Sniper poster

Sniper

"One Shot. One Kill. No Exceptions."

Movie R 1993 1h 38m 6.2 /10
Directed by Luis Llosa

In the humid Panamanian jungle, a hard edged U.S. soldier named Thomas Beckett hunts rebels with a sniper's patient accuracy. His record is built on missions that cost him teammates, a reputation that shadows every new assignment. This time Beckett is paired with another sharpshooter, Richard... Read more

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Streaming availability last verified: January 30, 2026

About Sniper

In the humid Panamanian jungle, a hard edged U.S. soldier named Thomas Beckett hunts rebels with a sniper's patient accuracy. His record is built on missions that cost him teammates, a reputation that shadows every new assignment. This time Beckett is paired with another sharpshooter, Richard Miller, a calm and capable marksman whose presence adds a tense counterbalance to Beckett's ruthless pragmatism. As the duo stalks through the tangled brush, they face hidden traps, shifting loyalties, and the uneasy chemistry that comes with working side by side under pressure. The mission tests their skill, nerves, and the limits of trust when every shot could change everything. Behind the gruff exterior Beckett hides fatigue and loss that shape every move.

Directed by Luis Llosa, Sniper arrived in 1993 with a screenplay by Crash Leyland and Michael Frost Beckner, pairing Tom Berenger and Billy Zane for a lean action drama grounded in military realism and practical effects.

The film grossed approximately 18.99 million worldwide, a modest tally that still underlined its appeal to fans of tense buddy sniper stories and mid-90s military thrillers, particularly those who appreciated Berenger's weathered toughness.

Critics treated Sniper as a spare, efficiency minded thriller that relies on atmosphere and character texture rather than flashy set pieces. The film probes the moral toll of frontier warfare, the fragility of trust, and how loyalty holds when lives are on the line. The pacing favors economy over excess, keeping the action grounded in consequence.

In the landscape of 90s action films, Sniper is remembered as a solid but not iconic entry that helped cement Tom Berenger's rugged tough guy persona and fed into the later Sniper franchise's appeal. It stands as a competent example of the era's military thrillers and a reminder that buddy dynamics can drive tense fire fights.

Details

Release Date
January 29, 1993
Runtime
1h 38m
Rating
R
User Ratings
452 votes
Type
Movie
Genres
Action, Drama, Thriller
Country
PE
Collection
Sniper Collection
Studio
TriStar Pictures +3 more
Box Office
$18,994,652
External Links
View on IMDB

Cast

Tom Berenger

Tom Berenger

Thomas Beckett

Billy Zane

Billy Zane

Richard Miller

J. T. Walsh

J. T. Walsh

Beckett's Senior Officer

Aden Young

Aden Young

Doug Papich

Kenneth Radley

Kenneth Radley

El Cirujano

Reynaldo Arenas

Reynaldo Arenas

Cacique

Gary Swanson

Gary Swanson

NSC Officer in Washington

Hank Garrett

Hank Garrett

Admiral in Washington

F

Frederick Miragliotta

Alvarez

Vanessa Steele

Vanessa Steele

Mrs. Alvarez

Director: Luis Llosa

Written by: Michael Frost Beckner, Crash Leyland

Frequently Asked Questions

Sniper is not currently available on streaming subscription services, but you can rent or buy it on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

Yes, you can rent on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video or buy on Apple iTunes, Google Play, Vudu, and Amazon Video.

With a rating of 6.2/10 from 452 viewers, Sniper is considered decent by viewers and may be worth checking out.

In the humid Panamanian jungle, a hard edged U.S. soldier named Thomas Beckett hunts rebels with a sniper's patient accuracy. His record is built on missions that cost him teammates, a reputation that shadows every new assignment. This time Beckett is paired with another sharpshooter, Richard Mil...

Sniper stars Tom Berenger, Billy Zane, J. T. Walsh, Aden Young, and Kenneth Radley.

Sniper was directed by Luis Llosa.

Sniper was released on January 29, 1993.

Sniper is a Action, Drama, and Thriller film.

No, Sniper is a fictional action thriller set in the Panamanian jungle. It uses a realistic sniper premise but isn’t presented as a true event.

Yes, the film spawned multiple sequels in the Sniper franchise. The original helped launch a long-running series of later installments.

Tom Berenger plays Thomas Beckett, a tough US soldier and sniper. He teams up with Richard Miller, played by Billy Zane.

It is an R-rated action thriller with tense scenes and violence. It focuses on the dangers of a sniper mission rather than horror, so its tone is more thriller than scary.