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Mark Wahlberg is one of the biggest action stars in the world, having starred in anything from 2006's The Departed to Planet of the Apes (2001), The Italian Job (2003), and beyond. Beyond that, he's even found success anchoring big-time box office franchises like Transformers, Ted, and the family-comedy films in the world of Daddy's Home. Although 2026 has been relatively quiet for the actor, he's appeared in Peter Farrelly's action comedy Balls Up. Not just that, but now one of his most underappreciated films ever released is available to stream for free.

Grossing just under $96 million at the box office, many would consider Shooter a commercial flop — especially when considering its hefty $61 million production budget. Still, the action thriller is finding an entirely new audience nearly 20 years later because it's now been made free to stream on Pluto TV.

Shooter is finally getting the love it deserves

Image: Paramount

Released in 2007, Shooter stars Wahlberg as Bob Lee Swagger, a former Marine sniper who has largely removed himself from society following a mission gone awry. His quiet life doesn't last long, however, once he's approached by officials who claim they need his expertise in the Armed Forces to help stop an assassination attempt against the president.

As you might expect from such a thriller, things don't go according to plan.

A large part of the movie's appeal comes from watching Swagger think his way out of situations rather than simply shooting through them. That is a facet of character development that isn't always explored in similar films. It spends plenty of time showing Swagger surveil and planning, giving its action a slightly more methodical edge than many of the genre's more explosive entries.

Director Antoine Fuqua also keeps the movie moving at a steady pace. By the time the conspiracy reveals itself in full, Shooter has transformed from a military thriller into a sprawling revenge movie, complete with corrupt officials, elaborate setups, and enough twists to keep Wahlberg's Swagger constantly on the run.

Shooter never became the massive franchise starter its premise could have supported, though the property eventually lived on through a television adaptation years later, starring Ryan Phillippe as Swagger instead.

The movie itself, however, has remained something of a cult favorite among action fans, and nearly two decades later, its arrival on Pluto TV makes it easier than ever to see why. For anyone looking for a straightforward conspiracy thriller with just enough brains behind the bullets, Shooter remains one of Wahlberg's most entertaining overlooked movies.