‘Paparazzi’ out of focus with silly moviemaking

In theaters

PAPARAZZI, directed by Paul Abascal, written by Forrest Smith, 87 minutes, rated PG-13.

The shameless camp thriller “Paparazzi” comes from first-time director Paul Abascal, a former celebrity hairdresser who apparently heard one too many paparazzi horror stories from his privileged clientele while teasing and bleaching their locks.

As such, “Paparazzi” has a predictable mean streak – it’s the work of a man who likely wants to keep that clientele happy should this directing thing of his not work out.

That turns out to be the shrewdest move in an otherwise dumb movie.

Deadly serious yet unintentionally funny, “Paparazzi” is a self-conscious, fired-up revenge fantasy that some will find difficult to sit through without offering up the occasional snort and giggle.

Written by first-time screenwriter Forrest Smith, the film exists to humiliate, taunt and then destroy the legion of photographers whose job it is to photograph celebrities. You know, those folks who depend on the paparazzi to keep them in the public eye even though there are moments when they’d rather not be photographed, such as when they’ve put on a few pounds or, say, when they’ve been caught cheating on their spouse.

Since the filmmakers have no interest in fair play or in examining the real issues surrounding celebrity privacy, this is adolescent, tit-for-tat moviemaking, the equivalent of hair pulling. Producer Mel Gibson bankrolled this beauty, and wouldn’t you know that it follows the life of an action superstar not unlike Gibson himself.

Studly yet naive, Cole Hauser’s Bo Laramie is a family man who inexplicably becomes the hottest celebrity in Hollywood on the basis of one movie – a cheap-looking action flick called “Adrenaline Force.”

At the start, Bo has a dream life that includes a beautiful wife (Robin Tunney), a 6-year-old son (Kevin Gage) and now sudden wealth and fame. When he gets his first taste of the paparazzi at a movie premiere, the snapping cameras overwhelm him to the point of confusion.

Enjoying Bo’s discomfort, sleazeball photographer Rex Harper (Tom Sizemore) decides to focus solely on this newcomer, thus forgoing the dozens of other, bigger Hollywood stars who could earn him more money. Go figure.

When Rex and his fellow paparazzi chase Bo and his family through the streets of Hollywood one night, they create a massive car accident reminiscent of the one that killed Princess Diana with Bo’s wife and child harmed as a result.

What ensues is Bo’s wild-eyed revenge, with Bo himself realizing the greatest of all-star perks. Apparently, if you’re a celebrity, you can kill without fear of repercussions. History has proven there’s some truth to that. So, in spite of being dogged by a Columbo-like detective (Dennis Farina), Bo goes after his stalkers with the sheer intent to kill them all.

Undermined by its gaping lapses in logic, B-movie dialogue, questionable cameos and the absurd belief that our celebrity-obsessed culture would back a string of murders by a popular star, “Paparazzi” exposes itself as a silly bit of moviemaking that somebody here would like to turn into a reality.

Grade: D

On video and DVD

THE PUNISHER, directed by Jonathan Hensleigh, written by Michael France and Hensleigh, 124 minutes, rated R.

Plucked from the pages of Marvel Comics, “The Punisher” lives up to its title, all right. It’s a masochist’s dream.

The film stars Thomas Jane as Frank Castle, a buff, brooding undercover FBI agent whose entire family is massacred by the Saint, an ironically named villain played by John Travolta in the sort of big, humiliating performance he already gave in “Swordfish.”

The Saint is a wealthy, smoky tough from Tampa, Fla., who enjoys sweeping into rooms in full tantrum, sputtering about who did him wrong and how they’re going to pay for it, all in an effort to rally the legion of black-suited minions toiling after him.

Though the Saint would never admit it, he’s essentially a diva. He makes paranoid accusations about his enemies, ridicules those close to him, dresses impeccably and makes outrageous demands from everyone in sight. If he weren’t in a suit, he’d be doing a bus-and-truck tour of “La Cage aux Folles.”

The Saint is seeking revenge for his son’s death, which he directly attributes to Castle. Now archenemies, Castle and the Saint have at each other in a movie filled with so much gunfire and beef, it becomes hamburger onscreen.

The movie is too long by a third and it will fade from memory quicker than “The Shadow,” but it’s hardly the worst of the superhero lot – it’s no “Daredevil,” for instance, and God knows it’s no “Howard the Duck.”

When it’s not startling the screen with its surprising run of graphic violence, it’s actually rather good. Its action scenes are creative, Jane holds your attention, and director Hensleigh manages to find pockets of humor.

Particularly enjoyable are Punisher’s interactions with his down-on-their-luck neighbors Joan (Rebecca Romijn-Stamos), Mr. Bumpo (John Pinette) and Spacker Dave (Ben Foster), a social outcast who predictably comes to regret the numerous piercings crisscrossing his face.

Grade: C

Bangor Daily News film critic Christopher Smith’s column Reel Reviews did not appear Monday in Style because of space constraints. Smith’s reviews normally appear Mondays and Fridays in Style, 5:30 p.m. Thursdays on WLBZ 2 Bangor and WCSH 6 Portland, and are archived at RottenTomatoes.com. He may be reached at BDNFilm1@aol.com.