Shoot 'Em Up Screening in Austin

I have to say, there aren't enough films like "Shoot 'Em Up" out there, any longer; films that not only earn a deservedly hard 'R' rating, but do so in such a gleefully immature way. The film exudes that kind of boyish need to bring about wanton destruction, the kind of inexplicable occurrence when a parent turns his eye on his boys only to see a once stately home reduced to rubble. That feeling, the rush of youthful, temporary insanity, that grants one freedom to break something, for the hell of it, is the essence of this film. In "Shoot 'Em Up," the audience is treated to a series of outrageous, over-the-top gun-battles as the ubiquitous, nameless hero does away with a multitude of evildoers in a gory splatter fest of violence that rivals Lichtenstein in terms of artistic merit. Recently, director Michael Davis brought his frenetic action masterpiece to the Alamo Drafthouse in Austin, Texas and screened his film to a packed house of fan boys who were struck witless and dumbfounded by what was projected on screen.

After a brief introduction, Davis treated the audience to a short animated sequence that "didn't make it into the film." The sequence depicted AICN's Harry Knowles as the Mr. Smith character in an action scene, which completely set the tone for the rest of the evening. Using flatus to propel an enemy into another, Harry's sequence was humorous in the way one still giggles at one's own rear-end expulsions. Davis wisely chose to indoctrinate his crowd with this small and often times crudely drawn short that exemplifies the nature of his work. "Shoot 'Em Up" literally is, the cinematic equivalent of farting bullets.

Surprisingly, Davis' aesthetic, appealed to a couple of A-list stars that previously, have not been seen in cinematic fare such as this. Clive Owen and Paul Giamatti surreptitiously performed in a film that many have only begun seeing previews for, in the past few weeks. Thankfully, for a film that bewilders viewers and surely, industry annalists, the noted thespians carry their respective performance with the aforementioned glee, which obviously was floating around the set like a contagion. From the onset, "Shoot 'Em Up" is bombastic, loud and hysterically unrepentant.

The fetishistic tone of the film, continually circles back toward its center, as though the sulfuric eruption of black powder and hot lead are its moral compass. Thankfully, the ludicrous plot exists only to help further the story and provide a series of nonsensical stepping-stones from one action scene to the next. Davis' script reads like a mishmash of James Bond one liners and junior high locker room talk. Multiplying that Bond meets pre-pubescent boys notion to the nth degree, the film adds Monica Bellucci, noted sexpot and all around celluloid based aphrodisiac. Her bizarre, Spanish like lisp, pouty lips and tight bodices make quite the counter-point to Owen's Popeye like penchant for using vegetables as power; trading spinach for carrots. They're good for the vision, you know.

Seeing this film with such an enthusiastic crowd makes me wish all my cinematic experiences could be this lively and respectable. The Drafthouse notably has the best crowds all the time, making me wonder why I ever go see another film anywhere else. It's raucous and crazy, to be sure, but everyone in attendance was there for the film. The Drafthouse's clientele comes to view the movie, not to hang out with a group of friends and exude mindless chatter, be the guy who yells the great one liner at the screen or answer a cell-phone during the climatic end. No, here, the audience treated Mr. Davis to a series of uproarious applause and moments of uncontrollable laughter. For the filmmaker, it must have been quite the boost to his apparently non-existent ego.

That ego was further boosted after the film, while the credits still rolled on the screen behind him, as Davis and Knowles gave a brief, but informative Q & A session. During which, Davis mused that Owen's casting is basically what led to him landing Bellucci, as she would have several opportunities to press lips and various other body parts up against his. Davis also admitted that the amazing soundtrack was introduced to him by one of his assistants as the last record he bought was a 'Partridge Family' album; the scorn to which he was treated, left him unable to purchase music since. Davis was friendly, open and completely willing to talk about a movie, which was obviously a labor of love, since the proclivities that inhabit the Mr. Smith character, come straight from Davis' own personality.

Sadly, Davis was conspicuously absent from the impromptu, furious, paintball exhibition going on in the alley adjacent to the theater. With the line going well back into the parking lot, it appeared folks in Austin either had a lot of pent up rage they wished to expel onto the Drafthouse's employees or watching a movie that fun just makes one eager for a little harmless gun-play. Either way, it was evident that some serious crack-shots were in attendance that evening as several contestants splattered not only the wandering Drafthouse employees, but also the supposed elusive baby doll, which would garner a lucky trigger-happy attendee, some sort of prize. A shoot-off was begun to finally name a winner, at which point the evening had run its course.

Due to the efforts of the Alamo Drafthouse, its employees, Michael Davis and New Line Cinema, it was a pleasure to attend such an inventive and entertaining screening. An evening completely devoid of pretence and filled to the gills with gratification; the screening of "Shoot 'Em Up" defines why Austin is quickly becoming an entertainment Mecca.