No Surrender Cinema: Sniper: G.R.I.T.
Tom Berenger’s Sniper turned thirty this year, but little did we know back in 1993 that the tension-filled thriller would spawn an action franchise that enjoys success to this day. Here we are, three decades later, and the Sniper series is still going strong thanks to a new generation of characters and enough gunplay and explosions to keep any action fan satisfied. It’s a series that also has perfect timing, because not only is 2023 a major anniversary for the first entry in what would become a full-blown Sniper cinematic universe, it’s also celebrating another milestone. Join me for an all new No Surrender Cinema where I take a look at the TENTH film in the franchise, Sniper: G.R.I.T. (Global Response & Intelligence Team)!
G.R.I.T. wastes no time in getting down to the nitty gritty; Lady Death, the former Yakuza assassin who shifted allegiances and now aids our heroes, has gone missing in Malta. “Lady D” was sent to take out a cult leader named Bubalo who was quickly gaining power, but her cover was blown and she was severely wounded by one of Bubalo’s cohorts during her assassination attempt. After six months she was finally able to signal for help, and that’s when Colonel Stone calls in Agent Zero and Brandon Beckett to head to Malta on an extraction mission.
Getting Lady Death out of the cult’s compound may seem like the set up for Sniper: G.R.I.T.’s remaining runtime, but it’s not long before Beckett’s sniper skills are being used to eliminate Bubalo’s confidants (including one who makes a trip to the toilet that proves fatal). The mission proves to be a fairly easy (and humorous) affair for our heroes, and before you know it Beckett and Zero are reunited with Lady Death. It turns out that someone in Bubalo’s ranks was sympathetic to her and helped her recover from the multiple bullet wounds she sustained, and she wants to return the favor by taking him along on the escape.
So Lady Death is alive and back with the team, their main target is dead, and a chopper is on the way to bring the team back to the United States…what could go wrong? I’m glad you asked, because not only do the team find out that a purported ally is working to serve their own needs, but their actions bring a new enemy into the fold, one who has a link to a member of the G.R.I.T. squad! This twist provides more of a backstory to one of our main characters, and it also sets the stage for the main plot of the movie, where the team is caught in a cat and mouse game with a rival who assumes control over Bubalo’s forces, including one assassin in particular who takes a licking and keeps on ticking. It’s going to take a united front of every member of G.R.I.T. to bring these terrorists down, which means even computer whiz “Intelligence Pete” is going to have to stop clicking his keyboard and start pulling triggers.
There was a tonal shift in the previous film (Sniper: Rogue Mission) which jarred some longtime fans of the Sniper series; many just didn’t accept the injection of humor into a series that once saw Billy Zane’s character have a stress-induced mental breakdown. That tone has carried over to Sniper: G.R.I.T., and while that news may disappoint some, I’m not one of those people. The series has managed to stay popular, with previous films reaching the Netflix most watched list, and while it might be safe to keep things “status quo”, the choice to lighten the mood while staying heavy on the action makes the Sniper experience more fun. Chad Michael Collins is a likable guy in real life, and he portrays Brandon Beckett with that same type of laid back, unflinching coolness. Ryan Robbins reminds me a lot of Bradley Cooper with his reactions (both facially and verbally), and the interplay between Beckett and Zero capitalizes on the chemistry between both actors and their natural charisma. I got strong Bad Boys vibes from their banter.
Regarding Zane’s Richard Miller or Berenger as the senior Beckett, neither reprise their role from prior films here. Dennis Haysbert as Colonel Stone is the one calling the shots as G.R.I.T.’s commanding officer, waiting until the third act to get his hands dirty. I’d also be a fool not to give it up for Luna Fujimoto, who takes over the role of Lady Death from Sayaka Akimoto and did a tremendous job of it. Fujimoto is not only focused on as an integral part of the story, but she delivers in more than one action sequence, including a scene near the climax where she is able to show off her martial arts skills as she runs through a gauntlet of garden tool-toting bad guys. Hopefully we’ll see more of Fujimoto as Lady D in future Sniper films.
Sniper: G.R.I.T. feels like the series may be going towards more of an ensemble feel, and if the intent is for Sniper to morph into GI: Joe meets Mission: Impossible then I am here for it. Chad Michael Collins has been awesome as the focal point ever since he took on the role of Brandon Beckett 12 years ago, and I’m looking forward to see him leading an expanded G.R.I.T. squad into action in future installments.
Sniper: G.R.I.T. is currently available for digital purchase, with a DVD release slated for 10/10.
