Sniper 3

The third stop in the series. Likely Tom Berenger's last go round. A story that nicely comes full circle, Sniper 3 ends up being the next best thing to the original and far and away the best sequel. The original established mood, tone, character and such. I like it a lot, good flick. Sniper 2 didn't do much right in my book. It's sole asset was its brief expansion on Beckett's character. Finally what is there to say about Sniper 4; aka Reloaded? Hi Billy Zane, maybe? Nice to see Miller again.

I won't rundown the story to Sniper 3 like it's epic. It's not, but besides being serviceable - it opens up plenty on Beckett's character, background and isn't that what we tune in for at this point in the road? Yes, the return to it's jungle roots (so to speak) is welcomed, the supporting cast is decent and the sniping portions of the movie feel right, but Beckett's up and down slope is this sequel's strongest asset. Weak spots? Every sequel has dealt lies and predictable betrayal and this one's no different. Oh and taking out a rival sniper with a handgun from quite a distance. That scene made me wince.

The casual moviegoer can rightfully be excused for perceiving Sniper 3 as nothing more than another dtv offering, but fans of the series will want to give it a go. I enjoyed the opening and the finale's efficient ending with what I perceived to be a wink and nod to the original. I went in with lowered expectations because of Sniper 2, but 3 delivered. A good bookend to Beckett's saga.

Sniper was a solid and moody thriller boosted by some top notch action sequences. Sniper 2 proved to be a very solid sequel and not that far behind the original. Sniper 3 is every bit as good as, if not slightly better, than part 2 as it expands somewhat on Beckett and gives you more of an insight into this interesting character.

Retired Marine sniper Beckett, now teaching this profession, is given a one off assignment; track down an kill and old friend who's been supplying weapons to the enemy.

The action scenes are good, production values surprisingly good, the story is mostly well written and the film is fast paced. These are all qualities that make a decent film and Sniper 3 is definitely a very decent action/thriller. Tom Berenger adds more layers to Beckett's character and gives a very good performance.

The Sniper trilogy is well worth watching, every movie has something going for it.

Usually by the third installment of any franchise, the stories become bland, and the characters: carbon copies and the charm is lost. Sniper 2 (2002) was a mediocre sequel but it did have some things about it that made it enjoyable. I did not favor how the first Sniper (1993), which was a thriller, turned into an action film for the sequel. I did think it was an interesting take, but it wasn't executed properly. I also didn't appreciate the character that Bokeem Woodbine played. His role was more obnoxious than involving.

Here, Tom Berenger once again reprises his role as the callous marine scout sniper, Thomas Beckett. Berenger still has the character down like he did for the last two films but this time the writers address an issue with his health. J.S. Cardone and Ross Helford make it clear in this film that Beckett is no longer the soldier he once was. Because of the trauma that he suffered in the first film, he now suffers from mild muscle spasms in his hand.

This small subplot may upset some viewers because in a way, it's speaking to the audience saying, "this the last time Thomas Beckett will be on screen". It's visible too. Several times it seems like Berenger is making his character look worn and drained of energy to show that Thomas Beckett is getting too old for the career he tries to hold on to. But Beckett's drawn in one more time to execute his new "hit" that was a man he once called a friend. Too bad flashbacks and dream sequences had to be used when Beckett ever focused on these issues. It's not needed.

Co-starring Berenger is Byron Mann playing Quan, a police operative sent to assist Beckett in his assassination. Mann plays his character rather cool and intelligently. The writers even allowed Quan to make a personal connection with Beckett, being that his father was a scout sniper as well. This at least leads to a comparatively easy-going relationship between these two individuals. Its nothing like the stupid quibbles between Beckett and Cole from the previous film.

As for the rest of the film nothing has really changed. I've accepted the fact that no one's going to bother to try and make this a thriller again. There's still lots of things being blown up, several gunshots and the anticipation of the thriller aspect is unfortunately abandoned. However, the fight scene between Quan and one of the main villain's thugs entertained me. Hand-to-hand combat is always cool to watch no matter what.

Also, the location to where Beckett travels is at least a little more lively and it even allowed Tim Jones, the composer, to make his score slightly more engaging than Gary Chang's half-hearted version of the previous sequel. It's not as good as the first, but it seems to me that there was more effort put into the making of this sequel than that of Sniper 2 (2002). So although it didn't satisfy me much more than the last one, it definitely shows improvement.

The second sequel to Sniper (1993) still has the qualities of a bad action film and relies too much on Beckett's rising personal issues. But what makes this one different is its character development and better music.

The Sniper series is just as good as any action movie that you'd see at a movie theater. Unbeknownst to the neophyte, these Sniper movies are really spy movies and damn good ones, I might add. The series is well produced, adequately funded and high tech. You won't see any bad acting or hear any lame jokes here. Instead, you get evenly distributed bang for your buck.

In the cloak and dagger realm of Sniper 3, you are taken on a mission to modern day Ho Chi Minh, previously called Saigon. The NSA (National Security Agency) has reactivated a former Marine sniper, Tom Beckett, so as to hunt down and neutralize a target, which is connected to a high level mole in the Washington political arena. Has Colonel Dan McKenna, NSA military intelligence, positioned in Washington D.C., picked the right man for this assignment? Also, can we count on William Avery, Deputy Director of NSA, to oversee the operation through to completion? We have our fingers crossed. Beware the Cobra—revere the Mongoose! and learn about an ancient Vietnamese folktale, as your life will depend on it.

The Sniper 3 soundtrack is upbeat and will delight more than a handful of Ravers. Vietnam in the twenty-first century sure ain't what it used to be, and offers a new light juxtaposed with the age-old, dark world of espionage.

Make sure you check out the other Sniper installments, as they are equally worthy.

SNIPER 3 is pretty exciting and well-crafted B-flick, shot by promising once-indie filmmaker PJ Pesce who wound up nailing great direct-to-video sequels. The theatrical feature SNIPER opened the nineties and now it seems it was directed by the guy who is way inferior to the ones credited on the sequels. First off it was Craig Buxley who turned SNIPER 2 into a well-made inventive low-budgeteer. Here comes Pesce who adds vintage eighties muscle into the typical Cannon MISSING IN ACTION Vietnam setting. Pesce knows his pulp and is proud to show it. Berenger is experienced and he can do such roles in his sleep while Byron Mann remains one of the greatest underused martial arts heroes after Invincible and BELLY OF THE BEAST.

SNIPER 3 is more than a worth rental.

When it comes to owning it, I recommend buying it when the price drops. A definite VHS pick if you stumble upon it on cable.