Based on sheer star-power and reputation, Killer Elite had all the makings of an action classic, as each member of the main cast has proven more than comfortable with weapons and gratuitous violence. Ever since he first gained widespread fame thanks to the Transporter franchise, Jason Statham has been a go-to source for cinema violence, a fact that was cemented when he appeared in last summer’s testosterone overload, The Expendables. When it comes to Clive Owen, his name may not necessarily be top-of-mind when one thinks “action star,” but after 2007’s guilty-pleasure Shoot ‘Em Up, he has earned a rightful place in this cast. As for Robert DeNiro, every one knows that this guy represents the gold standard for “not-to-be-messed-with,” so he can pretty much do any movie he damn well pleases. Bringing these three together represented a veritable treasure trove for adrenaline junkies, and early trailers seemed to promise a non-stop display of uncompromising action. Needless to say, it was a no-brainer that I was going to be one of the first in line to see Killer Elite.
Wow, talk about a massive discrepancy between advertisement and finished product, as Killer Elite barely scratches the surface of its action potential, offering only a handful of fast-paced sequences peppered throughout an overly-complicated plot. Echoing far more elements from the spy-thriller or heist genres, Killer Elite was grossly oversold as a high-energy adventure, thereby predictably falling far short of audience expectations. As far as the aforementioned “heroes,” DeNiro and Owen thankfully make the most of their screen-time, but Statham is at his stoic worst, representing a significant step backwards in his career progression. I cannot decide what is worse, the fact that a number of narrative elements are boring or that some of them are so ridiculous it is borderline insulting. Though not overtly terrible, Killer Elite falls far short of expectations and squanders its star power and premise potential…trust me, you don’t need to rush to the theater this time around.
Overall Recommendation: Low
