Key Takeaways:
– ‘Sniper’ is a prominent film featuring Tom Berenger who plays the role of a legendary sniper, Thomas Beckett.
– Billy Zane, playing Richard Miller, turns from a potential villain to the film’s hero, providing a unique twist.
– Despite its humble beginnings and modest success, ‘Sniper’ spawned a popular series of direct-to-video sequels.
– The character of Thomas Beckett resurfaced in later ‘Sniper’ sequels, reviving Berenger’s leading man status.
– The ‘Sniper’ series continues to enjoy success, even inspiring imitation from other films.
Released in 1993, ‘Sniper’ was one of the most understated, yet captivating action-filled dramas the 90s ever offered. Real action fans will remember the grit and intensity offered by this film. It starred the remarkable Tom Berenger, best-known for his appearances in ‘Platoon,’ ‘Shoot to Kill,’ and ‘The Substitute.’ Despite the potential to be an action star like Liam Neeson or Gerard Butler, Berenger’s fame was confined to the times, a time when larger-than-life heroes dominated the screen.
Diving Into the Plot
‘Sniper’ captures the life of Master Gunnery Sergeant Thomas Beckett, creatively portrayed by Berenger. Beckett has a reputation as a legendary sniper with numerous confirmed eliminations. His mission is wrapped around the war on drugs, with personal vendettas brewing against two former allies-turned-rogues: The Surgeon, a former CIA officer now allied with Columbian drug lords, and DeSilva, a rebel sniper who was previously Beckett’s student.
The surprise element in the film is the civilian character, Richard Miller, played by Billy Zane. Initially introduced to ensure the mission goes according to plan, Miller’s character flips from potential liability to becoming the film’s hero, despite some troubling moments.
The movie doesn’t dilly-dally to jump into the thrills. The violence was intense, the characters engaging, and the acting beyond reproach.
Unanticipated Career Shifts
The release of ‘Sniper’ happened at an interesting time for Berenger. While he had ended the 80s on a high note with the success of ‘Platoon’ and ‘Major League,’ the early 90s were a contrary story. Films like ‘Shattered’ were a box office letdown, and his roles in international films barely garnered attention in the U.S.
Director Luis Llosa took a significant gamble on ‘Sniper.’ His career had largely been centered on low-budget movies. However, despite this and the film’s limited budget, ‘Sniper’ proved successful. This success also served as the foundation for Llosa’s Hollywood career, paving the way for him to direct big-budget films like ‘The Specialist,’ starring Sylvester Stallone and Sharon Stone.
How ‘Sniper’ Turned Into a Movie Series
‘Sniper’s’ moderate success worked to its advantage, particularly during the DVD boom of the early 2000s. This led to the conception of direct-to-video action movies, a space that became popular with other renowned action stars like Steven Seagal, Wesley Snipes, and Jean-Claude Van Damme. Columbia seized the opportunity and released ‘Sniper 2,’ reeling in Berenger once again after the first film’s home video success.
The “Never-Saw” Superstar Movie Series
Though ‘Sniper’ was never considered anything more than a decent success at the cinema or in the rental market, it gave birth to no less than nine sequels, creating a straight-to-DVD franchise still going strong today. Regardless of originally being an overlooked action film of the 90s, it’s a testament to its perseverance and appeal that the franchise has continued to gain attention almost 30 years later. So, if you are a fan of action-packed war movies, ‘Sniper’ could be an unexpected treasure.
