Killer Elite

With "Straw Dogs" now in theaters and Tony Scott's announced intention to remake "The Wild Bunch," it might seem that the new action thriller "Killer Elite" is yet another attempt to reinvent a Sam Peckinpah classic. But rest assured, this film only has its title in common with Peckinpah's 1975 "The Killer Elite." What it does very well is elevate action hero Jason Statham ("The Transporter," "Crank") into rarefied acting company in the persons of Robert De Niro and Clive Owen. And even if he's not up to their game, it's a quantum leap forward in honing his acting chops.

In this film supposedly inspired by true events, Statham plays Danny, a top-notch special ops agent who is seduced from his own desired exile to put his team of experts back together one more time to rescue his former partner Hunter (De Niro), who has been kidnapped by a sheik from Oman out to get Danny's services for himself—primarily to murder the guys who killed his sons. Of course nothing is easy, even for these guys, as they must do a mission impossible and infiltrate the uber-skilled and mightily feared military unit known as the British Special Air Service—SAS for short. Within this group is their specific target, an out-of-control cell of uniformed assassins led by the crafty Spike (Owen), whose plans promise to spark chaos around the world.

One of those "thrillers" that truly is international in nature (the film globe-hops across several countries and continents—including Mexico, Australia, France, Britain, and Oman), Matt Sherring's script is inspired by Ranulph Fiennes' pulpy novel "The Feather Men" (the nickname for the rogue group protecting Danny's targets). If you blink, you might miss a key plot point in the densely populated storyline that requires a map just to follow all the intrigue. At its heart, this action movie is an intellectual step above many in the genre but at times becomes too talky and complex for its own good. Fortunately director Gary McKendry, a short-film maker here making his feature debut, knows his way around the material and creates genuine suspense. It's also fortunate he has this cast. If it seems that De Niro takes just about every role offered him these days, at least this gives him one of his grittier, more engaging turns of late, allowing him to display his considerable acting chops without having to carry the film. He plays well opposite Statham, who seems clearly energized by the company he's keeping here, although his trademark steely-eyed technique seen in several previous action vehicles is still quite visible. Owen is an excellent choice as his main nemesis and adds gravitas and a wry wit to the proceedings.

Though not terribly original, "Killer Elite" is a sharp and exciting thriller, thanks to smart casting and actors who are up to the task.

Genre: Action
Directed by Gary McKendry
Written by Matt Sherring
Starring Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young