

The culmination of the film is in Miami, the transfer of the drug lord to prison, the setting up of a decoy, shooting by the sniper, and Brandon Beckett shooting him – and, the revelation that there was a traitor with mixed patriotic motives, in contact with the drug lord. At the end, Tom Berenger’s character retires to go fishing – which is where he appears in a later episode.

The film was directed by Claudio Fah who directed one of the earlier Sniper films with Chad Michael Collins.

1. The popularity of the Sniper franchise, the original film in the nineties, continuing to the 2000s, and continuing even into the 2020s.
2. Production, the cast and re-appearances, the range of directors and repetition? Locations, scenic aspects as background to the plots, local atmosphere, the musical score?
3. The title, the mission in Colombia, collaboration with the Colombian authorities, the drug lord, the sniper?
4. The opening, the suicide, the pressure on military, on the snipers? Brandon, at the funeral, the encounter with his boss, the conversation, commanding him to Colombia? And his father in charge of the operation?
5. The authorities in Colombia, the group, the American presence, DEA, Brandon, driven from the airport, meeting the group, the local members, Kate, strong character, making her presence felt, the search for the drug lord?
6. The strategies, the urgency, the mission, the ambush, the hut exploding, the office of being killed? Kate’s reaction?
7. The Sniper, the drug dealer in the bath with his mistress, shot in the bath, the accuracy of the sniper, his bullets, the curves, the introduction to the sniper personally, with the woman, with his associates, the setup and the killing of the officer in the ambush? His scouting out the headquarters, the mission, confronting Brandon, the capture of the drug lord?
8. The drug lord, arrogance, playing billiards, threatening his henchmen, the information, coming out of the building, his capture? Imprisoned? Transfer to Miami?
9. The drama in Miami, the transfer of the drug lord, the decoy, the two snipers, the shooting of the van, its being steered automatically, the drug lord in the car, Brandon knowing where the sniper was, returning fire, his death?
10. The achievement, the authority from Washington, Beckett and his command, retiring, reconciliation with his son, Kate and Brandon? And the unmasking of the official and his fall splat reasons for being in contact with the drug lord?