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"Killer Elite" is inspired by a story that ingeniously finds a way to explain why two teams of ex-SAS men would want to kill each other. That doubles the possibilities for casting, and here Jason Statham and Clive Owen , who in fact have no reason to dislike each other, are engaged in a deadly game of international murder. Robert De Niro plays a hostage taken by a sheik of Oman, who uses him to settle a score neither team has any reason to care about, so basically what's at stake is their professionalism.

Incredibly, this story is claimed to be based on fact. Author Ranulph Fiennes' novel is allegedly based on experiences he really had, and indeed the author of just such a book makes an appearance in the plot. I suspect the factual basis may be at a few degrees of separation from the pure action plot, but you never know; recent movies like " The Debt " suggest spy organizations can get involved in events that seem lifted from fiction.

The story: De Niro plays Hunter, the mentor of Danny (Jason Statham). Both were skilled professionals. Danny has had one of those epiphanies where a man of action decides the killing must stop and has retreated into seclusion in a remote quarter of the Australian outback. There he lives with the beautiful Anne (Yvonne Strahovski), who strictly speaking, is not particularly essential to the plot. Danny's past life follows him to the outback, after Hunter is kidnapped by the oil sheik. The sheik wants revenge against the killers of his sons, he knows Danny is the best in the world, and he correctly calculates that only the need to save his beloved teacher would lure him back into action.

The sons, it turns out, were murdered by four SAS men. Danny's assignment is tricky: He is to kill them, but make it look like each death is accidental, so no one will suspect the sheik. Diabolically clever. On his team are Davies ( Dominic Purcell ) and Meier ( Aden Young ). Meanwhile, Spike (Clive Owen) leads a shadowy group known as the Feather Men, whose mission is to protect ex-SAS men from retaliation. Their task is to shield the four targets from Danny and his boys. Got that?

This is actually a pretty good thriller, based more on character and plot than on action for its own sake. The need to construct killings that look like accidents adds to the interest. I find myself asking, really, how likely is it that one, let alone all, of these events could be stage-managed so precisely? Yet we learn that spy organizations are often behind "accidents."

Jason Statham is once again a hard-boiled man carved from solid macho. Clive Owen, who by disposition and facial expression seems more like a good guy, is also sufficiently cold-blooded. Do you ever find yourself looking at a movie involving steel-eyed killers with Brillo stubble on their chins, and wondering if they would possibly seem as menacing if they were clean-shaven?

De Niro is good here, in a role that perhaps offered some small inspiration. My impression is that he feels he's paid his dues, and his attention is now involved in his Tribeca activities. He still has his power when he chooses to use it.

The movie is a first feature by Gary McKendry, born in Northern Ireland, who previously directed many commercials and the 20-minute short "Everything in This Country Must," which was nominated for an Academy Award in the live-action short category. This is an impressive debut. He has the instincts of a storyteller, and understands that action is better when it's structured around character and plot, and doesn't rely on simple sensation. "Killer Elite" is rather pure in its storytelling, because at the end, we might be hard-pressed to divide the characters into good and bad guys.

Roger Ebert

Roger Ebert was the film critic of the Chicago Sun-Times from 1967 until his death in 2013. In 1975, he won the Pulitzer Prize for distinguished criticism.

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Killer Elite (2011)

Rated R for strong violence, language and sexuality/nudity

116 minutes

Aden Young as Meier

Dominic Purcell as Davies

Robert De Niro as Hunter

Jason Statham as Danny

Clive Owen as Spike

• Matt Sherring

Directed by

Based on the novel by.

• Ranulph Fiennes

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Movie Review | 'Killer Elite'

Special Ops Agent, Lured Back From Retirement

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By Manohla Dargis

• Sept. 22, 2011

Don’t let the title fool you. “Killer Elite” has next to nothing to do with the 1975 film “ The Killer Elite ,” which had both an extra word in its title and an openly dissatisfied Sam Peckinpah (“We have no script”) in the director’s chair. The old thriller was based on the novel “Monkey in the Middle”; the new one originated with “The Feather Men,” a British book that was sold as nonfiction but may not have been. The earlier film starred James Caan and Robert Duvall as professional killers; the new one has Jason Statham and Robert De Niro as elite mercenaries. Peckinpah tried to turn his into a mockery of itself, while the new flick’s director, Gary McKendry, has stumbled into accidental near-parody.

Well, I think the burlesque is inadvertent. Hyperbolic violence and risible dialogue are routine in bottom-drawer action cinema, but the memorable bad examples, like “The Expendables,” Sylvester Stallone’s ode to ruined male beauty, at least gives you something to mull over between the explosions and rushing rivers of blood. “Killer Elite,” by contrast, which involves shadowy British powerbrokers and shadowy Middle East oil men, only inspires curiosity about whether Clive Owen, as a special forces type going grunt grunt against Mr. Statham’s free agent, was in it for the paycheck or is enduring a regrettable career slowdown. Whatever the case, Mr. Owen and Mr. Statham (who provides a nice duet with a chair) make a prettily matched pair amid the pileup of sub-Bourne action set pieces, sad laughs and clichés.

“Killer Elite” is rated R (Under 17 requires accompanying parent or adult guardian). Bangs and splatter.

KILLER ELITE

Opens on Friday nationwide.

Directed by Gary McKendry; written by Matt Sherring, inspired by the book “The Feather Men” by Ranulph Fiennes; director of photography, Simon Duggan; edited by John Gilbert; music by Johnny Klimek and Reinhold Heil; production design by Michelle McGahey; produced by Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Steven Chasman, Michael Boughen and Tony Winley; released by Open Road Films. Running time: 1 hour 40 minutes.

WITH: Jason Statham (Danny), Clive Owen (Spike), Robert De Niro (Hunter), Dominic Purcell (Davies), Aden Young (Meier), Yvonne Strahovski (Anne), Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje (Agent) and Ben Mendelsohn (Martin).

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Killer Elite – review

T his violent conspiracy thriller is based on The Feather Men , an allegedly fact-based book written in 1991 by Ranulph Fiennes about a Dubai sheikh who hired a band of assassins to kill four British soldiers, most of them SAS veterans, whom he held responsible for the death of his sons during an operation in Oman. In the film, British hard man Jason Statham skips around the world from a farm in New South Wales to an SAS battle camp in old south Wales via the Gulf, Paris, Mexico and London, in company with veteran American mercenary Robert De Niro . The surface is glossy, the body count high, and the events opaque and often risible. The plot doesn't hold the gallon of cold water that the Department of Defence has inevitably poured upon it.

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Killer elite, common sense media reviewers.

Violence prevails in exciting but uneven action movie.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

Characters attempt to do the right thing, but circ

The main character has some morals, even though he

Very strong violence based around killing, assassi

A gangster's girlfriend is seen topless. A support

Language is very strong but not constant. Words in

Minor characters drink beer in a pub; others are s

Parents need to know that this book-based action/thriller/drama about an assassin who tries to quit the business but is drawn back in has lots of strong violence, including blood, dead bodies, guns and shootings, stabbings, and explosions. There's also a shot of a topless woman, as well as some sexual innuendo,…

Positive Messages

Characters attempt to do the right thing, but circumstances prevent them from succeeding. Revenge is a powerful motivator for the main character.

Positive Role Models

The main character has some morals, even though he's an assassin; he decides to quit after his actions endanger a kid, but revenge later forces him back into the business. He seems to regret killing and tries not to whenever possible, but when it's time for action, he jumps right in.

Violence & Scariness

Very strong violence based around killing, assassinations, and revenge. Lots of guns and shootings, stabbings, fighting, gory dead bodies, blood, and explosions.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

A gangster's girlfriend is seen topless. A supporting character hires a prostitute for sex, though nothing is shown. Sex noises are heard off screen. The main character is seen flirting, as well as kissing a woman he's romantically involved with.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Language is very strong but not constant. Words include "f--k," "s--t," "a--holes," "balls," "goddamn," "son of a bitch," "oh my God" (as an exclamation), "prick," "d--k," "bugger," "hell," "damn," "bollocks," and "schtupping."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Minor characters drink beer in a pub; others are seen smoking cigarettes.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that this book-based action/thriller/drama about an assassin who tries to quit the business but is drawn back in has lots of strong violence, including blood, dead bodies, guns and shootings, stabbings, and explosions. There's also a shot of a topless woman, as well as some sexual innuendo, kissing, and flirting. Language is strong and includes both "f--k" and "s--t," and minor characters drink and smoke in a background way. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

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Community Reviews

• Parents say (2)
• Kids say (6)

Based on 2 parent reviews

loved it :)

What's the story.

Danny ( Jason Statham ) and Hunter ( Robert De Niro ) are professional assassins. While working on a new mission, Danny is stunned when a kid turns up in the line of fire and decides to quit the business for good. But then he receives word that Hunter has been kidnapped, and he must accept a job -- killing three British SAS agents who murdered the sons of an exiled oil sheik -- in exchange for the older man's release. Danny reluctantly takes the assignment, but unfortunately, an ex-SAS man, Spike ( Clive Owen ) -- who's part of a secret organization called the "Feather Men" -- is hot on Danny's trail. Worse, Danny's new girlfriend, Anne ( Yvonne Strahovski ), is now in danger, too. Can Danny get out of this fix alive?

Is It Any Good?

Directed by Gary McKendry , KILLER ELITE has enough good scenes to satisfy action fans, as well as those looking for a bit more depth -- but as a cohesive whole, it's rather mixed. The action stuff is pitched to the lowest common denominator, using reckless, ramshackle shaky-cam to document the painstaking choreography. Meanwhile, the drama sometimes doesn't make sense; both Hunter and Spike's characters seem haphazardly thrown in, and it sometimes feels like extra scenes were written and added in at the last second to accommodate their star power.

Part of the time, it seems as if the movie (which is based on a book by the adventurer Ranulph Fiennes) is interested in getting audiences to think about the world's pathological dependence on oil and the extreme measures nations will take to get their hands on it. But at other times, the movie asks audiences not to think at all and just enjoy the ride. It's an uneven mix, though it still delivers in fits and starts.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the movie's violence . What impact does killing for a living have on the main character? Are his decisions believable?

How does the movie present revenge? Is it a valid reason to pursue violence? Do the ends ever justify the means?

The story is presented as being based on actual events, though there's some speculation about whether that's the case. Why might filmmakers want audiences to think it was based on a true story? Why might some facts be changed?

Movie Details

• In theaters : September 23, 2011
• On DVD or streaming : January 10, 2012
• Cast : Clive Owen , Jason Statham , Robert De Niro
• Director : Gary McKendry
• Studio : Open Road Films
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Run time : 105 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity
• Last updated : June 20, 2023

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Screen Rant

'killer elite' review.

Is 'Killer Elite,' the directorial debut of Gary McKendry, based on the novel by Ranulph Fiennes, an exciting dramatic thriller or just a flimsy excuse for Clive Owen and Jason Statham to beat each other up? Read our review.

Screen Rant's Ben Kendrick reviews Killer Elite

If there's one thing that star Jason Statham is known for it's straightforward anti-heroes that get caught up in balls-to-the-wall action set-pieces. With a pedigree that includes The Expendables , Crank , The Italian Job , The Transporter , and Snatch , it's no surprise that even his "based on a true story" (emphasis on based )  Killer Elite film contains plenty of larger-than-life action.

At first glance, in a movie industry riddled with remakes, some filmgoers might assume that  Killer Elite, is actually a reimagining of the 1975 film, The Killer Elite , starring James Caan and Robert Duvall from director Sam Peckinpah ( Straw Dogs ). However, Stathams's Killer Elite is completely unrelated to the earlier film and is actually an adaptation based loosely on the events detailed in Sir Ranulph Fiennes' novel, The Feather Men . The novel itself, especially Fiennes' claim that the book was "based on actual events," caused plenty of controversy around the time of its publication - and continues to be a source of tension today. Is the film version an equally provocative action flick with compelling drama or just an excuse for Clive Owen and Jason Statham to beat each-other up?

There's no doubt that Killer Elite is going to satisfy a lot of Jason Statham faithfuls as well as fans of practical effects-driven action films. However, even though there are a decent number of heavy-hitting action set-pieces, Killer Elite is a narrative mess that convolutes a pretty straight-forward plot with loads of bizarre character relationships and added "drama" in an attempt to elevate the film beyond a throwaway action experience.

The basic plot of Killer Elite is simple enough, contract killer Danny Bryce (Jason Statham) attempts to get out of the "game" after a job in Mexico turns ugly. That is, until his closest friend and mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro) is captured by a rich Dubai sheikh. In order to free his friend, Bryce must succeed in completing Hunter's assignment - to kill three British Special Air Service (SAS) agents responsible for murdering the sheikh's three oldest sons in cold blood. Bryce quickly assembles a team and gets to work - subsequently drawing the attention of former SAS operative, Spike Logan (Clive Owen) who will stop at nothing to protect the soldiers.

It's a pretty basic plot - until the film attempts to pull in a series of side stories, including government conspiracy, a secret society, and even a romantic through-line - all of which require on-the-nose and disjointed exposition that weighs down any potential for dramatic tension. Instead of a tightly-wound action adventure film with a bit of added political intrigue or compelling character relationships, Killer Elite lumbers along for 105 minutes - saddled with too much time spent as Statham stares out airplane windows (cue flashbacks) and Owen converses with greying bureaucrats.

It's unfortunate because there are some genuinely fun character moments that shine through all of the anticlimactic drama - specifically any time De Niro is on screen. Not only is it fun to see the aged star in a role where he can genuinely kick ass, the veteran's on-screen presence helps buoy some of the performances from his colleagues. Statham and De Niro, have an especially enjoyable connection and watching the two trade barbs or fight together is surprisingly fun (and believable). Sadly, the same can't be said for the dynamic between Statham and Owen, whose scenes mostly amount to verbal pissing contests that sometimes result in the pair throwing each other around for a few minutes.

The various "missions" are, for the most part, diverse and interesting enough to keep moviegoers invested - each of the contracts has to confess to killing one of the sheikh's sons and Bryce has to make each death look like an accident. However, it can be hard to suspend disbelief from time to time - considering Bryce's team is supposed to include some of the slickest killers on the planet. Davies (Dominic Purcell), often referred to as the Welshmen in the film, is enjoyable to watch but unbelievably clumsy for someone who is supposed to be successfully going head-to-head with SAS agents. Similarly, some of the more difficult to explain elements of the film occur off-screen, such as one of the SAS soldier's confessions. These scenes are, for lack of a better term, cop-outs and, as a result, fail to pay off built up tension - instead of rising to the occasion and delivering believable and satisfying "in the moment" drama.

That said, the biggest problem is the pacing - which, coupled with the convoluted segments of the plot, rob the film of any narrative momentum. Killer Elite frequently jumps timeframes and locales - and as a result of various unfolding plot elements in the final act push out one anti-climax after another. Audience members will be nervous when they aren't supposed to be or blindsided by terribly handled, and uninspired, twists that are poorly developed throughout the larger narrative. Despite a solid Statham-esque chase sequence mid-way through act three, the closing minutes of Killer Elite fall pretty flat - not to mention fail to make good on all that time spent ruminating on competing political motives.

Fans of Jason Statham will no doubt have some fun with Killer Elite  and there's one show-stopping moment in the first Statham/Owen brawl that will certainly get a reaction from audiences, but for anyone looking for either an over-the-top action flick or a smart-witted political thriller, the film fails to live up to the sum of its respective parts. What's left is a cartoony and messy narrative that is mostly style over substance - a similar criticism to the ones, coincidentally, that have been used in attempt to discredit the validity of Fiennes' Feather Men tell-all and/or novel.

If you’re still on the fence about  Killer Elite , check out the trailer below:

[poll id="194"]

Follow me on Twitter @ benkendrick  - and let us know what you thought of the film below:

Killer Elite   is now in theaters.

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‘Killer Elite’ Movie Review

“He’s like a father to you, right? You don’t do this, he’s a dead man.” That’s how ex-special ops agent Danny ( Jason Statham ) is brought out of retirement to try to save his friend and mentor Hunter (Robert De Niro) from certain death at the hands of ruthless, powerful men seeking revenge and retribution in the action movie Killer Elite .

Trusting only two other ex-special ops who are now mercenaries-for-hire, Danny sets out to kill three assassins after taping their confessions of the murders they committed. This puts Danny up against a secret military order, operating under the auspices of British Intelligence, and their leader, a cunning ex-agent named Spike (Clive Owen) who’ll stop at nothing to protect the men he served with.

Covering the globe from the Middle East, Paris, Australia, and London, Danny and his team gather information about their three targets and set traps for them, trying to stay one step ahead of Spike and any other operatives who could stop them.

Based on a true story, Killer Elite is an action-adventure thriller with a solid cast that suffers from a flimsy, uninteresting plot. The writing is weak, with one-dimensional characters that the audience has seen way too many times before. Jason Statham as Danny delivers the same silent, threatening performance he’s done before in other films such as Crank and The Transporter . There is absolutely nothing new here from him on the screen.

Clive Owen is effectively menacing as Spike the ex-agent whose only redeeming value is the loyalty he feels and shows to his ex-comrades in arms. Perhaps the worst thing about the film is the complete waste of a great actor, Robert De Niro, who basically sits most of the action out – with the exception of a brief, failed escape attempt early in the film – waiting to be rescued or released.

Another big problem with the film is the uninspired action scenes featuring shootouts and fistfights which have been choreographed and directed much better in other superior films. There’s no real sense of tension or drama, and the pacing is choppy.

Unoriginal and uneven, Killer Elite is a forgettable action film.

Killer Elite hits theaters on September 23, 2011 and is rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity.

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Movie Review: Killer Elite (2011)

• Charlie Juhl
• Movie Reviews
• One response
• --> September 25, 2011

Killer Elite is saddled with a vague and forgettable title but at least it sounds more lethal than “The Feather Men,” the book it is based upon written by Sir Ranulph Fiennes (face it, an evil cabal known as the Feather Men does not inspire too much fear). These ex-SAS (Special Air Service) members, and now business leaders, chose the name themselves to signify their light touch on situations which concern them. So when shady characters start asking around about an old mission in Oman which involved SAS men, this falls right in the wheelhouse of issues the Feather Men are watching out for.

“The Feather Men” novel is allegedly based on a true story but none of the facts have ever been verified. Sir Fiennes described the book as “factional” which does not bode well for the story’s authenticity. However, the plot is intriguing, especially for a shoot ’em up first, ask questions later action fest. The background and set up are complicated enough which makes you want to follow it closely. I do not want to provide an exact plot synopsis, but essentially Danny Bryce (Jason Statham) must kill some ex-SAS men to save his assassin mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro), from some Omani oil sheiks. Spike Logan (Clive Owen), also an ex-SAS man, but not one of the marked men, has his sixth sense kick into overdrive and tries to save his mates from Danny’s bullets as any good Feather Man would. Sir Fiennes actually claims to be one of those marked SAS men.

The script portrays Danny as an assassin who has lost his taste for killing and vows after every trigger pull that “this is my last job.” He is supposedly from Australia but oddly maintains a thick and native British accent. Since every assassin must have someone to come home to, his girlfriend Anne (Yvonne Strahovski) waits impatiently for him as he disappears on his missions. Strahovski is a real life Australian and has a matching accent to prove it. She has been outstanding in the “Chuck” television series so it is enjoyable to see her finally cross over into mainstream film.

Even though the plot is deeper than your average thriller, the dialogue of Killer Elite does not rise above mediocrity and has the exact same platitudes as most other actions films. The worst example is:

“He knew what he was getting into when he joined the club.” “What club?” “The killer’s club.”

There is also the obligatory conversation about the woe is me assassin which includes the gem, “The killing is easy, living with it is hard.”

First time feature film director Gary McKendry is very good at filming one on one hand fighting scenes. Statham and Owen impressively use the entire room and every prop in it to beat each other senseless. For the ladies, they still keep their film star looks even after they are done taking turns butchering each other. What McKendry has yet to master are car chases. The edits are too fast which turns each of them into a messy muddle. Opening one weekend after “ Drive ” which contains outstanding car sequences makes these awkward scenes in Killer Elite look even worse by comparison.

The overall look to Killer Elite is good, however. Even though it was mainly shot in Melbourne, the skies are usually England gray and the Brecon Beacons mountain range sequence is shot well. This film is right in that middle range where I am unsure still at this point rather to recommend it or not. It is much better than the garbage in its genre such as “ The Expendables ” but fails to reach up to the higher level of Statham actioners like “Crank” or “ The Bank Job .” I marginally recommend Killer Elite for its absorbing plot and intricate assassination sequences, but be warned, this film is not anything more than average.

Tagged: hitman , novel adaptation , rescue , true story

I like movies and they like me right back. You can find out how much by visiting my personal site Citizen Charlie .

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'Movie Review: Killer Elite (2011)' has 1 comment

October 3, 2011 @ 7:52 am Bill

a thoroughly forgettable film.

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The Killer Elite Reviews

The images in The Killer Elite are charged, and you have the feeling that not one is wasted.

Full Review | Oct 25, 2023

…Perhaps this isn’t Peckinpah’s best, but The Killer Elite’s conspiracy theories still give it the hard edge that a crime thriller requires…

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Mar 9, 2023

The result is a strangely dissonant and compelling entertainment, an unsettling criss-cross of Chinatown Nights' fantasy and dyspeptic meditation on figures set firmly in their contemporary landscape.

Full Review | Jan 27, 2020

It is not as violent as usual, simply boring, confused and interminable.

Full Review | Oct 21, 2019

Unfortunately, once the aggression is unleashed, it ends up devouring its protagonists just like life itself. [Full Review in Spanish]

Full Review | Jul 17, 2019

It's right in tune with the cinema of paranoia and conspiracy that bloomed in the seventies while also jumping on the martial arts craze with Caan taking on ninja warriors ...

Full Review | Mar 30, 2017

Solid action pic.

Full Review | Original Score: B | Jan 24, 2012

A fable of self-romanticizing paranoia, acknowledged as a splendid private joke played from deep within a corporate potboiler

Full Review | Feb 14, 2010

Misunderstood at the time of its release, this is essentially a droll parody of espionage thrillers with plenty of chases and shoot-outs presented in an absurdist, mocking tone by director Peckinpah.

Full Review | Original Score: 2/4 | Aug 30, 2006

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Nov 6, 2005

An underrated CIA thriller directed by Sam Peckinpah with lots of quirky offhand moments.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Oct 9, 2005

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Jun 30, 2005

Sam Peckinpah knows how to make movies but perhaps he has forgotten why.

Full Review | Original Score: 1.5/5 | May 9, 2005

The Killer Elite is directed and acted with a certain nice style, but it puts us through so many convolutions of the plot that finally we just don't care.

Full Review | Original Score: 2.5/4 | Oct 23, 2004

Shoe-leather tough but refreshingly low key for Peckinpah.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Aug 4, 2002

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Killer Elite

• When his mentor is taken captive by a disgraced Arab sheik, a killer-for-hire is forced into action. His mission: kill three members of Britain's elite Special Air Service responsible for his sons' deaths.
• Loosely-based on a true story, Killer Elite pits two of the world's most elite operatives--Danny, a ruthless killer-for-hire ( Jason Statham ); and Hunter, his longtime mentor ( Robert De Niro )--against the cunning leader of a secret society of former Special Air Service operatives(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 revenge and deception--where things are not always what they appear to be. — Anonymous
• In 1980, assassins Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), Hunter (Robert De Niro), Davies (Dominic Purcell), and Meier (Aden Young) are in Mexico to assassinate a man. Danny unwittingly kills him in front of his young child, then is injured during the getaway. Affected by this outcome, Danny retires and returns to his native Australia. One year later, Danny is summoned to Oman where Hunter is being held captive. He meets with the Agent (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje), who arranges missions for killers, and learns that Hunter accepted a $6 million job but failed to accomplish it. If Danny doesn't complete Hunter's mission, Hunter will be executed. Danny is introduced to Sheikh Amr, a deposed king of a small region of Oman who wants Danny to kill three former SAS agents-Steven Harris (Lachy Hulme), Steven Cregg, and Simon McCann-for killing his three eldest sons during the Dhofar Rebellion. Danny must videotape their confessions and make their deaths look like accidents, and he must do it before the terminally ill Sheikh dies. This will allow the Sheikh's fourth son, Bakhait (Firass Dirani), to regain control of the desert region his father had ruled. If Danny fails, Hunter will be killed. Danny reunites with Davies and Meier. They agree to help him in exchange for a share of the money. As Danny and Meier sneak into the house of their first target, Steven Harris, in Oman, Davies questions local bar patrons about former SAS members. This is reported to the Feathermen, a secret society of former operatives protecting their own. Their head enforcer, Spike Logan (Clive Owen), is sent to investigate. Logan sends one of his boys to trail Davies who takes pics of Danny, Davies & Meier. Danny spots him, but Logan's man escapes. After Harris has confessed on videotape, Danny and Meier take him to the bathroom. Their plan is to break his neck using a hammer with tiles similar to those of the bathroom floor to make it appear that Harris slipped and broke his neck. Danny is distracted by the arrival of Harris's girlfriend and when he returns to the bathroom, he finds that Meier was forced to kill Harris hastily in a struggle. Back in London, Davies discovers the second target, Steven Cregg, preparing for a long nighttime march in wintry weather at a local SAS base. Davies pretends to be a civilian having car problems outside the base's fence, allowing Danny to infiltrate the base. There he drugs Cregg's coffee to induce shock and cause Cregg to die of hypothermia during the march. Danny, in uniform, follows Cregg on the march, and a delirious Cregg confesses on videotape to Danny before he dies. Logan almost catches Danny after identifying him from the surveillance photos, but Danny escapes. Danny traces Logan & tells the Agent that his team is being followed by Logan. The Agent is in touch with the British Govt, who seems to be driving this entire operation to manipulate the Sheik for his oil somehow. The British intelligence offers to take care of Logan. The British make contact with Logan's superiors who were in favor of leaving the Oman story & all associated men alone in the first place. Going to their last target, Simon McCann, currently a mercenary, they rig a truck to respond to remote control with the help of a new and inexperienced team member, Jake (Michael Dorman). As McCann is on his way to a fake job interview, Meier and Jake take control of the truck from another car and cause it to move in front of McCann's car, killing him. However, Logan and his men were watching over McCann. A gun fight in the docks ensues, and Meier is accidentally killed by Jake due to his lack of experience. Danny and Davies decide that the case is over, and they part ways. Davies is soon hit by a truck and killed while being chased by Logan's men. Danny returns to Oman and gives the Sheikh the last taped confession, which he has faked. Hunter is released and returns to his family, while Danny heads back to Australia and reunites with Anne (Yvonne Strahovski), a childhood acquaintance. Soon, he is informed by the Agent that there is one last man who participated in the Sheikh's sons' murders and that this man, Ranulph Fiennes, is about to release a book about his experiences as a member of the SAS. Danny tells Anne to go to France with Hunter to protect her while he carries out the last job. The Sheikh's son confirms that Harris was an innocent man. Logan, meanwhile, traces Danny through the Agent and sends a team to protect the author, but Jake distracts them, allowing Danny to infiltrate the building and shoot the author. He chooses to only wound the author, however, but takes pictures that appear to show him dead. Logan chases and captures Danny, taking him to an abandoned warehouse, but he is interrupted when the agent from the British government arrives and reveals that the British government is behind the events because of the Sheikh's valuable oil reserves. A three-way battle ensues, with Danny escaping and Logan shooting the government agent. Danny and Hunter head to Oman to give the Sheikh the pictures. However, Logan arrives first and confronts the Sheikh, telling him that the pictures are fake and then stabbing him to death. The Sheikh's son does not care and gives the money, which was intended for Danny and Hunter, to Logan. Hunter spots Logan leaving, and they chase after him, along with the Sheikh's men. After stopping the Sheikh's men, Danny and Hunter confront Logan on a desert road. Danny says that Logan can keep the money (though Hunter takes some of the money for his expenses and his family). They give Logan the remainder, telling him that he'll need it to start a new life away from the government after killing the government agent and acting against the wishes of the Feathermen and the British government. Danny says that it's over for him and that Logan must make up his own mind. They leave him there, saying they'll send a cab for him from the airport. Danny meets with Anne in France to start a new life.

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Killer Elite (United States/Australia, 2011)

Despite having a perfect cast for a title like Killer Elite , Gary McKendry's feature debut comes across as little more than a generic Jason Statham movie with two high-profile guest stars. However, while Clive Owen and Robert De Niro add some star power to this otherwise unassuming motion picture, their presence does not stitch together the seams evident in a hit-or-miss screenplay nor does it enliven the safe and somewhat static approach embraced by McKendry as he feels his way. Killer Elite contains numerous action sequences but too little compelling connective tissue for it to be more than a high octane diversion. This should have been released during the summer.

Killer Elite opens with a caption that informs us it is "based on a true story," as if that somehow excuses some of the short-cuts and coincidences. In fact, the factuality of the source material, Ranulph Fiennes' The Feather Men , has been challenged and, in some cases, debunked. There's probably a kernel of truth lurking somewhere beneath the surface in Killer Elite , but to accept it as anything more than a motion picture interpretation of a largely fictional novel would be a mistake.

The story, which transpires in 1981, concerns the revenge plot of a sheik in Omar who hires professional assassin Danny (Statham) to kill the British SAS officers responsible for his sons' deaths. As collateral, the sheik captures Danny's partner, Hunter (De Niro), who will be released only upon completion of the triple killing. To make matters more difficult, Danny is required to obtain videotaped confessions from each man and to make the murders seem like accidents. He is aided by the two other members of his crew - burly Davies (Dominic Purcell) and technically savvy Meier (Aden Young) - and opposed by an ex-SAS crack operative named Spike (Owen).

The story is pieced together in a straightforward, somewhat predictable fashion. Once Spike becomes involved, things get a more interesting since it introduces a degree of gamesmanship. We are never given sufficient details to savor Danny's work - the killings are handled expeditiously and the way in which they are presented feels almost like a shorthand outline of a much longer draft. There are also murky backroom individuals whose motives are as shady as the venue in which they meet. All of this hints at a vastly more complex story than the one that evolves on screen.

Killer Elite , like just about every other Jason Statham film, is fights and shoot-outs and car chases. There's not appreciably more here. Statham is his usual dour, square-jawed self. Danny has developed a killer's remorse, but that surfaces only when it's convenient, and he has a love interest (played by the willowy Yvonne Strahovski, whose TV stardom results in her having more scenes than is necessary). These attempts are made to flesh out the character, but they're only partially successful. In the end, this is about Statham and Owen trying to out-badass each other. Kind of fun, but not as fulfilling as one might hope. For the most part, De Niro remains on the sidelines - his character is kept in confinement for about 2/3 of the movie. He gets in on the fun at the beginning and the end.

Had Killer Elite been made with B-list co-stars instead of Owen and De Niro, it would have been easy to lump together with other Statham vehicles like The Transporter and Crank . It's a little better grounded than either of those earlier movies, but it is essentially gunning for the same audience. The problem is that, having spent the money to hire Owen and De Niro, it's incumbent upon McKendry to give them something interesting to do, and that really doesn't happen. Both of these men are good actors but too often they agree to appear in subpar material for the paycheck (this has been increasingly true of De Niro). Killer Elite is just another example. There's enough action to keep viewers awake and moderately interested, but the lack of a compelling back story and the failure to do more than paint-by-numbers character development makes Killer Elite unfulfilling and anything but "elite."

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Killer Elite Review

30 Sep 2011

116 minutes

Killer Elite

Remember that Simpsons where Homer rents Paint Your Wagon because anything with Lee Marvin and Clint Eastwood is guaranteed to be a no-brain killfest? Here’s that same effect from Jason Statham and Clive Owen, Britain’s hardest blokes, in a clunky, sprawling effort (Oman, London, Paris, Australia) loosely inspired by Rannulph Fiennes’ memoirs, The Feather Men. A hit man (Statham, doing Stath schtick) takes one last job because his mentor (Robert DeNiro) is abducted by a dying sheikh who wants revenge on the SAS men who killed his sons. An ex-SAS fixer (Owen, with a comedy moustache and false eye) is retained by a cabal to keep secrets buried and ex-soldiers safe. They clash, but not often enough. Lots of extraneous characters (both leads have verminous sidekicks to do the unpleasant things that stas would lose audience sympathy if they did themselves), terrible dialogue (‘killing’s easy - living with it is the hard part’), a story that never sorts itself out and lead actors on autopilot. An Australian film, hence the surprisingly high number of Aussie accents among the SAS and mercenary characters. The title is poached from the 1975 Sam Peckinpah spy movie – it’s one of Peckinpah’s weakest films, but still much, much better than this.

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