Shoot or Be Shot

This movie spends most of its time preaching that it is the script that makes the movie, but apparently there was no script when they shot this waste of time! The trailer makes this out to be a comedy, but the film can't decide if it wants to be a comedy, a drama, a romance or an action film. Press releases indicated that Shatner and Hamlin made this movie because they loved the script (what were they thinking?). If you like William Shatner (I do) see "Free Enterprise" instead.

Shatner & Hamlin are the reasons to watch this film. Tim Thomerson (Trancers movie series) has a bit part in the film that's worth the watch too. Everyone else pretty much bunks. William Shatner has one of the most original and funny lines in this film that I have ever heard in any movie...period. You'll know it when you hear it...it's pound-the-floor funny! Shatner's comic timing is right-on. Should he continue to make movies, he needs to do more movies like this. Harry Hamlin was also great as a sleazeball movie producer. Really, you don't have to be a fan of either Shatner or Hamlin to enjoy this film. It's only 90 minutes, the pace is relatively quick (for the most part)...and I'll say it again, William Shatner is funny!

OK, a film about a film that takes a crack at Video movie making could be entertaining. Could be, should be, funny, edgy, even controversial, or at least interesting, and yet... This film is the bizzaro negative version of that. Hamlin was entertaining as a 'B' Film producer. Shatner played crazy yet likable, and had all the best lines. The rest of the characters were boring, predictable, boring, underdeveloped, boring and boring. The production value was lame. You'll actually see the boom come down in one scene. The sound was awful in some of the scenes. Hey I'm a big fan of Shatner's and of Hamlin now, but their talents are wasted here. At least the story had a clichéd ending.

Some of the secondary actors try, really hard. And camera shots in the desert are quite lovely. Otherwise, this film is horrible.

William Shatner's character, Harvey, is an amateur screenwriter. He's also a psychopath, a man who quite literally escapes from a mental institution. Is the point of this film that amateur screenwriters are psychopaths? Harvey will do anything to get his script read and turned into a movie, even if that means taking a film crew hostage. Do amateur screenwriters ... grovel? Maybe they do.

The film's setup is way too long. We don't get to the point of the story until well into the second half. The first half darts and flits among assorted characters.

"Shoot Or Be Shot" is touted as a comedy, but I found it totally not funny. Dialogue contains no subtext. None of the characters are believable as real people. They're all stick figures that perform "action" in a way that resembles cartoon characters. Indeed, the film is basically a cartoon for adults: silly, inane, birdbrained.

I can understand why some actors are in this film. They need the money or the exposure. But what are insiders Shatner and Harry Hamlin doing here? Maybe Shatner wants more comedy roles. Is this the best he can do? Is Hamlin that desperate for money? He used to be a respected actor. What happened?

Even though the story is supposed to be a satire, it comes across more as a put-down of amateur screenwriters. Maybe that wasn't the intent. But that's certainly how the film can be interpreted. As such, the script was very, very poorly written.

Finally a Shatner film with no stupid Star trek references in it ! My God he can act! Unlike the painful "Free Enterprise" made for all the " Please,Get a Life " trekkies, Shanter creates a new character and its pretty funny. He plays an escaped mental case who's "Voice cries out to be heard" and has a script that must be made under him arm. Shatner has many witty scenes that are a pleasure to watch. I was reminded of the old "Twilight Zone'"Shatner. It's nice to see Shanter with out all the dreary Star Trek baggage in tow.