Shooter

"Shooter" had a ton of potential, and delivered on much of it.
I will confess to having read a few of the novels, "Hot Springs" and "Havanna" and "Pale Horse Coming". "Pale Horse Coming" always struck me as terrific material for a movie...I have not read "Point of Impact". The novels I have read are about Bobby Lee's father, Earl.
The movie opens well, real well. Terrific camera, big sound, the whole 9. Continues for a bit, builds momentum again and takes off..to never look back. This is fantastic for the next hour, until we get to the last act which, of course, involves a half naked hot hostage and the inevitable exchange.
I had had a terrific time until then. Like an old Bronson film, or an Eastwood. Oh Well.
The politics are in line and right off the front page. We all know about Blackwater? We all agree a privatized army without oversight can only happen in the most paranoid of films and the United States. This army is deployed not just in Iraq, but at least 9 other countries. What do we have to worry about though, the government has only lies to us(and our allies)to protect our interests.
I sure wish the gifted director Antoine Fuqua had found a way around the cliches to drive these points home. There are valid, thoughtful ideas presented in this film that get lost amid the pyrotechnics.
Recommended, with those caveats.