Shooter (1988) Reviews

• Great movie you will never see.

  jt_3d2010-10-22

  Back in the day, when cable boxes had knobs on them that needed tweaked, there was a movie on that I wanted to watch. It was a Vietnam War movie called 'Shooter'. I never intended to keep it. I just wanted to watch it. So I popped in a tape and went to work. Unfortunately the cable box wasn't quite tuned in. Thus for 20 years, the only copy I've had of this very entertaining movie is a very grainy copy from NBC's Sunday Night at the Movies. At least the box's volume knob wasn't turned down too far. Shooter is a made for TV movie about a news service combat photographer named Matt in Vietnam, attached, through the bond of war and friendship, to the guys in B Company. Also in the bureau is a motley crew of other photographers. Stork, Matt's roommate, who is certain he's going to die. Rene, a Frenchman who is more warrior than correspondent. Klaus, who is using his job to pilfer ancient Vietnamese artifacts. In addition there is the chief, Rizzo, providing a bit of comic relief. A hot Vietnamese woman, Lan, who speaks perfect English and went to school at Berkley but 'didn't need to go to school to learn to be a woman' (yummy) and the lovable but unappreciated film processor, Ngoc. Cat, the one woman photographer in the bureau, is really lost in the mix but looks very cute in field gear. And the lovely Helen Hunt as Tracey, one of Matt's old girl friends. Also Garth Andrews, a reporter out to make a name for himself and his crew who want to kill him, not undeservedly. Borrowing a page from Good Morning, Vietnam, there is also a lovable street urchin who is actually a VC. A well thought out cast, some great acting and an interesting story of one man's quest to get an historical picture makes this movie pretty good entertainment. Well, the plot is kind of thin but it is a well written movie and worth watching, if you can ever find it. Actually you could say there are three plots. The Matt vs. girls dilemma plot. The Grunwald plot where Matt takes pictures and labels them for Grunwald and gives Grunwald's money to the local orphanage. And the borrowed bomber plot. At any rate, I'd love to see it on DVD but I doubt that will ever happen. By the way, having old tapes around is like a time capsule to the past. This one is a reminder of a time when prime time network TV actually went 20 minutes before the first commercial. And there's a Dukakis/Bentsen commercial. Also cars were really inexpensive back then. Ah, if only I had a time machine, I'd never leave the 80s. Sorry for the length and sidetracks. I should never write a review while watching the movie.

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