A top Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger, leaves the military after a mission goes horribly awry and disappears, living in seclusion. He is coaxed back into service after a high-profile government official convinces him to help thwart a plot to kill the President of the United States. Ultimately double-crossed and framed for the attempt, Swagger becomes the target of a nationwide manhunt. He goes on the run to track the real killer and find out who exactly set him up, and why, eventually seeking revenge against some of the most powerful and corrupt leaders in the free world.
Ah, so that's what happened. Kinda.
"I'm a patsy!"
The last words of an accused presidential assassin, himself killed - on live TV no less. Ah, the 60s, when America appeared at once to be both starting to "get it" and also coming apart at the seams.
Lee Harvey Oswald was introduced to the world as a lone sharp shooter who felled a president. But, very early in the aftermath, there were doubts and details that, in total, just didn't seem to add up. Accordingly, theories proliferated questioning the veracity of that official position in light of evidence and the interpretations thereof. If the official story is not what happened, is there a plausible scenario that would more reasonably account for all those details, moving us closer to the truth of what may otherwise have actually happened?
And thus, we have Shooter.
No, it is no attempt to flesh out, to the last inch, everything that is or may have been about Oswald. It's a story that has parallels - and even a non-casual mention of/reference to the Kennedy assassination to help us watching at home realize what we were actually watching - a plausible scenario.
All around solid action-thriller with Mark Wahlberg in his element. Luis Guzman served as a fun sidekick and Kate Mara is a stunner. Shame this didn't do better at the box office, would've liked to have a sequel instead of that USA Network TV show... **3.75/5**