Today’s quick review: Killer Elite. Once a professional assassin, Danny (Jason Statham) now wants nothing more than to lead an ordinary life. But when Hunter (Robert De Niro), his old mentor, is taken prisoner for backing out on a job, Danny must finish the job to free him. His targets are three British SAS soldiers, who are well-trained and highly protected. Standing in his way is Spike (Clive Owen), an ex-SAS soldier with friends in high places.
Killer Elite is an action movie that’s based on a true story. Set in 1981, Killer Elite deals with the aftermath of the British intervention in Oman, as seen through the eyes of one killer who’s drawn into the cycle of revenge. Its historical background aside, Killer Elite is a typical assassin movie with an unusually tough trio of targets. The movie delivers on action, plot twists, and cast, but suffers from flawed storytelling in places.
Killer Elite does get good mileage out of its premise. The SAS targets each require careful planning to get at, with the added wrinkle that Danny must extract a confession from each of them and make their deaths look like accidents. The film does a good job of making both Danny and his opposition look professional: Danny and his team are lethally efficient, but their few mistakes are enough for Spike to get a lead on their operation.
However, Killer Elite stumbles when it comes to telling a coherent story. The outline of the plot works just fine; it’s only the execution that’s shaky. The action takes place over six months and half a dozen locations, with three targets and a number of plot threads in play. The ambiguous passage of time and rapid jumps between locations make the story feel disjointed, a problem that’s exacerbated by flashbacks to Danny’s civilian life.
Watch Killer Elite when you’re in the mood for a serious action movie with a decent plot and a few familiar faces. Killer Elite nips at the heels of an interesting story, but it just can’t seem to get a handle on it, resulting in a satisfying but conventional action movie on the violent side of the spectrum. For another action film where Jason Statham plays an assassin, check out The Mechanic. For more upbeat action, try The Transporter.
6.5 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it the same for solid action coupled with a disjointed story.