The Gunman

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1:09

The Gunman

R

2015

1h 55m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

15%

Tomatometer

179 Reviews

32%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman (Javier Bardem) with dealings in Africa.

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Critics Consensus

With an uninspired plot and rote set pieces that are overshadowed by its star's physique, The Gunman proves a muddled misfire in the rapidly aging Over-50 Action Hero genre.

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Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

03/07/2017

The Gunman doesn't shoot blanks, but it is never fully loaded.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

04/16/2015

3/5

Part of the problem is the script's determination to drag some of Spain's most scenic spots into the action whether or not they suit the mood.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

04/16/2015

3/5

If you want a thriller about architecture, here is your thing. Gaudi with Guns, they could have called it.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

08/21/2022

2/5

...a dull, emotionally inert, slog of an experience.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

06/09/2022

2/4

Unfortunately, no matter how many beautiful locations are served up by the globetrotting plot, or how pumped-up Penn may look, the story is very familiar stuff, but without anything to set it apart.

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

02/12/2021

It is largely a clichéd scaffolding for certain violent set pieces, which are interesting as formal exercises of a kind, but have no long-lasting emotional or any other kind of impact, except to further inure audiences to killing and brutality.

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Oscar T

@ScarfaceRampage Jun 24

An underrated movie, Sean Penn with a Glock 18

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Judith H

@sugarpaws777 May 6

I LOVED THE CAST!!!!

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Blake- N

@PBSAniDom Apr 27

The Gunman is a disappointing and forgettable action thriller that squanders its cast and premise. Despite having experienced talent attached, the film feels oddly flat, with very little tension or excitement throughout. The pacing drags in key sections, and what should have been a gritty, engaging story instead comes across as repetitive and lifeless. The action sequences are surprisingly uninspired, lacking energy or impact, and the direction never builds any real momentum. Even the emotional stakes feel underdeveloped, making it hard to care about what’s happening on screen. It also struggles with tone, shifting awkwardly between seriousness and attempts at intensity without landing either. Overall, it’s a missed opportunity that never rises above average in any meaningful way. With so many stronger films in the genre, this one is hard to recommend. 2/10

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David H.

@rivrocks Apr 24

I was a teenager in the 80s and thought then (and ever since) that Penn believed he was better than he is. This movie believes it's better than it is.

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Laurie S

@Karlwinters Mar 7

The only thing that spoiled it was the two assassins survived not only two explosions but a clay mine blast too. Very unrealistic. To top it all Rylance, who was shot by Terrier, quickly healed up like Wolverine.

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Chris S

@Medicnco17 Jan 3

I dislike Sean Penn, but I firmly believe this movie is excellent. The action scenes are executed perfectly. Sean Penn embodies his character flawlessly. All the characters are convincingly played. The storyline is exceptionally well crafted.

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Pierre Morel

Director

Sean Penn

Jim Terrier

Idris Elba

DuPont

Ray Winstone

Stanley

Mark Rylance

Cox

Javier Bardem

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The Gunman: Trailer 2

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The Gunman: Trailer 1

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Synopsis

Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman (Javier Bardem) with dealings in Africa.

Director: Pierre Morel
Producer: Andrew Rona, Sean Penn, Ron Halpern
Screenwriter: Don MacPherson, Pete Travis, Sean Penn
Distributor: Open Road
Production Co: Silver Pictures
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.6M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos