Paparazzi could be described as a film about terrorism only instead of the terrorists using guns, they use cameras to inflict their damage. That's pretty much it. Paparazzi is basically Die Hard with cameras instead of guns. Oh yeah, and it's really bad. Should I go on?

This new slice of sleaze features Cole Hauser (2 Fast 2 Furious) as a box-office action star (his name is Bo Laramie--sounds more like a Porn Star) whose happy existence is threatened by a slimeball tabloid photographer (Tom Sizemore) and his team of disgusting paparazzi cohorts. Hauser decides to fight back after Sizemore takes things too far.

It comes as no surprise that Paparazzi was funded by Icon Productions. After all, Mel Gibson (who happens to make a cute little cameo in the picture) is no stranger to the world of tabloid journalism. No doubt, he's had many run-ins with shameless photographers throughout his professional life.

Paparazzi is incredibly silly and intentionally over the top. I chuckled throughout the entire film (as did Kyle England who took a break from music duty to take in the screening with me--from the moment he saw the laughable trailer, he knew this was a flick not to be missed).

I suppose this was Gibson's way of lashing back at that negative element he's had to deal with for most of his career, but I applaud him for doing so in such a tongue in cheek fashion. Like Gibson's attackers, Paparazzi is sensationalistic beyond belief. It's virtually impossible to take any of this crap seriously.

Hauser is an appealing actor and has appeared in several pictures (The Boneman would point out that one of his stronger efforts was a role in Joel Schumacher's Tigerland). He seems to be having a good time in Paparazzi, but is never really afforded the opportunity to showcase any sort of dramatic range. If anything, his real life persona in the film appears to be a carbon copy of his big screen action hero counterpart (Bo Laramie - I'm sorry that just kills me). The moment these scumbag photographers threaten his family, he springs into action in a sort of plotline that recalls Jack Ryan's in Tom Clancy's Patriot Games (in fact, there's a pivotal seen in Paparazzi that seems to be a direct lift from Phillip's Noyce's exciting Clancy adaptation).

Tom Sizemore has the sleaze-factor down which isn't surprising given that he's had real life practice in his recent turbulent relationship with a certain ex-Hollywood Madame. While he provides Paparazzi with a few twisted laughs, his character is incredibly one-dimensional and all too obvious to be considered effective. (It will be interesting to see how Sizemore winds up getting treated by the real Paparazzi.)

Dennis Farina - who's generally a supporting player to be reckoned with -seems at a loss as a detective caught in a war between a star and the photographers who won't stay out of his personal life. Eventually he starts getting to the bottom of this murder case, but his cliched reactions when key clues are revealed, evoked hardcore laughs from the audience.

Robin Tunney is positively dreadful as Hauser's loving wife. With all due respect though, she's hardly given anything substantial to work with. There are a couple of moments of drama between her and her young son that were among the funniest parts of the movie. It's too bad these particular scenes were supposed to be serious.

Director Paul Abascal moves things along at a brisk pace (the movie comes in at a merciful eighty-five minutes), but Paparazzi is incredibly sloppy, particularly with it's music cues. Case in point, a scene early on in the film features Hauser's young son playing soccer. The score that accompanies the scene is ridiculously intrusive. The whole thing is just bizarre. I guess I'm knitpicking, but when a movie is this stupid, what else can you do.

I suppose Paparazzi will appeal to celebs who've had a turbulent history with privacy-invading photographers. You know, guys like Sean Penn. But for most of us, this is just a dumb, predictable movie that's almost so bad that it's entertaining. Almost.

SAY CHEESE!