Killer Elite poster & wallpaper
Get movie widget Recommend it Add to Favorites

Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young ... see more see more... , Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje , Yvonne Strahovski , Ben Mendelsohn , David Whiteley , Matt Nable , Lachy Hulme , Firass Dirani , Nick Tate , Bille Brown , Stewart Morritt , Grant Bowler , Michael Dorman , Daniel Roberts , Rodney Afif

A match-up made in tough-guy heaven -- Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro star in Killer Elite. Based on a shocking true story, Killer Elite pits two of the world's most elite operatives - D... read more read more...anny, an ex-special ops agent (Jason Statham) and Hunter, his longtime mentor (Robert De Niro) - against the cunning leader of a secret military society (Clive Owen). Covering the globe from Australia to Paris, London and the Middle East, Danny and Hunter are plunged into a highly dangerous game of cat and mouse - where the predators become the prey. -- (C) Open Road Films

Flixster Users

43% liked it

26,682 ratings

Critics

25% liked it

119 critics

R, 1 hr. 57 min.

Directed by: Gary McKendry

Release Date: September 23, 2011

Invite friends to see

DVD Release Date: January 10, 2012

Get It:

Stats: 2,284 reviews

report incorrect info

Photos

Killer Elite Killer Elite Killer Elite Killer Elite Killer Elite
Upload a Photo | View All Killer Elite Photos

Your Rating


clear rating

Flixster Reviews (2,284)

  • jjnxn
    March 31, 2012
    jjnxn
    Just another explosion laden action flick with DeNiro and Clive Owen slumming and picking up a paycheck.
  • Deano78
    March 25, 2012
    Deano78
    A very good action/thriller with a great cast and strong story based on a book about real SAS events in the 80's. Certainly a level above most of Jason Statham's recent action films which keep being churned out very often. If you like a bit of depth to back up the action this is ... read morethe film for you.
  • skactopus
    March 21, 2012
    skactopus
    Based off of Ranulph Fiennes' book, Gary McKendry brings Killer Elite up to a crime thriller level.

    In a nutshell, the concept of the plot is as its title states; just without the punch or kick to push it over the top. The story does have its share of twists, and maybe

    ... read morea tad much,which prolongs the final act and pushes things out to 110 minutes.

    The action is nothing out of the ordinary. The gun play and fist to fist brawls only provide a certain level of entertainment before getting a little stale. Killer Elite is more about the story than it is the action.

    Jason Statham is his cut and dry elite operative self. Clive Owen falls into a similar bucket. There isn't much to fault because they do match with their respective characters. Dominic Purcell and Robert De Niro deliver some good performances. It's safe to say that De Niro is under utilized.

    Killer Elite doesn't exactly bore; however, at the same time it doesn't excite. Watchable.
  • cosmo313
    March 19, 2012
    cosmo313
    This is a surprisingly solid, entertaining, and well done action film. You'd think I wouldn't have been a been wary of this film given it's cast and subject matter, but I was. Maybe my growing cynicism is to blame.

    Anyways, the plot concerns a retired hit man named Danny Bryce w... read moreho is thrown back into the game after his mentor Hunter is captured due to failing to complete a job. In order to complete the job and save Hunter, Danny has to kill several men for a terminally ill shiek who wants to see that the men who killed three of his sons are likewise killed. To succeed, Danny has to get taped confessions from the targets, make their deaths look like accidents, and do it all before the sheik dies. To complicate matters, all the targets are either curent or former members of the SAS, or British special forces. These men are being looked after by a secret society who likes to protect their own. When the killings start, the society sends out their chief enforcer Spike Logan to figure out what the heck is going on.

    Sound complicated yet? Yes, the plot is rather muddled and all over the place, and sometimes I had no idea what was going on, but I had a good time watching this and managed to actually keep a lot of it in place and figured out. It's supposedly based on true events, though that claim is highly contested.

    What I do know is that this is a sharp, well made action thriller that will please a lot of people. Yeah, it's a "Jason Statham" action movie, but unlike some of his other films, the action here is more restrained, far less ridiculous, and somewhat more realistic. It's also a period piece, so we get to see Europe and other parts of the globe circa the early 80s, and from design perspective, this is awesome. Keeping in line with contemporary style trends though, the film is shot through a cool blue filter, diverting away from the yellows, browns, etc of 70s and 80s action pictures.

    The film is slick, and occasionally the editing is a bit frenzied (as is also the norm nowadays), but the story is intriguing, the action scenes and stunts are well done, and, most surprising of all, there's some actually pretty good performances here. Statham is his usual action badass self, but there's touchs of the erformance he gave in The Bank Job as well. It's great seeing Robert De Niro back into bad ass mode, as it's been a very long time since we've gotten to see him do something awesome again. Clive Owen rocks a mean stache as the enforcer Spike Logan, but for me, the real delight here was Dominic Purcell as Davies- an associate of Danny and Hunter's who helps see that the mission is completed. He rocks some awesome chops and brings some needed comedy to the proceedings, and probably has the most fun role of the film.

    All in all, if you want well done action mixed with a great sense of style, and some decent performances with a good, but could have been better story, then this is the film for you.
  • LWOODS04
    March 17, 2012
    LWOODS04
    Cast: Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert De Niro, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young, Yvonne Strahovski, Ben Mendelsohn, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, Grant Bowler, Michael Dorman, Firass Dirani, Lachy Hulme, Sandy Greenwood

    Director: Gary McKendry

    Summary: This globe-trotting thriller, b... read moreased on a true story, follows Danny Bryce, a former British special ops tough guy forced to come out of retirement when his mentor is kidnapped by a ruthless criminal. Enraged, Danny has to dodge three top assassins.

    My Thoughts: "If you watch a film with Jason Statham you know your going to be enjoying an action flick. The action is non-stop and there is plenty of good fighting scenes too. Jason, Clive, and De Niro all do fantastic work in this film. I loved that there was three parties in the film and not the regular two going at it. The film has an interesting story which helps any action thriller. I thought De Niro and Statham had great chemistry. I'd like to see them do another action flick together. The movie was better then I was expecting. The ending was a bit mushy for my taste but every hero needs a damsel."
  • fb1463751009
    March 10, 2012
    fb1463751009
    oh no... another Jason Statham action movie... oh wait, there's Robert De freakin Niro and Clive Owen. Count me in. But "Killer Elite" is crippled with an awful screenplay and horrible actors standing next to these beasts.

    The introduction trickles out with cheesy B-movie mater... read moreial: Horrible dialogue and cliches of a "serious and gritty" action movie... There were moments where one of the characters would utter a cringe-worthy line and it would lead me to roll my eyes and go, "...really?". But I was pleasantly surprised by how the action picks up. The action is entertaining and smartly executed. It isn't a "blow everything up in the place while Jason Statham walks scratchless" action movie. Yes, it tries to be a Bourne knock-off, but it pulls it off and its entertaining enough. It's a good action thriller that isn't loud and obnoxious. The action is executed at a frenetic pace that is engaging and thrilling. The same can't be said about the plot, dialogue, or the chemistry between the characters. At least De Niro and Owen pull off their roles well.

    If you've been waiting for another movie with the same style and action as the Bourne series, here it is. Just don't expect it to be a well-rounded, excellent movie that is on the same caliber as the Bourne series.
  • bbcfloridabound
    February 29, 2012
    bbcfloridabound
    How can you gather these 3 stars together and not have a good movie. A spy vs spy vs the Saudi king movie. A Saudi king wants revenge for the killing of his 3 sons, in the mean time are renegade spies getting set up. 4 Stars
  • TomBowler
    February 25, 2012
    TomBowler
    Terrible. Absolutely terrible. Full review later.
  • blkbomb
    February 7, 2012
    blkbomb
    Spike: This ends today.

    âMay The Best Man Liveâ?

    I really like the cast involved here. Robert De Niro, Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Dominic Purcell are all fun to watch. As for the film itself, it leaves a lot to be desired. I initially couldnâ(TM)t believe that this movie co... read moreuld possibly as bad as I had heard. With a cast like this and a story that could and should be at the very least exciting, I believed I was in for a solid two hours of entertainment. Iâ(TM)m unhappy to say that wasnâ(TM)t true.

    Danny retires from the killing game, but he is forced to make a comeback when his mentor is abducted. He has a mission to kill three assassins. It turns into your typical action thriller, but it seems like director Gary McKendry thinks the film is a whole lot smarter than it really is. I would have liked if it was smart or entertaining. One or the other would have been fine, but Killer Elite isnâ(TM)t smart and it definitely isnâ(TM)t entertaining. Iâ(TM)d actually argue that it was boring.

    It has a few decent action scenes, but much of what they are showing us is pretty underwhelming. Disappointment is all that really comes from watching Killer Elite. Thereâ(TM)s disappointment in the waste of a great cast and in the waste of a great story. This could have been great. Instead it is mediocre at best.

    Not really worth your time, but if you watch it, expect some pretty good performances that arenâ(TM)t backed up by a good script.
  • TheDudeLebowski65
    January 29, 2012
    TheDudeLebowski65
    Killer Elite is a high octane action film with a good cast. The film is flawed, but nonetheless the film is mindless fun. However, after reading extensively on the SAS, it was clear that the facts and practices of the SAS have been hHollywoodized to make them look like easy targ... read moreets. Other than that, the film was good, but not the best. I've seen far better action films than this. Nonetheless, this is a fun ride from start to finish. The acting is questionable, but pretty decent. I mean what can you expect from a mindless popcorn flick? Killer Elite is the type of film that you watch on a boring Friday night. This is the perfect film to watch and enjoy. Like I said the film isn't perfect, but for what it is, it's a mindless actioner that delivers. The film has some good action scenes that are exciting. However it doesn't do anything new or original, but it's still lots of fun on-screen. Director Gary Mckendry directs a good action film using the traditional ingredients for an effective action film. Killer Elite is not the best action film, but it definitely is a good time. I very much enjoyed the film despite the small problems I had with the way the SAS were portrayed I liked the film. Killer Elite will appeal to any serious action film buff, and it's a good time from start to finish. The film may not be perfect, but kit more than makes up for it with its exciting action.

View All Killer Elite Reviews

Critic Reviews

Andrew O'Hehir
September 25, 2011
Andrew O'Hehir, Salon.com

I had a reasonably good time, on the whole... Full Review

Richard Roeper
September 23, 2011
Richard Roeper, Richard Roeper.com

Jason Statham cements status as top-level action star. Full Review

Peter Rainer
September 23, 2011
Peter Rainer, Christian Science Monitor

De Niro, in what amounts to an extended cameo, is radically miscast. That's still no excuse for his nonperformance, which is beyond lackluster. Full Review

Tom Long
September 23, 2011
Tom Long, Detroit News

Statham is just good enough to make one wish he'd challenge himself. Full Review

Ian Buckwalter
September 23, 2011
Ian Buckwalter, NPR

Jason Statham is enjoyable enough to watch that he can occasionally make one forget just how silly and dull a movie like Killer Elite really is. Full Review

Stephen Whitty
September 23, 2011
Stephen Whitty, Newark Star-Ledger

The movie's not stupid. And that makes it more than bearable and often a little fun. Full Review

James Adams
September 23, 2011
James Adams, Globe and Mail

To be sure, first-time director Gary McKendry keeps things moving at an adrenalized pace, even through thickets of flashbacks. But this is precisely Killer Elite's major problem: motion at the expense... Full Review

Elizabeth Weitzman
September 23, 2011
Elizabeth Weitzman, New York Daily News

When Robert De Niro, Clive Owen and Jason Statham unite for an action thriller, we should be able to expect something special. Or at least memorable. Instead, "Killer Elite" gives us ordinary. Full Review

Kyle Smith
September 23, 2011
Kyle Smith, New York Post

It doesn't care if you like it, which is why I kind of do. Full Review

Michael O'Sullivan
September 23, 2011
Michael O'Sullivan, Washington Post

Simultaneously silly and overwrought... Full Review

Critic ratings and reviews powered by RottenTomatoes.com

Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)

Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)

Cast

More Like This

Click a thumb to vote on that suggestion, or add your own suggestions.

  • The Expendables
    The Expendables (100%)
  • The Fugitive
    The Fugitive (97%)
  • Safe
    Safe (0%)
  • Revolver
    Revolver (100%)

More Movies like Killer Elite

Facts

Submit a Fact | View All
    • Davies: Show me a good looking woman and I'll show you a man that's sick of her shit...
    • Spike: This ends today.
    • Danny Bryce: You and I got a lot in common.
    • Hunter: I gotta cover my expenses.
Submit a Fact | View All

Killer Elite : Watch Free on TV

Killer Elite Trivia

  • In this globe-trotting thriller, a former special ops tough guy is forced out of retirement when his mentor is kidnapped by a ruthless criminal.  Answer »
More Killer Elite Trivia

Movie Quizzes

No quizzes for Killer Elite. Want to create one?

Video Clips

Upload a Video |

All Killer Elite Videos

Meet Other Fans

Add Killer Elite to favorites

Recent News

No recent headlines. Got one?

Recent Lists

Make a List |

View All Lists

Most Popular Skin

No skins yet. Interested in creating one?