Review of Killer Elite (2011) by Michelle F — 24 Aug 2012

Based on a book by Ranulph Fiennes you get the feeling that your time would be better spent reading that then watching this. The problem is that in order to save his mate (Robert De Niro), Statham has to nock off three ex SAS guys. Not the most patriotic of subject matter so you're never really routing for Statham and chums. There's a romantic sub plot which is tacked on and just serves as an unnecessary distraction and is only there because it ticks a box. The action scenes are not bad but the momentum of the film stalls so often it almost serves no purpose.

The main problem is De Niro. In parts he plays an aging Ronin who's getting a bit fat and in others he clearly can't be bothered anymore. The script doesn't help because it's clearly shit but at least he could try. Or not ruin his reputation by partacking in such dirge.