In the DVD extras for the movie Shooter, Mark Wahlberg says he took the part because it was all about the character. Pardon my skepticism, but I think he took the part so he could go to sniper school. And if that’s the case, I don’t blame him one bit – I sure would do the same! This is one of those movies where you envy the actors for all the fun training they must have been able to get (watch the DVD extras to get a feel for this).

This is a cool, escapist action movie with footage of numerous beautiful and spectacular locations. I was not much impressed with the character development; personally, I think the movie is aimed at your inner 12-year-old. The characters are more than cardboard, just enough so to make the movie enjoyable.

There were a few places where my suspension of disbelief was jarred, mainly when the various black-hats confessed verbosely and grandiosely to our hero. I find it hard to believe that villains really ever do that. They just kill you, never mind any boastful confessions; everyone knows you might be carrying a recording device.

Vigilantism is not a very sophisticated moral perspective (again, an indication that this is for the 12-year old in all of us), although it sure does feel good to watch the bad guys get their payback. Of course, in reality, the bad guys so rarely have a bulls-eye painted on their foreheads – which is why this movie can’t be taken seriously as anything more than escapist fiction.