Sniper

1993
R
1h 38m

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

26K

YOUR RATING

Home Video Trailer from Columbia Tristar

Play trailer0:31

1 Video

45 Photos

Action Thriller War

A veteran US Marine sniper is partnered with a rookie sniper as his spotter to take out a politician and a rebel leader in the jungles of Panama.A veteran US Marine sniper is partnered with a rookie sniper as his spotter to take out a politician and a rebel leader in the jungles of Panama.A veteran US Marine sniper is partnered with a rookie sniper as his spotter to take out a politician and a rebel leader in the jungles of Panama.

Director
- Luis Llosa
Writers
- Michael Frost Beckner
- Crash Leyland
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

IMDb RATING

6.1/10

26K

YOUR RATING

Director
- Luis Llosa
Writers
- Michael Frost Beckner
- Crash Leyland
Stars

See production info at IMDbPro

Trivia
This film (along with several others) is somewhat based on the story of US Marine Corps sniper Carlos Hathcock, who took out a Viet Cong sniper who was stalking him by firing a round through the man's scope, sending the bullet into his brain. The story has been labeled a "myth" by some, but the incident was observed by Hathcock's spotter, John Roland Burke, who surveyed the scene after the kill. Given the flight time of rounds at long ranges, both snipers could easily have killed one another. The enemy rifle was recovered and the incident is documented by a photograph. After an investigation, the Marine Corps confirmed the incident and registered the kill to Hathcock.

Goofs
When Beckett is using the sleeping Miller as bait, the knife that is seen bobbing in the water is different than the one Beckett later removes. The one that distracts the enemy sniper is a cheap "survival" knife, while the one Beckett is seen untying is a Marine Corps fighting knife, or "Ka-Bar".

Quotes
Thomas Beckett: One Shot. One Kill. No Exceptions.

Alternate versions
German rental video was cut for violence by ca. 75 sec. to secure a "Not under 18" rating. The retail video/DVD was cut by more than ten minutes to get a "Not under 16" rating. EuroVideo 2007 DVD release is uncut.

Connections
Edited into Dominion (1995)

Soundtracks
Medicine Man
Written and Performed by Henry Lee Summer
Courtesy of Epic Associated Records
By Arrangement with Sony Music Licensing

User reviews80

Review

Featured review

6/10

"After the Rush..."

A jungle setting is the backdrop here as the "Heroes", one a lifer snipe with 300 confirmed kills and the other is a rookie with a fetish for bulls eye targets and not filthy foreign flesh. This, of course, sets off a chain reaction of a love-hate relationship in the middle of a deadly assassination assault.

Both characters have moments of believability with Tom Berenger almost always assuring, but is haunted by his key-chain mementos of fallen fellow soldiers. Billy Zane is convincing as a whiny, reluctant participant that enters into a "Baptism of Fire" and becomes a convert.

This is a somewhat inconsistent and incoherent insight into the mind and soul of the Military's role in global affairs and the personnel it trains and positions in ambiguous assignments where the motivations of the soldiers are "ours is not to wonder why...".

Political and moral considerations aside, this can be enjoyed by the action and military fans that want their fiction to rely on psychology as much as patriotism. It is an engaging outing, if dense and heavy handed at times.