Killshot (2008)

Beautiful Carmen Colson and her ironworker husband Wayne are placed in the Federal Witness Protection program after witnessing an "incident". Thinking they are at last safe, they are targeted by an experienced hit man and a psychopathic young upstart killer. The ensuing struggle will test Carmen to the limit.

Director:

John Madden

Writers:

Hossein Amini (screenplay), Elmore Leonard (novel)

Stars:

Thomas Jane, Diane Lane, Mickey Rourke

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Mickey Rourke	...	Blackbird
Brandon McGibbon	...	Blackbird's Kid Brother
Peter Kelly Gaudreault	...	Blackbird's Brother
Michelle Arvizu	...	Nurse
Richard Zeppieri	...	Son-in-Law / Mafia Boss
Alexis Butler	...	Girl in Hotel Room
Hal Holbrook	...	Papa
Diane Lane	...	Carmen
Robert Gow	...	Prospective Buyer
Catherine Hayos	...	Prospective Buyer
Thomas Jane	...	Wayne Colson
Craig Blair	...	Construction Site Foreman
Joseph Gordon-Levitt	...	Richie
Lynne Deragon	...	Mrs. Palino
Rosario Dawson	...	Donna

Storyline

When the professional killer Armand 'Blackbird' Degas falls in disgrace with the Mafia, he flees to another city in Canada. He stumbles upon the psychopath Richie Nix, who lives with his girlfriend Donna. Armand teams up with him and moves to his house. Richie summons Armand to participate in a scheme to take money from a wealthy real estate agent, but he commits a mistake and the couple Wayne Colson and Carmen Colson witness their action. They are forced to join the Witness Protection Program by the FBI and they move to another town. But Armand and Ritchie are hunting them down since they are a thread.

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Plot Keywords:

witness protection | witness protection program | female nudity | motorboat | white panties | 

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Taglines:

Yesterday she was a witness. Today she's a target.

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Genres:

Action | Crime | Drama | Thriller

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for violence, language and brief nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

The release date changed several times because the film has undergone a series of re-shoots after it's original completion date in January 2006.

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Goofs

When Wayne is working on the barge he is not wearing a Type II flotation vest as required by US Coast Guard while in motion and working.

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Quotes

Richie Nix: Well, my name's Richie Nix, in case you've ever heard of me. That's N-i-x; it's not the way Stevie Nicks spells hers.

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Connections

Referenced in Unique Congratulation (2014)

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Soundtracks

Monkey
Written by George Alan Sparhawk, Mimi J. Parker, Zachary Micheletti
Performed by Low
Courtesy of Sub Pop Records

User Reviews

Edge of the seat stuff!

Lots of actors seemingly heading for the scrap heap have made memorable comebacks. Burt Reynold in "Boogie Nights" , John Travolta in " Pulp Fiction" and Sylvester Stallone in " Copland" are the three obvious examples. The most recent High profile comeback has been Mickey Rourke in the magnificent film " The Wrestler" but was it just a flash in the pan?

When real estate agent Carmen Colson catches a glimpse of a hit-man named the Blackbird as he carries out a job, a subsequent request for her to testify against the aging gun for hire soon lands both Carmen and her husband, Wayne , in the Witness Protection Program. Blackbird isn't a man who likes to leave loose ends when it comes to his work, though, and now as the seasoned assassin and his psychotic partner attempt to catch the couple in their crosshairs, Carmen and Wayne are going to need much more than a few federal agents to make it out of increasingly deadly situation alive

Killshot is one of those low budget films that got a very limited release at the start of the year. In fact according to imdbPro.com in the first two weeks of release in the US it grossed just $17,000. When i read details like this it always rings alarm bells. I needn't have worried because Killshot is a really entertaining , well acted thriller of which i thoroughly enjoyed. I found Mickey Rourke's performance an intense one and he has proved to me that he is back with a bang for good! There is also some great acting from Joseph Gordon-Levitt and the gorgeous Diane Lane.

If your into violent gang related movies you wont be disappointed with Killshot. It delivers on all fronts. The story is believable as are the characters and the final twenty minutes produces real "edge of the seat" excitement. My only criticism is that it does have the feel of a Cable or straight to DVD movie but i cant quite put my finger on why. It shouldn't be a surprise that a film directed by John Madden is as entertaining considering he has brought us "Prime Suspect" , "Inspector Morse" and "Shakespeare in Love" in the past.

Killshot is released on DVD in the U.S on May the 26th and has no date yet for a cinema or DVD release here in the UK.

7 out of 10

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [United States]

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 November 2008 (Israel)

Also Known As:

Killshot

Filming Locations:

Ontario, Canada

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$10,741, 25 January 2009

Gross USA:

$18,643

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,961,647

Company Credits

Production Co:

The Weinstein Company, FilmColony, Lawrence Bender Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

95 min

Sound Mix:

SDDS DTS Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1