Killer Elite (film)

Killer Elite
Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Gary McKendry
Produced by	Michael Boughen Steve Chasman Sigurjón Sighvatsson Tony Winley
Screenplay by	Matt Sherring
Based on	The Feather Men by Sir Ranulph Fiennes
Starring	Jason Statham Clive Owen Robert De Niro Dominic Purcell Yvonne Strahovski Aden Young Ben Mendelsohn
Music by	Reinhold Heil Johnny Klimek
Cinematography	Simon Duggan
Edited by	John Gilbert
Production company	Omnilab Media Ambience Entertainment Current Entertainment Sighvatsson Films Film Victoria Wales Creative IP Fund Agora Films International Traders Mascot Pictures Wales
Distributed by	Entertainment Film Distributors (United Kingdom) Open Road Films (United States) Walt Disney Studios Motion Pictures (Australia)
Release date	10 September 2011 (2011-09-10) (TIFF) 23 September 2011 (2011-09-23) (United Kingdom and United States) 23 February 2012 (2012-02-23) (Australia)
Running time	114 minutes
Country	United Kingdom Australia
Language	English
Budget	$70 million
Box office	$56.3 million

Killer Elite is a 2011 British-Australian action thriller film starring Jason Statham, Clive Owen and Robert De Niro. The film is based on the 1991 novel The Feather Men by Sir Ranulph Fiennes and is directed by Gary McKendry.

In 1980, mercenaries Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), Hunter (Robert De Niro), Davies (Dominic Purcell), and Meier (Aden Young) are in Mexico to assassinate a man. Danny unwittingly kills him in front of his young child, then is injured during the getaway. Affected by this outcome, Danny retires and returns to his native Australia.

The following year, Danny is summoned to Oman where Hunter is being held captive. He meets with an agent (Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje) who arranges missions for assassins and learns that Hunter accepted a $6 million job but failed to accomplish it. If Danny doesn't complete Hunter's mission, Hunter will be executed.

Danny is introduced to Sheikh Amr, a deposed king of a small region of Oman who wants Danny to kill three former SAS troopers—Steven Harris (Lachy Hulme), Steven Cregg (Grant Bowler), and Simon McCann (Daniel Roberts)—for killing his three eldest sons during the Dhofar Rebellion. Danny must videotape their confessions and make their deaths look like accidents, and he must do it before the terminally ill Sheikh dies. This will allow the Sheikh's fourth son, Bakhait (Firass Dirani), to regain control of the desert region his father had ruled. If Danny fails, Hunter will be killed. Danny reunites with Davies and Meier. They agree to help him in exchange for a share of the money.