The SNIPER movies have gone up and down as far as quality
goes. The original film released in 1993 was a solid piece that offered more
depth of story involving a professional sniper matched with an office type sent
out to take down a rebel leader in Panama. The action was there but the
interplay between the characters lifted this out of direct to DVD status.
Subsequent films haven’t matched the first one but this one comes close.
Jesus Morales, a Colombian drug lord, is employing a
professional sniper known as El Diablo to take out his competition. In doing so
he will then control not just the drug trade but all smuggling operations
coming out of South America.
The DEA is concerned about his efforts and feels that the
best thing to do is take him down before he can achieve his goal. The problem
is he moves from location to location, never in the same place twice in as many
days. And once they do find him they need to not only take him down but make
sure that El Diablo doesn’t take them out at the same time.
To aid in this mission Washington liaison Richard Miller
(Billy Zane recreating his role from the first film) recruits Brandon Beckett
(Chad Michael Collins), perhaps the best sniper the U.S. has. Arriving in
Colombia Brandon is whisked off to the task force’s headquarters where he
learns the man on the ground running things is Thomas Beckett (Tom Berenger
also recreating his role from the first film), his father. The two are glad to
see one another and the plan is explained led by DEA agent Kate Estrada (Danay
Garcia).
Word has reached the task force of Morales possible location
and they launch a team to take him prisoner on a remote farm. The problem is
that the location was a trap to take out the task force as the building there
blows sky high. This is followed by the efforts of El Diablo to take out the
rest of the team from a distant sniper location. Only the skills of Brandon on
hand with the team saves those few who remain unscathed. Reviewing the remains
of the attack the team discovers that El Diablo is using new technology, a
smart bullet that tracks its intended victim.
Another attack on the team leaves them realizing that there
is a mole in their midst providing information to Morales. Unwilling to sit
back and wait to be taken out, Brandon and Kate take to hiding on their own and
looking for information. No longer completely plugged in to the system their
odds of survival increase. If only El Diablo can be neutralized and Morales
taken down.
The movie is a solid B-film when it comes to major releases
and yet it doesn’t come off that way in execution. The acting is better than
most films released this way to begin with. The story seems more plausible than
most and holds your interest from start to finish. Seeing Berenger and Zane
together again is also an added plus to this one.
As to why the film had bad timing it was released far too
close to the sniper shootings in Las Vegas. Odds are good that most people
weren’t interested in watching a movie about such a tender subject at the time.
I know it pushed my review back a few weeks due to a sense of respect for those
victims. The amount of gore in the film from the killings of El Diablo also
helped with that decision.
But if you’ve enjoyed the other films in the series you’ll
enjoy this one as well. It offers plenty of action combined with story and
above par acting that will keep you watching till the end credits roll. While
watching I kept thinking that the way the story is told reminded me of more
than one Jack Reacher or Mitch Rapp book that I’ve read in the past. Consider
that a plus for this outing.
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