Susan Granger's review of "Paparazzi" (20th Century-Fox)
So what does Mel Gibson do after "The Passion of the Christ"? This petulant, far-fetched revenge saga that is so virulent in its blatant exaggeration that you can feel the hate.
Here's Bo Laramie, the action-adventure star of "Adrenaline Force" who finds himself tabloid fodder when a celebrity photographer snaps his son at a soccer game. After buying a luxurious home in Malibu with money made from his fame, Bo is astonished that anyone would want a snapshot of his family. Like what planet does he live on? Quick-tempered Bo punches this paparazzo who vows to get even, arranging a high-speed car crash - triggering awful memories of Princess Diana's fate - in which Bo's wife and child are hurt. Justified in his wrath, Bo then dispenses his own "Death Wish" brand of twisted vigilante justice with the help of the LAPD.
To elicit sympathy, Bo is presented a decent, clean-cut Montana guy, blandly played by Cole Hauser ("2 Fast 2 Furious"), while the parasitic cameramen are unscrupulous, unshaven thugs (Tom Sizemore, Daniel Baldwin) who rape and blackmail women, carry guns, deal drugs and break into their prey's homes. Dennis Farina is a "Columbo"-esque detective who sorts it all out.
Mel Gibson does a cameo, as do Chris Rock and Matthew McConaughey, but Gibson also promoted Paul Abascal, his former "Lethal Weapon" hair-stylist, into the director's chair. Either Abascal hasn't a clue about clichés or Forrest Smith's script totally lacked subtext. Whatever. The message is clear: Bo is blameless because it's obviously an actor's right to kill photographers if they're annoying, invasive and rotten. On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Paparazzi" is an amoral, loathsome 1. Forget tabloids. Scummy sleaze doesn't get much more savage than this.
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