ticket . check . popcorn . check . soda . check . brain at home . check . shoot em up may look like an insane movie full of action and lack of remorse towards the squeamishthat pretty much because it be a movie full of action and lack of remorse towards the squeamish . this gritty fast pace gun show from the get go start fire action on all cylinder and and will not give you a moment to hesitate until the credit start roll . resemble more like desperado rather than a frank miller graphic novel ( marketing be gear in that direction ) and shoot em up be one of the most insane flick in recent year . it would have be the crazy movie of the year if it have not be for the fact that tarantino and rodriguez join their unique talent to craft their underrated masterpiece grindhouse . you be watch this movie for action and no other reason while shoot em up delivers exactly that . the movie start off with an obviously disgruntled man sit by himself in a tough part of town . a pregnant woman be run for her life from a hit man who have only one intention and it be not to get her number . five minute and a crazy gun battle later and this lonely man ( mr. smith and play by clive owen ) be protect a baby that be the target of a group of ruthless assassin head by the deranged and merciless hertz ( paul giamatti ) . while plot be never a heavy issue with mindless action movie and this one throw a bit of cruel irony by throw in a bit of gun control and political commentary . to add to that it a bit of a satire . so and in other word and shoot em up be a satirical mindless comic book like action movie with a heavy dosage of social commentary . it a real doozy just think about it . while the trend of deliver over the top substance with every passing minute be reach it stride in adult action movie nowadays and they do not quite reach what shoot em up manage to reach . the difference be and the cast behind the film be totally aware of how ridiculously unbelievable shoot em up be . we have a child bear because of a bullet and we have a gun battle midair and and then they even manage to make carrot the most dangerous vegetable in the history of modern film making . to top it all off and a handgun be use a hand by a character become a gun . few movie use more bullet than this nail biter . however and it not a mind numbingly violent a recent over the top movie like grindhouse and kill bill and sin city and etc . clive owen have this bitterly heroic persona that resemble a bit like his character in sin city . while he may be the most dangerous man around and he not exactly the easy person to talk to . his dialogue be limit to grudge and clever ( but sometimes painful ) one liner . either way and there some sort of unique charisma that surround him and and it get the attention of the lead lady in the film ( the lovely donna play by monica bellucci ) the best performance by far be that of paul giamatti and who should definitely take more villain role . he play hertz with plenty of glee and energy and and creep you out and anger you just as much a the typical hollywood villain . it be all about the action and and the writer or director michael davis be full aware of this . his resume so far isn not exactly a glorious one and but he should be get some attention with this movie . davis do an excellent job keep the tension and suspense high and while keep the action not too close to the viewer and but not too far away either . he handle the special and visual effect very well and a the only sequence that require a lot of effect be direct and run through so quickly you do not have time to criticize and laugh at the effect ( especially after see transformer and at world end ) . the commentary might be a turn off to some and but it a quirky twist to the genre that usually fray from such blasphemous content . bottom line represent shut off your brain before enter this movie and and you will have one hell of a time . the main problem of shoot em up be that it have to follow after similar yet amazing powerhouse action flick like kill bill and sin city and and grindhouse . on the other hand and remove all comparison and this movie be worth the money and as long a you be full aware that this movie be not go to shoot for an academy award ( pun intend ) . decent performance and decent plot be all overshadow by the hyper frenzied amount of action and gun and and gritty sinister moment that you just do not see enough of in movie nowadays to preserve the profit earn pg 13 rating . hold no punch and shoot em up be an endless shower of bullet that cascade all over the screen and usually follow by body part and blood and and smile across the face of the audience . you know this film be go to be crazy yet delicious when you see a steamy sex scene and a violent shoot out at the exact same time .