Killer Elite (2011) Review

Time: 116 MinutesAge Rating: R16 – contains violence & offensive languageCast:Jason Statham as Danny BryceClive Owen as Spike LoganYvonne Strahovski as Anne FrazierRobert De Niro as HunterLachy Hulme as Steven HarrisDominic Purcell as DaviesAden Young as MeierBen Mendelsohn as MartinDirector: Gary McKendry Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), one of the world’s deadliest special-ops agents, returns from…

thecinemacritic

September 10, 2023

2–3 minutes

Time: 116 Minutes
Age Rating: R16 – contains violence & offensive language
Cast:
Jason Statham as Danny Bryce
Clive Owen as Spike Logan
Yvonne Strahovski as Anne Frazier
Robert De Niro as Hunter
Lachy Hulme as Steven Harris
Dominic Purcell as Davies
Aden Young as Meier
Ben Mendelsohn as Martin
Director: Gary McKendry

Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), one of the world’s deadliest special-ops agents, returns from self-imposed exile after his mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro) is captured. Danny reassembles his former team of skilled commandos to launch a rescue mission, and also to infiltrate the highly feared military unit, the British Special Air Service. The mission will not be easy, for Danny and his team must cut their way through Spike (Clive Owen) and a team of assassins known as the Feather Men.

I had heard about Killer Elite for a while, I mainly knew it as an action movie starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen, and Robert De Niro. Despite the mixed reviews, I enjoyed it, but I wish it was better.

As it turns out, its not quite the usual Jason Statham flick I was expecting it to be. It’s based on a book focusing on true events, and is more of a serious and gritty action crime thriller. It had potential, there are some spy elements, and takes place in a world of hitmen, mercenaries, and spies. The story is interesting and fine enough, but is a bit too conventional and repetitive. It felt like it could’ve been something a lot more substantial.

The cast is pretty good, mainly with the main actors in Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. It mostly comes down to Statham and Owen, De Niro is not at his best and is more of a passenger who occasionally pops up to remind you that he’s in the movie, but he’s still having a good time here.

Gary McKendry’s direction is decent. The cinematography is good, and the action is entertaining with solid shootouts and fight scenes, even if they aren’t that memorable.