American Ultra

Play trailer

1:10

American Ultra

R

2015

1h 36m

Action

Comedy

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

44%

Tomatometer

174 Reviews

45%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Small-town stoner Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) spends most of his time getting high and writing a graphic novel. What Mike doesn't know is that he was trained by the CIA to be a lethal killing machine. When the agency targets him for termination, his former handler activates his latent skills, turning the mild-mannered slacker into a deadly weapon. Now, the utterly surprised Mike must use his newfound abilities to save himself and his girlfriend from getting smoked.

Watch on Fandango

Stream Now

Critics Consensus

American Ultra has some interesting ideas, but like its stoned protagonist, it's too easily distracted to live up to its true potential.

Read Critics Reviews

Kristen Yoonsoo Kim

Complex

Feb 24, 2017

3.5/5

American Ultra, built upon ridiculous premise and casting, is not only the funniest but unexpectedly one of the best action movies of the summer.

Go to Full Review

Jason Bailey

Flavorwire

May 27, 2016

A loud, ugly, slapdash combination of action movie, pot comedy, criminal romance, and conspiracy thriller - and about as lumpy and ungainly as you'd imagine such a stew would be.

Go to Full Review

Alex Abad-Santos

Vox

Dec 17, 2015

2.5/5

There are patches where the film stalls and crumbles under too much explanation. That's a shame, because the movie does have bite and sterling moments. But you shouldn't have to be stoned to appreciate them.

Go to Full Review

Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

May 27, 2022

3/4

A rather exciting, downright visceral, very often romantic, and unexpectedly fun experience.

Go to Full Review

Therese Lacson

Nerdophiles

Oct 9, 2021

4/5

"American Ultra" is Explosively Fun and Completely Ridiculous

Go to Full Review

Joanne Laurier

World Socialist Web Site

Feb 26, 2021

That the filmmakers have some consciousness of the criminal role of the CIA makes the movie, that is neither funny nor well made, a shameful project from the start.

Go to Full Review

Read all reviews

Albert T

@albert6565 Sep 4, 2026

This movie should have been ridiculous, but it was a lot of fun to watch and pretty exciting. Great cast.

See more

Dakota S

@HONESTREVIEWS01 Aug 18, 2026

American Ultra is on of those movies that leaves you wanting more! This is a very underrated film blasted by bad critics! I wish they would have made a series or a sequel to this movie!

See more

steve M

@RT56443411 Jul 15, 2026

I enjoyed this movie more than I expected. It is a sillly premise with the right cast. It was hit and miss, but the hits made it fun. The two leads had fun with it and the supporting cast was up to the challenge. Goggins, Hale, Leguzamo, Britton and Grace each added so much side fun that the ‘stupidity’ of the plot was made perfect. I have watched this film 4 times and each time I enjoyed it more. To me, that is the mark of a good film.

See more

Marc K

@wtexram Jun 14, 2026

Not a funny movie or realistic in any sense. This is the kind of movie that makes fun of the government in the worst way. Yet people wonder why morals decay. Terrible acting

See more

David B.

@RT14283473 Jun 3, 2026

I WAS ENTERTAINED!!!

See more

roe T

@RT16238843 Jun 3, 2026

It was good but not great. Scenes are predictable. There was this one scene in the ending where it says the location was in Manila, PH but the hotel staff and guests are foreigners and the captors are Chinese. There. That was the comedic scene.

See more

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

POST RATING

Nima Nourizadeh

Director

Jesse Eisenberg

Mike Howell

Kristen Stewart

Phoebe Larson

Topher Grace

Adrian Yates

Connie Britton

Victoria Lasseter

Walton Goggins

Laugher

American Ultra: The Tough Guy Operatives

2:11

Now Playing

American Ultra: I Just Killed Two Gentlemen

2:31

Now Playing

American Ultra: You Got the Monkey Virus?

2:09

Now Playing

American Ultra: Escaping the Basement

2:17

Now Playing

American Ultra: I'm Your Handler

2:53

Now Playing

American Ultra: I Hate You, Man!

2:52

Now Playing

American Ultra: The Old Frying Pan Bullet Trick

2:38

Now Playing

American Ultra: Supermarket Skirmish

2:53

Now Playing

American Ultra: Not So Different

3:10

Now Playing

American Ultra: Engaged and Tased

2:07

Now Playing

View more videos

Keanu

78%

55%

Keanu

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Keanu

Spy

94%

78%

Spy

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Spy

We're the Millers

48%

77%

We're the Millers

Watchlist

30 Minutes or Less

45%

40%

30 Minutes or Less

Watchlist

The Brothers Grimsby

37%

41%

The Brothers Grimsby

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Brothers Grimsby

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

On DVD This Week: Shaun the Sheep, American Ultra, Doctor Who, and More

Box Office Guru Wrapup: Straight Outta Compton Stays at Number One

American Ultra is Half-Baked

American Ultra: Trailer 3

1:10

Now Playing

American Ultra: Weapon Trailer

2:20

Now Playing

View more videos

View more photos

Synopsis

Small-town stoner Mike Howell (Jesse Eisenberg) spends most of his time getting high and writing a graphic novel. What Mike doesn't know is that he was trained by the CIA to be a lethal killing machine. When the agency targets him for termination, his former handler activates his latent skills, turning the mild-mannered slacker into a deadly weapon. Now, the utterly surprised Mike must use his newfound abilities to save himself and his girlfriend from getting smoked.

Director: Nima Nourizadeh
Producer: Anthony Bregman, Kevin Scott Frakes, Raj Brinder Singh, David Alpert, Britton Rizzio
Screenwriter: Max Landis
Distributor: Lionsgate Films
Production Co: Circle of Confusion, PalmStar Media
Rating: R (Language Throughout|Drug Use|Some Sexual Content|Strong Bloody Violence)
Genre: Action, Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Aug 21, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $14.4M
Runtime: 1h 36m

Join The Newsletter

Join The Newsletter

Cookie Settings