In Theaters 19 Years Ago, A Cult Action Movie Turned a James Bond Hopeful Into an R-Rated Bugs Bunny

It has been 19 years since a cult action movie shocked the world by turning a British killer into an R-rated version of Bugs Bunny. It seems almost hard to believe that Shoot 'Em Up was Michael Davis' last feature-length movie that he directed because it ended up being more fun than anyone could have expected. It was a box office flop, but its legacy on home video has made it a massive cult favorite for anyone who loves gonzo action movies with as much humor as it has gun fights. In fact, the movie went as far as to showcase Clive Owen as a living and breathing human version of Bugs Bunny. Videos by ComicBook.com Shoot 'Em Up hit theaters on September 7, 2007, and it remains an action movie that all genre fans need to seek out, especially those who have never seen its twisted brilliance. Shoot 'Em Up Is an R-Rated Looney Tunes Cartoon Come to Life Image Courtesy of New Line Cinema Before he signed on to make Shoot 'Em Up, director Michael Davis directed mostly comedies, so it is no surprise that he would add humor to his action movie debut. What is shocking is how funny the humor was, all without sacrificing any of the action scenes in the process. Shoot 'Em Up stars Clive Owen as a former black ops soldier named Smith, who is now a drifter. When he sees a pregnant woman running from a hitman, Smith kills the hitman by stabbing him in the head with the carrot he was eating, and then he helps the woman deliver her baby. More killers show up, and in the gunfight, they kill the mother after she delivers the child. Smith has to fight them off with a gun he got from one of the hitmen, while also holding the baby and keeping the newborn safe. It is clearly an homage to one of the best action movies ever made. In John Woo's Hard Boiled, Chow Yun-fat stars as an inspector who has a gunfight in a local hospital, and he also fights off the bad guys while holding a baby. If anything, this one scene shows the love that Davis had for the action movies that helped create this subgenre. When Smith realizes a hitman named Hertz (Paul Giamatti) is now trying to kill the baby, he goes to a prostitute (Monica Bellucci) he knows, hoping she can keep the baby safe. This pulls her into the mess, and now Smith has to fight Hertz and his league of assassins to keep himself, the baby, and the prostitute all safe. There are so many references here other than the Bugs Bunny ones. However, the Bugs Bunny moments are hilarious, as Smith spends the entire movie eating carrots and even using them as weapons. Smith even says at one time, 'What's up, Doc?' The entire battle between Smith and Hertz was always meant to look like Elmer Fudd hunting for Bugs Bunny, but always missing. As for Smith, he also bears a strong resemblance to Clint Eastwood's The Man with No Name, a drifter who comes into town and is forced to save the day. Shoot 'Em Up Was Influenced by John Woo Image Courtesy of Golden Princess Film Productions Davis had made two romantic comedies in a row, and he wanted to do something different. He watched a scene from Woo's seminal action movie Hard Boiled, where there was a gunfight in a room with newborn babies, and he wanted to take that one scene and turn it into a feature-length film. Described as a movie like Run Lola Run, but with gunfights, he wrote the script. It took seven years because the studios were reluctant to make any movies with guns after the Columbine High School shootings. Eventually, though, he got it greenlit. His first choice to play Smith was Clive Owen, someone whose name came up anytime people began to dream-cast actors for James Bond. Interestingly, this was nothing like Bond, as Owen chomped on carrots and delivered short one-liners while gunning down every bad guy who got in his way. Davis also wanted Monica Bellucci, who took the role because she saw the character as a strong and independent woman who did things in a playful way. Finally, he cast Paul Giamatti against type because, at the time, the actor was known for just playing good guys. While Davis shot the movie for $39 million, it couldn't make that back at the box office. Shoot 'Em Up finished with $26.8 million in its theatrical release. This was despite positive reviews, with a 67% on Rotten Tomatoes and a 65% audience score. The reason it isn't any higher is that the movie is what it is: a fun action-adventure ride that has humor and non-stop action, without ever taking itself seriously. Shoot 'Em Up is an R-rated violent cartoon come to life, and it is the most fun a genre fan will have watching an action movie.