Killer Elite (2011)

the audience applauded

Best movie ever!

Tells a fascinating and unsettling true story, and does so well, without pretending to have all the answers.

All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.

One thing that sets this film apart from the modern mayhem movies that it resembles is its basis. "Killer Elite" is based on a 1991 supposedly non-fiction book, "The Feather Men," by Ranulph Fiennes. Sir Fiennes himself is a fantastic story, which viewers may find of interest. So, I'll give some more on him later. How much of this story is true, is anyone's guess. Sir Fiennes in 2011 referred to his book as "faction" – his word for facts and fiction. But he later said that the story was all fiction, even though the characters and many incidents are facts. Whether fact or fiction or a mix, the story comes out of real events. And that's what gives it substance for a plot. The book and film are about a small group of expertly trained mercenaries who are hired to kill four expertly trained members of Britain's elite SAS. SAS stands for Special Air Service, but it is referred to "in the trade" as Special Assassination Squad. The four were members of an SAS squad that served in a clandestine operation in Oman in the mid-1970s. They trained and fought with the reigning sheik's military in the Omani civil war (1963-76). The insurrection was a Communist-led effort, supported with Soviet Union arms and equipment. The Soviets wanted to get control over the Middle East oil supplies from the Persian Gulf that passed through the Gulf of Oman. The movie apparently switches the focus of the story. Where the book's focus is on the SAS efforts to stop the hired assassins, the movie's focus is on the team hired to do the contract. The elite killers were to get revenge for the sheik's three oldest sons who were killed by SAS members. The movie doesn't go into detail about the SAS operations for the Sheik, or about the civil war. But, apparently, the SAS methods against the guerrillas also killed some innocents, including the sheik's three sons. The sheik initially refused to avenge his sons' deaths, which was required by his nomadic Arab culture. So, he was exiled from his country. But now, he wants his last son to be able to return to rule his sheikdom; and in order to do that, he must avenge the deaths of his sons. He would jeopardize himself and his country to do it openly, so he hires trained experts for the job. They are to get confessions of the killers on video tape and then kill them. According to the book, the revenge killings take 17 years and the last one is foiled when the Feather Men come to the rescue of the SAS members. The movie has a different ending, and the film credits postscript reads, "The fate of Danny Bryce and other covert operatives remains unknown or undisclosed." While this is a tough movie to watch for the cold-blooded killing, the film pushes the audience toward siding with mercenaries. The actors all are quite good. Jason Statham is Danny, Robert De Niro is Hunter, Dominic Purcell is Davies, Aden Young is Meier, and Clive Owen is Spike. Spike is the former SAS member who discovers the assassination plan and sets out to stop it. He probably is the principal hero of the book.One thing that comes up a number of times in the dialog is the Battle or Mirbat. That's a real event of July 19, 1972, in which nine SAS members held off 400 guerrillas who had better and more combat arms and equipment. It's interesting that the same year this movie came out another book by an SAS member was published. "SAS Operation Storm: Nine Men against Four Hundred in Britain's Secret War" was written by Roger Cole and Richard Belfield. It tells about the Battle of Marbit, of which Cole was a part and one of the few survivors. There's a good deal more information now available on the Omani civil war, the British involvement in it, SAS operations and the movie and the books. As for Ranulph Fiennes, he is of British royalty, and served in the SAS, including two years in Oman during the civil war. Fiennes is a long-time promoter of worthy charities. He usually supports them with daring and challenging feats. Although prolific writer and poet, he also is a prominent English explorer. He holds several records. He has climbed notable peaks, including Mt. Everest in May of 2009 at age 65. He is the first person ever to cross Antarctica on foot and one of the few ever to visit both the North and South Poles. His life would make an interesting film. This film rightly has an "R" rating, mostly for the violence. It's not a family movie, and it's not for everyone. The modern mavens who can't sit still for a good drama or other film will enjoy this film. It's action is augmented with snippets of the planning and details that go into making efforts work. For that look at the world of mercenaries, and its placement in a significant period and events in history, it should appeal to those who study history, and those who enjoy espionage, military and related topics.

It's common knowledge that most movies featuring Statham are not much more then a bad-ass ex-something (Cop, Military, Marine, etc..) beating up dudes for revenge/money/saving family. But with a big name like DeNiro co-starring and the promising story, maybe this one is different? Well not much..The movie starts with Danny (Statham) and his old friend and mentor Hunter (DeNiro) in action as hired hit men for a mysterious Agent. The job goes reasonably well but Danny almost kills a kid which is the final straw for him to get out of the hit men business and settle down for a easy life. A year later Danny learns that Hunter is held hostage in Oman by the old Sheikh Amr, who summons Danny to talk to him. Once there Danny is given the task by the Sheikh to kill three former SAS agents who killed three of the Sheikh's sons. Danny reluctantly agrees and reunites with his old mates Davies and Meier to help him in exchange for a large sum of money. However, Danny and his friends soon find out that killing former SAS agents also means making new enemies and opening more cans of worms that they can handle.. If you watch this movie as a simple action flick with cool car chases, dirty fighting, shoot-outs and one-liners you will be satisfied. All these elements are there and they look good, although I didn't like the shaky cam during the fight scenes. However the movie also tries to tell some mysterious story about a secret organization and double agents but it fails badly here. The motivations of the characters are unclear, it's hard to follow what each person's role is in this and the ending is very unsatisfying. There is also a romance in the story for Danny's character which is told in annoying flashbacks that adds absolutely nothing to the plot. My final complain is that this movies is supposed to take place in 1980 but it doesn't look like 1980 at all. Sure they tried here and there by using older cars but there are to many mistakes that become to obvious. The movie 'Argo' did a much better job at how this time period is supposed to look. So if you watch Killer Elite with the mindset that it is a movie about bad-ass Statham beating up dudes for revenge\money\whatever, you will be entertained. If you want an interesting story with interesting character you will be disappointed.

Killer Elite (2011): Dir: Gary McKendry / Cast: Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Dominic Purcell, Aden Young: Exhilarating action film about professional assassins poised against each other. Jason Statham plays a professional assassin and Robert De Niro plays his mentor and after an opening scene where Statham makes a kill but unable to kill the victim's son. He ends this line of work and goes back to Australia to live with his girlfriend. Statham is summoned to another job after his mentor is taken prisoner. To bargain for his life Statham is assigned by an ill sheik to kill the four men responsible for the death of his three sons. His remaining son will execute Statham's mentor if he fails. Directional debut for Gary McKendry with much well crafted yet totally implausible action scenes that still rank this as one of Statham's best films. Statham pulls off one of his best roles as he attempts to rendering these kills to appear as an accident. De Niro does well as the mentor whose success with Statham leads to a rescue mission. De Niro will eventually be assigned to watch his girlfriend when Statham is assigned one last job. Clive Owen leads a team sent to prevent the four kills from happening. He is skilled at his job and becomes a great counter to Statham including their satisfying send off. Dominic Purcell and Aden Young steal scenes as members of Statham's team who take risks that turn out costly when a hotel clerk betrays his placement. While the action is silly and over the top, it is entertaining and intelligent right up to the final departure. Score: 9 / 10

Based on a true story?? It's 1980. Danny (Jason Statham) and his mentor Hunter (Robert De Niro) fail their latest scheme because Danny didn't want to take a little girl. Then one year later, Danny is living in self-imposed exile when he receives a photo of a captured Hunter. Hunter had a job from a Sheikh for $6 million to kill the three SAS special forces men that killed his sons. The Sheikh has 6 months to live and Danny has to get their confessions and their deaths have to look accidental while the Sheikh holds Hunter prisoner. Spike (Clive Owen) leads the rogue group of ex-SAS assassins.It's a very convoluted story and it seems like a badly written Bond movie. It's better than most rambling thrillers. That's mostly due to the very effective Jason Statham. The big problem is that I don't find any rooting interest in anybody. Newby director Gary McKendry seems more interested in working out exciting action scenes. What's needed is a reason why I care if either side wins or dies. Part of me like Spike more than Hunter. The movie goes all over the world but this confuses the story more than any good that the exotic locations give. It's basically a mess.