Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Brutal
- kinetic
- sardonic
- paranoid
- retro action night
- sam peckinpah retrospective
What critics said
Critics broadly found the film stylish and competently performed but weakened by a convoluted, trite thriller plot and uneven martial-arts action.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film uses unusually fluid, fast editing and stylized set pieces to make violence feel abstract and kinetic.
Mike Locken’s assignment collapses when a fellow operative turns on him, exposing the treachery surrounding freelance intelligence work.
After being shot in the elbow and knee and nearly crippled, Mike relies on braces and rehabilitation while pursuing his former friend.
The film explicitly combines CIA intrigue and professional hitmen with kung fu-inspired combat and absurdly heightened action.
Films like The Killer Elite, and why
Three Days of the Condor
shared freelance espionage, anti-cia paranoia, betrayal, and morally compromised action thriller tone
The Day of the Jackal
shared 1970s spy intrigue, professional assassins, betrayal, and fatalistic crime-thriller atmosphere
Enter the Dragon
shared martial arts influence, hard-edged revenge drive, and stylized action spectacle
The Wild Bunch
shared sam peckinpah violence, male camaraderie, betrayal, and kinetic editing
Movie Details
- Director
- Sam Peckinpah
- Release Date
- 1975-12-19
- Runtime
- 122 min
- Rating
- 5.8 / 10 (152)
Cast
- James Caan
- Robert Duvall
- Arthur Hill
- Bo Hopkins
- Mako
- Burt Young
- Gig Young
- Tom Clancy
- Tiana Alexandra
- Walter Kelley
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ScreenPix Amazon Channel
- 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 Killer Elite about?
- A crippled freelance operative rebuilds himself for a dangerous reckoning with the former friend who betrayed him.
- What is The Killer Elite like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Killer Elite as brisk, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Killer Elite violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Killer Elite as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Killer Elite?
- Critics broadly found the film stylish and competently performed but weakened by a convoluted, trite thriller plot and uneven martial-arts action.
- Which films are like The Killer Elite?
- Films with a similar feel include Three Days of the Condor, The Day of the Jackal, Enter the Dragon, and The Wild Bunch.
- How long is The Killer Elite?
- The Killer Elite runs 122 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Killer Elite?
- In United States, The Killer Elite streams on Amazon Prime Video, ScreenPix Apple TV channel, Amazon Prime Video with Ads, ScreenPix Amazon Channel .
