Where to watch Sniper
3 Stars
Tough guy Thomas Beckett is a US Marine working in the Panamanian jungle. His job is to seek out rebels and remove them using his sniper skills. Beckett is notorious for losing his partners on such missions. This time he’s accompanied by crack marksman Richard Miller, who’s more of an office-type. Together they plan to seek out an important rebel leader, whilst avoiding a rogue marksman who frequents this part of the jungle.
Sniper was a big hit with my 14-year-old peers when it first came out back in 1993. Surprisingly, it would be over 10 years before a sequel would emerge. None of the follow-ups were able to recapture the magic and beauty of the original film, Sniper. The sparking photography by Bill Butler is just one of the assets that set Sniper apart from its own sequels and the knock-offs that followed in its wake. Tom Berenger, an actor whose presence on screen demands our attention, and Billy Zane, who dials down his quirky acting ticks, both deliver compelling performances while forming a winning chemistry with one another.
At 97 minutes in length, Sniper is a lean and effective action thriller. The real-life complexity of the American military’s involvement in South America’s politics is overlooked by the film’s writers. While that makes the film’s point of view fuzzy, it also keeps the attention on the two central characters. The script is knowledgeable about triggermen, their rituals, and their habits. Sniper is a well-executed action picture with stunning locations and two fine actors at its core.
Directed by: Luis Llosa
Written by: Michael Frost Beckner, Crash Leyland
Starring: Tom Berenger, Billy Zane, J.T. Walsh