Shoot or Be Shot! (2004)

DVD

The cover of the DVD box says that Shoot or be Shot is a comedy "in the tradition of Bowfinger." But without Steve Martin or Eddie Murphy, it's more in the tradition of a Greyhound Bus "scenic vistas" tour of Death Valley. William Shatner stars as a mental patient named Harvey Wilkes (or is that Lee John Booth?) Harvey wants to be a screenwriter. Don't we all? And when he escapes the loony bin and runs across a film crew in the middle of the desert who are working without a script, divine providence seems to have intervened. Gun in hand, Harvey hijacks the production. They're going to shoot his script -- or else! Harry Hamlin comes back from the dead as the low rent Producer and as the Director, Scott Rinker gets an "And Introducing" credit. Not since Pia Zadora was "introduced" in Santa Claus Vs. The Martians has an actor had such an inauspicious start.

The film is shot badly, appears to have been put together in two days on a bet, and has a supporting cast that is usually found up at the Eurotrash Cafe on Sunset Plaza bitching about "the business" between Pilates classes. I give it a 1/2 star only for William Shatner who remains the one actor out there who can read the phone book and make it sound important. Shatner is actually funny as Harvey recounting his life writing manual instructions for DVD players. But he is more Shatner-ific in Free Enterprise, rumored to be making its sequel soon.

If you thought the plot was surreal, try the special features that include the trailers for Hot Shots!, Our Man Flynt and Down With Love. What do these have to do with the film? Oh! I guess it's about movies and these are movie trailers. That's it!

Run away. Run far away, very quickly. Soon to be seen in the bargain bin of your local El Blockbustor.