Killer Elite

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.