I give "The Killer Elite" a 7 only because it was directed by Peckinpah. This is an interesting action film, about a covert group of guys who work in tandem with the CIA and carry out various hits and rescues and stuff (although their job mainly seems to be guarding people who are going into the witness relocation program - I think. It's a little unclear).
Anyway, Caan and Duvall play a partner team in the operation and in the beginning Duvall sells out to a competitor and shoots Caan and kills the guy they're guarding. The rest of the movie involves Caan's rehabilitation (the best part of the film) and Caan basically getting back at Duvall (the weakest part).
The first third is quite promising, with a great opening reminiscent of the opening of Peckinpah's "Cross of Iron" where we hear children singing a jump rope song over footage of a bomb being planted. Extremely effective and intense.
Also, Caan's rehabiliation is presented with unusual precision by Pecknipah. He really makes it fascinating. Just watching them take out Caan's stitches is presented with great care.
This was Peckinpah's only stab at the kung fu genre/spy genre (a la "Enter the Dragon") and he does some interesting things with it. He uses some slo-mo during the action. Not a lot, however. At this point in his career he had basically been drummed out of Hollywood. I believe he made "The Killer Elite" to show people he was still employable.
I think it could have benefited from having more Robert Duvall in the film. He has a wonderful, icy presence. There's a great scene where he calls the ninjas a bunch of "clowns". The snake-like disdain in his eyes is wildly intense. Unfortunately, he only shows up at the beginning and the end.
Film has some wonderful set pieces (The scene where Burt Young discovers a bomb underneath a car probably being the best) but somehow they just don't hold the film together. Ultimately, it goes on far too long. The ending takes forever. I wasn't even sure what was happening by the end of the film.
Anyway, Caan and Duvall play a partner team in the operation and in the beginning Duvall sells out to a competitor and shoots Caan and kills the guy they're guarding. The rest of the movie involves Caan's rehabilitation (the best part of the film) and Caan basically getting back at Duvall (the weakest part).
The first third is quite promising, with a great opening reminiscent of the opening of Peckinpah's "Cross of Iron" where we hear children singing a jump rope song over footage of a bomb being planted. Extremely effective and intense.
Also, Caan's rehabiliation is presented with unusual precision by Pecknipah. He really makes it fascinating. Just watching them take out Caan's stitches is presented with great care.
This was Peckinpah's only stab at the kung fu genre/spy genre (a la "Enter the Dragon") and he does some interesting things with it. He uses some slo-mo during the action. Not a lot, however. At this point in his career he had basically been drummed out of Hollywood. I believe he made "The Killer Elite" to show people he was still employable.
I think it could have benefited from having more Robert Duvall in the film. He has a wonderful, icy presence. There's a great scene where he calls the ninjas a bunch of "clowns". The snake-like disdain in his eyes is wildly intense. Unfortunately, he only shows up at the beginning and the end.
Film has some wonderful set pieces (The scene where Burt Young discovers a bomb underneath a car probably being the best) but somehow they just don't hold the film together. Ultimately, it goes on far too long. The ending takes forever. I wasn't even sure what was happening by the end of the film.