A Lot or a Little?
What you will—and won't—find in this movie.
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Positive Messages
none
Bob steals, lies, and kills lots of people. The government is exposed as a corrupt sham that kills people and leaves Americans to die.
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Violence & Scariness
a lot
Extensive and graphic violence, including dozens of men shot in the head, with brains and blood flying included. Bob stabs several men, plants pipe bombs, and ignites napalm on attackers. Several explosions kill people. A man kills himself. The FBI torture another man and rig it so that it seems he's going to kill himself. It's implied that Sarah has been tortured and perhaps raped. Bob gets shot twice, falls through glass twice, and nearly dies when he drives his car into a river. Sarah must perform surgery on Bob. Images of dead and decaying bodies in a mass grave.
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Sex, Romance & Nudity
none
Bob and Sarah nearly kiss, and it's clear there's an attraction between them, but nothing happens. Sarah is shown in several scenes wearing only jeans and a bra.
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Language
some
Some cursing, including "s--t," "goddamn," "hell," "asshole," and "f--k."
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Products & Purchases
some
A few brands are briefly shown, including Dinty Moore and Dell computers.
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Drinking, Drugs & Smoking
some
Bob drinks a beer and gives some to his dog. Later, he inhales nitrous to knock himself out during surgery. Johnson smokes a cigar. Meachum drinks liquor.
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Parents Need to Know
Parents need to know that this mature, graphically violent political thriller about vigilante justice includes shots of men being shot in the head, with their brains and blood flying everywhere. One man kills himself, and there are two images of characters being tortured. There are also photos of people buried in a mass grave, and it's implied that the central female character has been tortured and raped. The movie's extensive discussion of political corruption might confuse and/or disturb kids (even teens). Overall, there's no attempt at diplomacy, and violence is shown as the only option. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails.
What's the Story?
Mark Wahlberg stars as Bob Lee Swagger, a government-trained sniper with a keen eye for accuracy and a long memory. Destroyed by the fact that the government left him behind in Ethiopia and by his best friend's death in a gun fight, Swagger has retired into the far reaches of the mountains. But then Colonel Isaac Johnson (Danny Glover) comes calling, asking Swagger to defend his country from an imminent presidential assassination. Soon, Swagger is consulting on how a marksman would shoot the president -- only to be shot twice himself and then accused of the attempted assassination. Along the way, FBI agent Nick Memphis (Michael Pena) starts to unravel the weak case against Swagger, and eventually the pair find themselves facing down the U.S. military. But can they stop the bad guys and get justice for the people unfairly killed in Africa?
Talk to Your Kids About ...
Families can talk about why these sorts of violent movies are appealing. After a movie like this, how do you feel? Do you feel more or less safe in the world? Is the violence necessary to convey the movie's message? Why or why not? Families can also discuss how to react when you're unhappy about how the government is acting. If you believe, as Bob does, that the government is corrupt, how do you deal with that? What are the options? What do you think of Bob's choice?
Movie Details
- In theaters: March 23, 2007
- On DVD or streaming: June 26, 2007
- Cast: Danny Glover, Mark Wahlberg, Michael Pena
- Director: Antoine Fuqua
- Inclusion Information: Black directors, Black actors, Latino actors
- Studio: Paramount Pictures
- Genre: Action/Adventure
- Run time: 124 minutes
- MPAA rating: R
- MPAA explanation: strong graphic violence and some language.
- Last updated: March 21, 2024
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