When one thinks of long-running film franchises, names like James Bond, Star Wars, and Marvel probably come to mind. For years, those brands have been releasing highly successful installments that resonate with audiences worldwide. But movie series can come in all shapes and sizes; even ones that have flown under the radar have been around for decades. For example, some die-hard action fans might be unfamiliar with the Sniper franchise, which started life back in 1993 and has primarily operated in the direct-to-video space in the years since then. Thanks to streaming, one of the Sniper movies is finding a larger audience.
Videos by ComicBook.com
For the week of April 13th-19th, Sniper 2 was the No. 6 movie on Netflix globally. During that time, it accumulated 3.6 million views and was watched for a total of 5.5 million hours, narrowly topping the sci-fi hit War Machine for its spot on the chart. This was the first week Sniper 2 placed on Netflix’s top 10.
What Is Sniper 2 (and Why Is it a Streaming Hit?)
The original Sniper didn’t make a very big splash at the box office, earning just $19 million. It wasn’t a failure, as it cost only $5.3 million to produce, but it took nearly a decade for a follow-up to come to fruition. Sniper 2 didn’t premiere until 2002, and unlike its predecessor, it bypassed theaters. The sequel was a made-for-TV movie, debuting on Cinemax. It sees Tom Berenger reprise his role as Thomas Beckett, who embarks on a mission to take out a Serbian general.
Because of the era in which it was made and the nature of its release, there aren’t many reviews readily available for Sniper 2. Only four have been submitted on Rotten Tomatoes, but they’re arguably better than one might expect. It’s split evenly with two positive and two negative write-ups, and even one of those negative ones says Sniper 2 “may actually be worthy” of the cost for a rental. Obviously, nobody is hailing it as an underappreciated action classic, but there are elements to enjoy. The performances from Berenger and Bokeem Woodbine (who plays Beckett’s spotter Jake Cole) are among the highlights, as the actors craft a compelling dynamic with each other. There are also enough genre thrills for action fans who understand what they’re getting themselves into.
It is a bit surprising to see Sniper 2 on Netflix’s top 10, amidst a collection of various streaming originals (like creature feature Thrash and the new Sandler family comedy Roommates) and more recent titles such as Sisu and Anaconda. One reason why Sniper 2 might have gained some traction this past week is that the franchise just received its latest installment; Sniper: No Nation debuted on April 7th. While Sniper isn’t one of the biggest action series of all time, it appeals to its niche demographic, which is going to make a point to seek out the films. After watching Sniper: No Nation, those fans might have been inclined to watch some of the franchise’s other entries.
A takeaway from Sniper 2‘s streaming success is that the series must have a fairly strong international following. The film is not streaming on Netflix in the United States (it’s only available on PVOD platforms domestically), so all of those views came from overseas. As we’ve seen with the performances of the Escape Plan films, international audiences seem to have an affinity for direct-to-video action fare. These kinds of titles make for the perfect streaming options. Viewers can just turn their brain off, sit back, and enjoy the set pieces.
What do you think? Leave a comment below and join the conversation now in the ComicBook Forum!
Most Viewed
-
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros. -
Image Courtesy of Netflix -
Image Courtesy of Warner Bros.
