Sniper: Ghost Shooter DVD Review

• Actors: Dennis Haysbert, Nick Gomez, Stephanie Vogt, Chad Collins, Billy Zane
• Director: Don Paul
• Producers: Jeffery Beach, Phillip Roth
• Format: Closed-captioned, Color, Subtitled, Widescreen, NTSC
• Language: English
• Subtitles: French, Portuguese, Korean, Mandarin Chinese, Thai, Spanish, English
• Dubbed: Portuguese, French, Thai
• Region: Region 1
• Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
• Number of discs: 1
• Rated:
  R
• Studio: Sony Pictures Home Entertainment
• DVD Release Date: August 2, 2016
• Run Time: 99 minutes

        Sniper: Ghost Shooter, the sixth film in the Sniper franchise, keeps the family connection alive with Chad Michael Collins returning to the role of Brandon Beckett. His father, Thomas Beckett (Tom Berenger) is absent from the latest entry, though Richard Miller (Billy Zane), a sniper from the original 1993 film, reappears to fill the connection. Mostly, however, these films have standalone storylines which could have easily added the connections to Sniper films as an afterthought.

        This time around Beckett and Miller are tasked to protect a gas pipeline from extremists in the Middle East, facing an enemy sniper with the ability to mysteriously pinpoint their exact locations. Suspicions of a security breach causes chaos amongst the ranks as the snipers feel like sitting ducks. Eventually it comes down to Beckett’s abilities to eliminate the threat by taking down the sniper, allowing them to successfully complete their mission. It is all rather predictable, so much so that it becomes difficult to become engaged enough to enjoy the spectacle.

        The task of the snipers seems less compelling in this installment, but instead the stakes come from the dangers facing Beckett’s fellow soldiers. Several are taken down by the enemy “ghost sniper” and they seem defenseless against his attacks. While occasionally effective, the film handles the action far better than suspense and melodrama, which unfortunately take up more time than the shooting.

It is all executed passably by veteran director Don Michael Paul, whose credits are chock full of direct-to-video sequels, though the entire endeavor is rather forgettable. Part of this may be Collins inability to carry a film with the same presence as Berenger. Even with the addition of Zane and Dennis Haysbert reprising his role as Colonel from Sniper: Legacy, there just isn’t enough star power to elevate this action film beyond typical straight-to-video releases.

        The DVD doesn’t include any special features.

Entertainment Value: 6.5/10

Quality of Filmmaking: 6/10

Historical Significance:  3.5/10

Special Features: 0/10