I do love when film anniversaries are met with Steelbook releases to celebrate them – and it’s even better when those films receive a 4K upgrade on top of it. That’s the case with 2007’s Shooter, starring Mark Wahlberg, which not only gets the 4K bump, but does so in style with a simple, yet striking Steelbook to showcase it in.
On the front we’ve got Wahlberg as Bob Lee Swagger, his sniper rifle in-hand and ready for action. It’s a great shot choice, as it showcases Swagger as a man on a mission. The image matches the grey case, with Swagger being a mix of darker greys in order to stand out. There are fiery embers layered behind his character, which is another top notch choice to highlight the anger within him, as well as the action that’s to be found within the film itself. The film’s title lays vertically alongside the spine of the Steelbook, with Wahlberg’s name above it.
On the back of the film we’ve got the perfect quote choice, “I didn’t start it, but I mean to see it through.” It captures the vengeance that Swagger wants to dish out after being wronged, and it matches wonderfully with the determined/angry look of the character on the front of the Steelbook. Here we also have embers flying around within the lettering.
On the inside it has been kept simple, with a darker panel that simply has embers flying around on both sides of the Steelbook. It’s hard to say if an interior shot of Swagger looking through the scope of his rifle or a larger action scene going across both panels would’ve worked as well, but I kind of like the continuity of the embers throughout the entirety of the Steelbook.
The overall vibe of this Steelbook is that Swagger is a badass, and he’s looking to dole out some justice via his trusty sniper rifle – and that’s exactly what the movie is. The Steelbook sells that with its simplicity, and keeps the focus on Swagger, where it should be.
Antoine Fuqua is a director that really knows how to capture action sequences in a realistic, gritty way, while still giving them a big budget feel. In 2007 he brought the big-screen adaptation of Stephen Hunter’s book “Point of Impact” to the big screen in the form of Shooter. The film stars Mark Wahlberg as Bob Lee Swagger, a former Marine Gunnery Sergeant and sniper who was left to die behind enemy lines during a mission. His spotter and friend Donnie (Lane Garrison) was with him and died, and we jump forward three years later and Swagger is living in isolation up in the mountains of Wyoming.
The idea for this movie is a lot of fun, as Swagger is coerced into returning to the job in order to help stop the assassination of the President of the United States, only to realize too late that he was actually set up to be the fall guy. From there it’s that almost always fun storyline of a man looking to clear his name via taking down all those who have done him wrong. When you add on Fuqua’s violently fun, head-popping visuals for when Swagger hits his targets through his scope and you’ve got a recipe for a great time.
The conspiracy angle is solid, and well-handled to help keep the film grounded in reality. Even more so, Swagger is an expert marksman and goes above and beyond to get the job done, but he’s also human. So early on when he gets shot a couple of times, Wahlberg plays it up incredibly, making the possibility of Swagger bleeding out from his wounds before even getting started seem like something that could happen – even though we as the viewers know that will never happen. It’s a truly captivating opening hour before the film begins to slow down to let Swagger catch his breath.
No conspiracy is complete without someone pulling the strings that’s worthy of being taken down by the hero, and Danny Glover plays that smug character to perfection in Colonel Isaac Johnson. His henchman is also wonderfully cast, as Elias Koteas can be someone you want to hug or someone you want to punch in the face depending on how he plays the role – and here he’s the latter. Swagger isn’t alone in his quest for justice, as rookie FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Peña) believes that something is off with the evidence that points at Swagger as the shooter and aims to find out the truth, even if it costs him his job. Rounding out the main supporting cast is Kate Mara, who plays Donnie’s widow Sarah, who is the only person Swagger can trust once he becomes the most wanted man in America.
Shooter isn’t a film that will resonate with you in the days after you watch it, nor does it break any new ground in the action genre; but what it does do is entertain at a high level for the two-hours it runs for, and there’s nothing wrong with that. Fuqua delivers on the explosive action front, with some spectacular head-popping violence – and also some wicked silent snipes – along the way, and Wahlberg really nails the lone-man-out-for-justice role, while also not coming off as indestructible. If you’ve yet to see Shooter, or are a fan from way back and are looking to own the best visual representation out there, then I recommend you put this 4K release in your crosshairs and pull the trigger.
4K Blu-ray Video and Audio Review
For those who own the Blu-ray from years ago, now is the time to upgrade, as Paramount has nailed their 4K upgrades once again with Shooter. They deliver a fantastic 2160p/Doby Vision picture that shines from the opening credits forward. The clarity and colour boost is apparent at all times, as the picture just looks clean and sharp throughout. There are a few scenes that take place in the middle of the night, and the blacks look rich and deep, and never muddy or cloudy. The action sequences during the day are showcased wonderfully, and the natural landscapes that range from the city, to the woods, all the way to a glacier all pop spectacularly in their own visual way.
The audio is equally impressive, with a Dolby Atmos delivery system. The DTS-HD Master Audio 5.1 lossless soundscape is truly impressive, with loads happening almost always. The snipes taken within the film have extra impact thanks to the great sound work, and the action sequences are all elevated by the intense sound effects and score blazing throughout them. The dialogue is also clean and balanced nicely with the score and effects, and overall with the picture this is just a top tier visual and audio package for fans to enjoy.
Special Features:
The special features are the same as the previous Blu-ray release; though for some reason the Director’s Commentary track has unfortunately been left off. What we do have is as follows:
Survival of the Fittest: The Making of Shooter – This is the big feature on the disc coming in at just under 22 minutes in length, and it’s full of some great stuff. We hear the usual stuff from the cast and crew, but the really fun stuff comes from the film’s Military Technical Advisor Patrick Garrity, who goes into more detail about snipers, particularly shooting from great distances and what impact (literally) that has on the bullet when it hits the target. Some truly interesting stuff to find out that as much as we love the pop of blood flying out from a headshot in a movie like this, the real life scenario would play out in a much more gruesome fashion!
Independence Hall – This featurette is just over 7-minutes and begins with Garrity scoping out spots much like Swagger does in the film, and then we’re taken on a tour of the Hall and get to learn about all the historical artifacts and facts found within it.
Deleted Scenes – There are a handful of deleted scenes for those who like them. Nothing here would’ve added much to the film outside of slowing down the pacing.
Theatrical trailer.
Paramount Pictures Presents Shooter Limited-EditionSteelbook. Directed by: Antoine Fuqua. Written by: Jonathan Lemkin. Based off the novel by: Stephen Hunter. Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Danny Glover, Michael Peña, Kate Mara, Elias Koteas, Rhona Mitra, Rade Serbedzija. Running time: 124 minutes. Rating: 14A. Limited-Edition Steelbook Blu-ray Released: March 15, 2022.
