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Killer Elite

  • 20112011
  • RR
  • 1h 56m
IMDb RATING
6.4/10
129K
YOUR RATING
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
Killer Elite (2011)
When his mentor (Robert De Niro) is taken captive, a retired member of Britain's Elite Special Air Service (Jason Statham) is forced into action. His mission: kill three assassins dispatched by their cunning leader (Clive Owen).
Play trailer2:05
4 Videos
89 Photos
  • Action
  • Crime
  • Thriller

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 hi... Read allWhen 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.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.

IMDb RATING
6.4/10
129K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gary McKendry
  • Writers
    • Matt Sherring(screenplay)
    • Ranulph Fiennes(book "The Feather Men")
  • Stars
    • Jason Statham
    • Clive Owen
    • Robert De Niro
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gary McKendry
  • Writers
    • Matt Sherring(screenplay)
    • Ranulph Fiennes(book "The Feather Men")
  • Stars
    • Jason Statham
    • Clive Owen
    • Robert De Niro
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 203User reviews
    • 190Critic reviews
    • 44Metascore
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 2 wins & 8 nominations

    Videos4

    Exclusive Trailer Premiere
    Trailer 2:05
    Exclusive Trailer Premiere
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:39
    Teaser Trailer
    Teaser Trailer
    Trailer 1:40
    Teaser Trailer
    Killer Elite
    Promo 0:33
    Killer Elite

    Photos89

    Jason Statham and Yvonne Strahovski in Killer Elite (2011)
    Jason Statham in Killer Elite (2011)
    Jason Statham and Clive Owen in Killer Elite (2011)
    Jason Statham in Killer Elite (2011)
    Jason Statham and Clive Owen in Killer Elite (2011)
    Robert De Niro and Jason Statham in Killer Elite (2011)
    Robert De Niro and Jason Statham in Killer Elite (2011)
    Robert De Niro and Jason Statham in Killer Elite (2011)
    Yvonne Strahovski at an event for Killer Elite (2011)
    Killer Elite (2011)
    Killer Elite (2011)
    Killer Elite (2011)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jason Statham
    Jason Statham
    • Dannyas Danny
    Clive Owen
    Clive Owen
    • Spikeas Spike
    Robert De Niro
    Robert De Niro
    • Hunteras Hunter
    Dominic Purcell
    Dominic Purcell
    • Daviesas Davies
    Aden Young
    Aden Young
    • Meieras Meier
    Yvonne Strahovski
    Yvonne Strahovski
    • Anneas Anne
    Ben Mendelsohn
    Ben Mendelsohn
    • Martinas Martin
    Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
    Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje
    • Agentas Agent
    David Whiteley
    David Whiteley
    • MI6 Manas MI6 Man
    Matt Nable
    Matt Nable
    • Pennockas Pennock
    • (as Matthew Nable)
    Lachy Hulme
    Lachy Hulme
    • Harrisas Harris
    Firass Dirani
    • Bakhaitas Bakhait
    Nick Tate
    Nick Tate
    • Commander Bas Commander B
    Bille Brown
    • Colonel Fitzas Colonel Fitz
    Stewart Morritt
    • Campbellas Campbell
    Grant Bowler
    Grant Bowler
    • Creggas Cregg
    Michael Dorman
    Michael Dorman
    • Jakeas Jake
    Daniel Roberts
    • McCannas McCann
    • Director
      • Gary McKendry
    • Writers
      • Matt Sherring(screenplay)
      • Ranulph Fiennes(book "The Feather Men") (inspiration)
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit
    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
    • man tied up
    • tied to chair
    • mentor
    • sas
    • coming out of retirement
    • 173 more
    • Plot summary
    • Plot synopsis
    • Taglines
      • May the Best Man Live
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Crime
      • Thriller
    • Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)
      • Rated R for strong violence, language and some sexuality/nudity
    • Parents guide

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Sir Ranulph Fiennes, an English adventurer, polar explorer and former S.A.S. man is the author of The Feather Men, the novel on which this film is adapted. Although he has often claimed the novel was a true story, the families of the real dead S.A.S. men named in the novel who died on S.A.S. exercises, and the S.A.S. themselves publicly attacked it as sick exploitation and complete fiction. The S.A.S. even went on the record to disown both Fiennes and the book, with Lieutenant Colonel Ian Smith telling the Daily Mail "It was utter bulls-it, the figment of a fertile imagination. What was really upsetting, was that it was making a story out of a tragedy." Maggie Denaro, the widow of one of the dead S.A.S. men said of Fiennes, "It's time he grew up. He's made his money out of the book. He should come clean. When the book came out saying Mike had been murdered, we knew it wasn't true. But that didn't stop our children from being upset when other people believed it." Although Fiennes claims he sent a manuscript of the book to the S.A.S. and the families of the dead men, who gave their approval, they have all unequivocally denied his claim.
    • Goofs
      When Hunter sits with Anne in the cafe in Paris the menu items written on the wall have prices in Euros, in 1980 it should have been Francs.
    • Quotes

      Davies: You don't trust that snake, do you? He's lying.

      Danny: Yeah? How do you know?

      Davies: His lips were moving.

    • Connections
      Featured in The Tonight Show with Jay Leno: Episode #19.214 (2011)
    • Soundtracks
      Delilah
      Composed by Barry Mason (as B. Mason) / Les Reed (as L. Reed)

      (c) 1968 Donna Music Limited

      Administered by J. Albert & Son Pty Limited

      Used with permission

    User reviews203

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Entertaining but not that dumb either
    "Killer Elite", not to be confused for the Sam Peckinpah film of the same name, is basically Jason Statham being Jason Statham kicking ass, but this time he's facing off against Clive Owen and a bunch of other, more sophisticated bad guys. But since Robert De Niro showed him the tricks of the trade, it just couldn't get any more macho than it already is.

    This movie is not just the typical shoot-em-up action fest. There is an actual espionage plot going underway, and though the screenplay isn't exactly original, the story unfolds in an engaging and intriguing way that I became concerned of the story for once and not just awaiting every action scene. The characters are fleshed out more often than most shoot-em-up movies of late. There's some beams of intelligence in certain scenes, though it's clearly not on the same level of the Jason Bourne movies. It tries hard though, and I have to give it credit for that. Was it really based on a true story? The film certainly doesn't say so, as it presents the somewhat complex tale as the usual Jason Statham ass-kicking fest. No comment there.

    Judging from his previous movies I'd say "Killer Elite" is better than Statham's previous outings "The Mechanic" and the dreadful "Blitz". Statham is still great at being badass and here he is no exception, although he actually gets hurt in this film a couple of times. Clive Owen is the best and most convincing actor in the film almost giving Statham a run for his money. De Niro is low-key here but I suspect it's just a warm-up for his next big project with Scorsese. Yvonne Strahovski is just emotional fodder for Statham's character and her moments with him are somewhat clichéd but still, not cheesy, although knowing her role from TV's "Chuck", she deserves better. Dominic Purcell is also quite funny as one of Statham's assassin friends. The rest of the cast was not bad.

    Production wise, the settings all look gritty and downbeat and someone's bound to get beaten up or shot pretty good in one of these sets. The music by Reinhold Heil and Johnny Klimek is alright but by-the-numbers. Simon Duggan's cinematography is good too - until the fight scenes. We do not want excessive shaky camera during ALL of the fight scenes, Mr. Duggan. The epic fight scene between Statham and Owen was almost ruined because of this.

    If there were some things that would make the film better, they would be - better dialogue at parts, more Owen, and much more De Niro. As it stands, "Killer Elite" is a pretty good, solid and tough action film, and will definitely score a home run with Statham fans.

    I eagerly await Statham's "Safe" because I feel that film is going to be genuinely very good.

    Overall rating: 69/100
    helpful•26
    19
    • dvc5159
    • Sep 30, 2011

    FAQ2

    • Is this movie actually based on a true story, as the trailers and marketing say?
    • Is this movie based on a book?

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • September 23, 2011 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • United Kingdom
      • Australia
    • Languages
      • English
      • Arabic
      • French
      • Spanish
    • Also known as
      • Asesinos de elite
    • Filming locations
      • Jordan
    • Production companies
      • Omnilab Media
      • Ambience Entertainment
      • Current Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Budget
      • $70,000,000 (estimated)
    • Gross US & Canada
      • $25,124,966
    • Opening weekend US & Canada
      • $9,352,008
      • Sep 25, 2011
    • Gross worldwide
      • $57,084,522
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 56 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby Digital
      • Datasat
      • SDDS
    • Aspect ratio
      • 2.40 : 1

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