Overview
Two hitmen unravel the mystery of their latest target's calm acceptance of death, leading to a darkly thrilling pursuit.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- sardonic
- tense
- cynical
- classic noir night
- crime film marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly view Don Siegel's remake as a vivid, streamlined, violent alternative to the 1946 classic, anchored by Lee Marvin's tough performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Charlie and Lee begin as hitmen, and Charlie's investigation follows their perspective rather than the victim's.
The plot links Johnny North's fate to double-crossing, criminal corruption, and Sheila Farr's manipulation.
The film's hitmen execute Johnny without resistance and pursue money through a ruthless criminal underworld.
Charlie seeks answers about Johnny's behavior, and the hidden history of the race car driver's corruption is revealed retrospectively.
Films like The Killers, and why
The Killers
Shared neo-noir fatalism, professional criminals, corruption, and violent investigation structure.
Out of the Past
Shared hard-boiled crime atmosphere, femme fatale dynamics, double-crossing, and doomed protagonists.
Point Blank
Shared lean crime storytelling, morally compromised characters, hitmen, and callous violence.
The Asphalt Jungle
Shared Hemingway-inflected fatalism, noir intrigue, and a protagonist unraveling a criminal conspiracy.
Movie Details
- Director
- Don Siegel
- Release Date
- 1964-07-07
- Runtime
- 93 min
- Rating
- 6.9 / 10 (210)
Cast
- Lee Marvin
- Angie Dickinson
- John Cassavetes
- Clu Gulager
- Claude Akins
- Norman Fell
- Ronald Reagan
- Virginia Christine
- Don Haggerty
- Robert Phillips
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Killers about?
- Two hitmen investigate why their latest victim accepted death without resistance, uncovering a fatal web of betrayal, money, and noir corruption.
- What is The Killers like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Killers as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Killers violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Killers as graphic.
- What did critics think of The Killers?
- Critics broadly view Don Siegel's remake as a vivid, streamlined, violent alternative to the 1946 classic, anchored by Lee Marvin's tough performance.
- Which films are like The Killers?
- Films with a similar feel include The Killers, Out of the Past, Point Blank, and The Asphalt Jungle.
- How long is The Killers?
- The Killers runs 93 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Killers?
- In United States, The Killers is available to rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube.
