Killer Elite

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Killer Elite

R

2011

2h 0m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

26%

Tomatometer

125 Reviews

42%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), one of the world's deadliest special-ops agents, returns from self-imposed exile after his mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro) is captured. Danny reassembles his former team of skilled commandos to launch a rescue mission, and also to infiltrate the highly feared military unit, the British Special Air Service. The mission will not be easy, for Danny and his team must cut their way through Spike (Clive Owen) and a team of assassins known as the Feather Men.

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Critics Consensus

A rote, utterly disposable Jason Statham vehicle that just happens to have Clive Owen and Robert De Niro in it.

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Sara Michelle Fetters

MovieFreak.com

Jan 27, 2012

1.5/4

The movie just sort of sits there, going through the motions, reveling in clich, building to a strangely inert climax that is forgone as it is underwhelming.

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Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

Sep 30, 2011

2/5

The overlong, perfunctory Killer Elite is simply a series of (reasonably well-choreographed) assassination sequences.

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Nick Hasted

Little White Lies

Sep 28, 2011

2/5

Long, muddled, misguided.

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Diego Batlle

Otroscines.com

Jul 9, 2026

2.5/5

The main issue is that the film very quickly abandons any semblance of seriousness in the abuses of the intelligence services and begins to rely on increasingly laughable situations...[Full review in Spanish]

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Matt Brunson

Film Frenzy

May 18, 2026

1.5/4

Anyone hoping for an intriguing game of cat-and-mouse between Statham and Owen -- on the order of Ford and Jones in The Fugitive -— will realize that their skirmishes can’t even match the feud between Tom and Jerry… or Punch and Judy, for that matter.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Mar 8, 2023

2.5/4

Killer Elite is more involving than your usual Statham drivel and certainly deserves attention outside of his usual fanbase.

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Noel L

@RT15930389 Sep 14, 2026

Honestly nothing seemed special about this movie

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Chris S

@Janomi Jul 5, 2026

Killer Elite is strongest when it leans into its old-school espionage/action tone. The mercenary world, political coverups, assassinations, ex-SAS history, and personal debts give the movie a grittier, more grounded feel than a lot of modern action thrillers. Jason Statham is the film’s biggest asset as Danny Bryce. He brings toughness, restraint, and credibility to the role, making Danny feel like a capable professional rather than a superhero. Robert De Niro adds emotional weight as his mentor, while Clive Owen makes a solid rival, smart and physical enough to feel like a real threat. The close-quarters fights, especially between Statham and Owen, are brutal and practical in the right way. The main issue is that the plot is cluttered, piling on revenge, oil politics, secret groups, and betrayals without turning them into a clean, gripping story. It is good and watchable, but more complicated than compelling.

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Dave L

@RT29131586 Feb 4, 2026

A good up to date remake of an old classic. And what a cast, what's there not to like ?? Well worth a watch.

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Mika F

@RT56216153 Sep 27, 2025

It was hard to follow the details here and there, but I really enjoyed it!

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Gregory S

@Gregory566 May 2, 2025

Awesome cast and a pretty cool story. Fun action flick to turn the brain off to.

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AD 3

@RT11830953 Apr 26, 2025

These ppl are stupid. Rotten Tomatos must pick the worst critics who really don't much about film or life. I think im done with this site, a movie only good if it's about transvestites or something

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Gary McKendry

Director

Jason Statham

Danny Bryce

Robert De Niro

Hunter

Clive Owen

Spike

Yvonne Strahovski

Anne

Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

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Synopsis

Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), one of the world's deadliest special-ops agents, returns from self-imposed exile after his mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro) is captured. Danny reassembles his former team of skilled commandos to launch a rescue mission, and also to infiltrate the highly feared military unit, the British Special Air Service. The mission will not be easy, for Danny and his team must cut their way through Spike (Clive Owen) and a team of assassins known as the Feather Men.

Director: Gary McKendry
Producer: Sigurjon Sighvatsson, Steve Chasman, Michael Boughen, Tony Winley
Screenwriter: Matt Sherring
Distributor: Omni Lab, Open Road
Production Co: Film Victoria, Mascot Pictures Corporation
Rating: R (Some Sexuality/Nudity|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Sep 23, 2011, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 6, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $25.1M
Runtime: 2h 0m
Sound Mix: SDDS, Dolby Digital

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