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Not really widescreen

One star just because the manufacturer can't get the facts right.

I like this movie and wanted the widescreen version. After reading other reviews, I carefully checked the Amazon description. Yep, it said "widescreen." So I ordered it.

When it arrived, I checked the package before opening it. Yep. It said "widescreen," right there on the box.

When I played the movie, I saw that dreadful message telling me that the movie was "modified to fit my screen." It was a pan-and-scan full-screen version. I even took out the DVD to make sure I wasn't playing the wrong side of a two-sided disc. Nope. It had only one playable side.

I returned it to Amazon.

Stop talking about what Sniper ISN'T! It IS a good movie!

First of all, I'm tired of reading reviews where people talk about "it's horrible as an action movie" or "it tries to be an action movie." People, it's NOT supposed to be a pure action movie. If you want action, go watch Arnold sometime. SNIPER does have some action moments, but it is very good as a psychological drama. Many of us don't really like Billy Zane, but does that make the movie bad? Come on! He does very well at portraying the nervous, inexperienced officer who suddenly gets thrown into harms way. True, he is an Olympic champion shooter, but he's not a killer. Tom Berenger is equally excellent as a man near the edge, perfect for the duties of a sniper. My father was a Marine, so I can identify with the military element in the movie.I don't think the producers necessarily intended on trying to make this a Best Picture, but I feel they certainly succeeded in making a movie that gives insight into just how a sniper FEELS. We get a glimpse into the psyche of each man, his fears and weaknesses, and eventually, we see each of them turn a corner that they'd previously never faced. It's only a 2 hour movie, how much character development do you want to see, while still getting to see those slow motion bullets going through scopes and into their target's eyes?I think the problem with a lot of "critics" is that they look for too many things in a movie that probably weren't intended to be there. Don't read into it so much, it's a movie!!! If movies were meant to show us every angle, every facet of a personality, every important moment in a plot, we'd be sitting in theaters for days at a time. A lot of the plot line and character development are left to inference on the part of the audience. I love a movie that allows the audience to make their own intelligent decisions about what something means, or what happened when the camera angle changed suddenly. Movies that are spoon-fed to the movie-goers are a waste of time, and that's one reason why the world is getting so dumb/stupid. Learn to think for yourself!SNIPER does a great job of allowing us a GLIMPSE (hence only 2 hours) into the world of the sniper, and just one of the ways that they can end up victorious. 4 1/2 out of 5 stars from me (and if you care, I've seen over 2,500 movies, and consider myself a very well rounded movie critic).

One Shot, One Kill, One Awsome Movie

This movie is awsome.Tom Berenger is a great sniper who takes a rookie(Billy Zane) sniper to kill a drug lord. The end is great I LOVE THIS MOVIE!

It has its moments

Sitting at home on a work-night, there is nothing to do and you're bored. Youflip on HBO and Sniper is coming on. Watch it. I'm not saying it's a movie that you have to try hard to see and definitely not rent. It has its moments. Pop open your beer or favorite beverage and relax. The movie starts off enticingly. Its plot developments, although, lack follow-up. I realize that Beckett (Tom Berenger) is a closed mouth, hard nose, kill-and take-dog-tags-later kind of guy; but instead of having him show his softer side daydreaming about Montana, let's hear about DeSilva and the training. The movie was better than a five by a nose - I give it a six. If character and plot development was better planned who knows how great this movie could have been.

Disappointingly dull.

I expected a much more livlier,original action pic than this.The wooden actor that is Tom Berenger only hampered things further with his tired machismo,hardened killer guy and Titanic's Billy Zane was just...........lame!Shame.**

The best sniper movie ever...

Your Editorial Review calls it "silly action movie". Oh, yeah? Well, you missed by a mile. Your Editor wouldn't hit a barn from six feet away with that kind of aim.

This is a very seriously done film and its attention to detail is fascinating. It mesmerized me from the beginning and I have seen it over and over.

Just buy it and enjoy it. And, if you're a softie, hold on to your Mom's hand while you watch it.

Shoot to kill

Despite some negative comments this film has garnered in the IMDb pages, it's still worth a look as this is a story about survival and camaraderie between two different men with different mentalities while in a difficult mission in the Panamanian jungle.Peruvian director Luis Llosa takes us along to watch this thriller set in Panama. The film has some good moments as Beckett, the veteran marine, takes a newly arrived man, recently sent to try to eliminate a notorious drug cartel head and the corrupt army general who might be the next president of the country. The only problem, Miller, has no experience in what he has been entrusted to achieve.Miller, the arrogant newly arrived man to the jungle and to the guerrilla warfare between the military and drug lords against the infiltrated American intelligence men, learns a valuable lesson from Beckett. What looks good in theory, is irrelevant in the jungle.Tom Berenger, is an actor who doesn't register much, as he proves in this movie, but in the context of the movie, he is right as a man of a few words. Billy Zane playing Miller does what he can with a role that doesn't afford him any glory until the crucial end.For lovers of action film, "Sniper" offers an 112 minutes of action that with a bit of trimming would have made a more satisfying movie.

A buddy sniper movie!

I saw this already about 4 year ago, and liked it a lot better back then. It's still quite an entertaining watch though, cause snipers are cool (and you know it!). The acting is lame however, Zane is terrible and Berenger doesn't do a lot better. It's like a buddy-sniper movie in the jungle. People die, there's a dispute between the snipers, the old trainee suddenly shows up, they talk about the emotions of killing and how it changes you. O yeah there's also some sniper action, not on a realistic level compared to other movies, but it's OK. It's really the kind of action movie you really love as a kid and later on still like, not because it's good, but because it makes you feel nostalgic.

This movie is the best

This movie kicks butt. There is no better movie made yet, that shows how SNIPERS react in different situations. The SFX kicked butt, and the location was awesome. Tom Berenger, made the best Marine in this movie. His feelings for any outside world events were awesome, he kept his mind on his job, and even in the event of a compromised situation he kept on going. Billy Zane was all right as a sniper. If he would have kept his mind on his buisiness though, Berenger's character might have kept his finger. Over all GREAT MOVIE. I loved the gilly suit!

The sniper hesitates until the final bullet strikes!

The beautiful jungles of Panama become a war zone and two U.S. Marines in camouflage fight for their liberty and freedom. Does that sound new? It won't be for every one of us who has seen Hollywood soldiers die for their directors in the movies! A surprising lack of flowing activity calls for some well done (and cheesy) camera shots of enemy targets. The action runs extremely thick like molasses, and out comes a terrible amount of annoying hesitation. This builds up every bit of maddening tension in your body. Try asking yourself: "When are you gonna shoot the bastard?". With the help of Tom Berenger and Billy Zane, they both make up the film for their rough interactions between each other. Apparently, the sniper Zane should have stayed on Marine training grounds before deciding to go out to Panama doing nothing. SNIPER crosses over enemy lines, getting shot in the arm twice and its leg all swollen up. Before you enlist, join the scums who feel the same way I do!

Sniper

It was the DVD that I was looking for but I wanted it in widescreen. While the version that I received stated "widescreen" on the package, the DVD was actually fullscreen.

I was disappointed and returned the item. I would still like to obtain this item in widescreen as it will complete my collection of the subsequent two films on this character.

IF YOU WANT - SEE IT !!!

This is the best movie I`ve ever seen !!! Thomas Beckett & Richard Miller -two mankinds who want to survive in the "jungle" of violence and madnes, one shot - one killed !!? You must kill, if you getting doubt about something, YOU MUST SURVIVE !!P.P.- I appologise of my bad / worst/ English !!!

ok

Not much to say on this one. A plot you can pretty much peg, in the first 10 minutes. Nothing overly wrong with this film, very little action for an action film. There was a chance to explore the characters emotions occasionally. Whether an action film is the right genre to do that with, I'm still undecided. Sniper was one of the easiest films to watch without giving full attention to, as it had little twists and a straightforward plot. I was probably guilty of that, so with a second watch or with undivided attention it may be better.4/10 (but the best of my 4 out of 10's)

A Psychological Drama, NOT an Action Movie

Some guys think that sniper is not good because of the action part of it was not good enough. Well, if you regard it as an action movie, this view point could be quite true as the action part of this movive is not actually exciting. However, I think this is a psychological drama rather than an action one.The movie mainly told us about the inside of two snipers who definitely had different personalities and different experiences. Tomas Beccket , who was a veteran and had 74 confirmed kills, looked as if he was cold-hearted. However, after Beccket showed his day dream of Montana, we can clearly see his softness inside. It was the cruel war and his partners' sacrifice that made Beccket become so called cold-hearted.Millar, on the contrary, was a new comer, a green hand, and was even not qualified as a sniper. Billy Zane did quite well to show millar's hesitation and fear when he first tried to "put a bullet through one's heart"(as what Beccket said). What he thought about the actuall suicide mission was that it could be easily accomplished and then he could safely get back and receive the award.These two guys were quite different in their personalities and I think that the movie had successfully showed the difference and the impact they had to each other due to the difference in their personalities. These two snipers quarreled, suspected each other and finally come to an understanding by the communication and by what they had done to help even to save the other.Sniper isn't a good action movie but a good psychological one.

There is the germ of a good movie in here, I'm sure of it.

Despite its interesting premise, 'Sniper' is quite tedious. With a tighter script and sharper directing it could have been electrifying; instead it plods along with little tension.

this kicks

this is one of the best movies that i have ever seen.

i watch it all the time

it kicks

Underrated movie - small budget but still interesting.

I liked this movie for no other reason than the fact that it is small budget but still is effective in discussing the profession of a sniper. The movie has many rough edges as far as acting, accuracy and story line go, but it does convey the essence of being a sniper. For a small production, this movie is quite watchable.

One of the best movies I have ever seen.

When I saw it for the first time I was really impressed.The director made such a mysterious atmosphere, especially in the end. Through all the story spectators can expect that Richard will really kill Thomas or he will do it first.But..the main point was not conflict but..FRIENDSHIP!Older and mature one prayed himself to save the younger who has the whole life to life.It is amazing. Every time I watch it I enjoy!Of course it is pretty violent like every action movie but I think it is acceptable. Thanks a lot Louis Liosa and Tom Berenger! Amazing film!I advice everyone to see it.I am sure people wont regret and will really have a good time.

Sniper

If you like military movies, this is worth watching. Makes you want to become a scout sniper! One Shot, One Kill!

One Shot, One Kill

Sniper

I enjoyed watching Tom Berenger in Sniper. I went through the Jungle Warfare School (JWS) in Panama in 1969 and the movie depicted the jungle fairly well. The Indios did follow us around all the time. The only possible error I noticed was the recticle for the scope. I never saw a red dot scope, only a mil spec, cross hair scope on a sniper rifle. The cross hairs were typically gradated in mils for purposes of adjusting for range and any cross winds that were present. All-in-all a surprisingly accurate movie for Hollywood.

Highly recommended for fans of the action adventure, military movie genre,

Gunner November 2007