Killer Elite is a film centered around Jason Statham’s character and is essential a Statham film, just with some big named support. Jason Statham’s Character is called Danny Bryce and is basically a hit man for hire, he only works with his partner Hunter (Robert De Niro) but after a particularly traumatising hit Danny retires from the game, leaving the life behind and continues to live his days out in Australia. That is until he realises that his ex-partner has been kidnapped for trying to back out of a hit.

 

Danny is then dragged back into the game and is promised if he kills 3 SAS members he and Hunter will be set free and given $6,000,000 as payment. However the conditions in which how these former SAS members must be killed makes Danny’s job that much more complicated. However, when a seperate SAS member, Spike, (Clive Owen) realises that his fellow soldiers are being taken out one by one he goes on the hunt for the suspects and then the film becomes a game of cat and mouse with a climactic ending.

THE ACTORS
Going into a Jason Statham film you expect 2 things – 1. There will be a lot of awesome action sequences and 2. The acting would be average at best. However we all know Statham’s acting is better than average, check out his great turns in Lock, Stock & Two Smoking Barrels & Snatch and to a lesser extent The Mechanic. Statham has definitely tried to up his game in this film, he is still a complete badass but there is depth to his character. Robert De Niro gives a pretty good performance but with not a lot of dialogue it is hard to tell. Clive Owen though gives a great performance and is quickly becoming one of my favourite actors due to a great choice in films (Trust, Shoot ’em Up, etc.). He plays a paranoid ex-SAS soldier great and is the driving force through the latter half of the movie.

THE DIRECTOR
This is the first movie of Gary McKendry and for a debut film is pretty good, he won’t win an Oscar but it is refreshing nowadays to have action scenes without much shaky cam. I look forward to his next film.

CONCLUSION
This is an action film with a brain, it is not pure non stop action, this film has a story and underneath all the blood, guns and muscles is a heart. Definitely watch this movie if you are a fan of any of the three top billed actors or just if you want an action film with an IQ higher than 50.

MY SCORE
7/10