Shooter: An action-filled nest of conspiracies

A retired and disillusioned marine sniper living as a recluse is coaxed back into action after learning of a plot to kill the president. He is double-crossed and framed for the attempt, but he succeeds in escaping to track the real killer and find out exactly who set him up, and why.

That's the basic structure of "Shooter." On that framework is hung a tangle of conspiracies.

The film is a very loose adaptation of Stephen Hunter's excellent novel, "Point of Impact." The screenplay involves a suspected presidential assassination, a shadow government, conspiracy, genocide in Africa, oil pipelines, rogue agents and corrupt politicians.

However, this movie is really just an action thriller gussied up to appear more insightful than it is. It is a bit of a lightweight when compared to the more profound political thrillers like the original "Manchurian Candidate" or "Syriana."

"Shooter" is an ideal action film with enough violence and edge-of-the-seat tension to make it relatively easy to overlook the holes, conflicts and absurdities in the plot.

The heart of the movie is a shadow government that is accountable to no one but is clearly connected to the Republicans. When filming the evil headquarters, portraits are proudly displayed of nearly every Republican president in history. I recognized George H. Bush, Ronald Reagan, Herbert Hoover, Teddy Roosevelt and even William H. Taft makes a cameo appearance. The film makes a half-hearted attempt to set the record straight that this conspiracy is neither Republican nor Democrat, but that seems a hard pill to swallow.

Mark Wahlberg plays the former marine sniper Bob Lee Swagger and does an adequate job. There is no brilliance to the performance, just basic, solid acting. He plays the part of a former patriot who once had great faith in the honesty of the American government. His belief was shattered during his last mission in Ethiopia, when he was left for dead but succeeded in escaping a set-up. Swagger survives the mission and becomes a recluse in Wyoming's Wind River Range (spectaculary portrayed by British Columbia).

Swagger becomes cynical, but a spark of patriotism still burns within his soul. When he gets an unexpected knock on the door one day from government agents he is decidedly unenthusiastic. However, Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) makes him a patriotic offer he can't refuse.

Glover turns in a fine performance with a touch of convincing arrogance that would be expected of a man who feels he can't be touched. Sarah Fenn (Kate Mara) is the widow of Swagger's military partner. Her roll is merely a convenient plot device, but her acting is excellent. Nick Memphis (Michael Peña) turns in a spectacular and believable performance as a young FBI agent who joins the crusade. He is an actor to watch. He certainly puts out a performance greatly above his pay grade.

The murders pile up. Fenn empties a gun into the chest of a - literally - unarmed man. Memphis and Swagger succeed in wiping out a large crew of bodyguards and a guilty senator to boot. The number of body bags required leaves you wondering why they aren't all in orange jumpsuits by the end of the film. But this is not a film of reason. It is pure action, and it delivers on that count.