KILLER ELITE
US/Australia, 2011, 116 minutes, Colour.
Jason Statham, Clive Owen, Robert de Niro, Aden Young, Dominic Purcell,
Directed by Gary Mc Kendry
Famed explorer and adventurer, Ranulph Fiennes, wrote a book about British war and espionage activity in Oman, and the role of the SAS. This actioner states that it is based on a true story and is based on Fiennes’ book. But, it plays like a variation on The Expendables, a lot of action and explosions, a group of macho men and the taking out of opponents by these elite killers - seems more the stuff of video game activity rather than a thoughtful drama.
Well, it is a Jason Statham show with him giving his usual performance (as distinct from doing a variation on his usual performance). After a career as a killer elite for the SAS, he has got out of the business in some disgust at a violent set-up and has retired to, of all places, the Yarra Valley, where he has taken up with a local girl, Yvonne Strahovski.
Wouldn’t you know it, he receives a call, an offer he can’t refuse because his long-time partner and mentor, Hunter, has been abducted by the sheikh of Oman who is bent on revenge on the SAS assassins who killed his sons (except for the rather selfish, effete young son who can’t stand the desert – or his father). Hunter is played with more energy than his age might suggest by Robert de Niro.
Their tough associates in the killing missions and contrived ‘accidents’ are played by Dominic Purcell and Aden Young, with Ben Mendelssohn along as well as veterans Nick Tate and Bille Brown. Yes, much of it was filmed in Australia (with locations also in Jordan and Morocco) with supporting Australian cast.
Clive Owen plays a retired veteran who is suspicious about the nature and execution of the killings and goes in pursuit, only to face up to violence in Oman and a confrontation with Statham and De Niro.
As was mentioned, it seems more like an Expendables variation, big on effects and action, less so on character and performances and the moral issues of this kind of clandestine violent activity.
1. An action thriller, espionage, mercenaries, vengeance? A Jason Statham thriller? The strong supporting cast?
2. Locations, Mexico, Oman, England, France, Australia? Musical score?
3. Danny, the mission in Mexico, wanting to retire? The summons? The information about Hunter, his failing in his mission, captured, to be executed? The role of the Agent? The Sheik? The mission to kill the three SAS men, the reasons? Vengeance for his son?
4. The mission, to kill the SAS men, to video their confessions, to stage the deaths like accidents?
5. Davies, Meier, action characters, bonds with Danny and Hunter, the appeal for help, for the money?
6. The SAS men, Harris, the setting up of the meeting, filming his confession, his girlfriend interrupting, his escape, his death?
7. The UK, the secret group, The Feathered Men, Logan and his mission? His strong personality?
8. Gregg, in Wales, his coffee and the drugs, the night march, his confession, dying in the cold?
9. Mc Cann, the setting up of the truck, Jake, not efficient? Meier’s death? Logan, intervention, trust?
10. Danny going to Oman, the fake confessions, his retiring to Australia, his relationship with Anne, growing the grapes?
11. France, Anne in safety, Logan and his of intervention, the fake shooting, the pictures as witness?
12. The British, the support of this Sheik, building up to a confrontation? Anne as hostage? Hunter to rescue her? The shootings?
13. Oman, Logan, the stabbing of the Sheik, the son not interested, not caring about his father? The injuries to The Agent?
14. Danny, Hunter, Logan, going out of the desert, sharing the money? Logan going off, as a target? Danny returning to Australia? A happy ending for this kind of action show?
