"The Killer Elite" is a really, really annoying Sam Peckinpah film. After all, up until the very end, it was very well made and had an excellent script. And then, out of no where, ninjas appeared!! And, although it was 1975 and the good guys sported guns, the ninjas were armed with swords!! Didn't someone read the script and notice how dumb this was and how frustrated the theater patrons would be with this dopey plot device? Such a shame...as I had loved what I'd been watching.
Mike Locken (James Caan) works for a company that is subcontracted by the CIA for various operations...including witness protection. However, out of the blue, his partner kills the guy they are supposed to be protecting AND he then shoots Locken in the elbow and knee in order to cripple him and make him unable to stay in the business. However, Locken is determined...and works hard rehabilitating himself so that he can return to action. What's next? A lot of cool action and, unfortunately, ninjas!
Up until the dopey ending I would have given this one an 8 or possibly higher. But the ending....uggh!
By the way, IMDB says that violence was trimmed in order to make this a PG film. I saw it on the TUBI channel and it said it was PG...but ended up having a lot of nudity...so much that I cannot imagine it's the same version released to theaters.
Mike Locken (James Caan) works for a company that is subcontracted by the CIA for various operations...including witness protection. However, out of the blue, his partner kills the guy they are supposed to be protecting AND he then shoots Locken in the elbow and knee in order to cripple him and make him unable to stay in the business. However, Locken is determined...and works hard rehabilitating himself so that he can return to action. What's next? A lot of cool action and, unfortunately, ninjas!
Up until the dopey ending I would have given this one an 8 or possibly higher. But the ending....uggh!
By the way, IMDB says that violence was trimmed in order to make this a PG film. I saw it on the TUBI channel and it said it was PG...but ended up having a lot of nudity...so much that I cannot imagine it's the same version released to theaters.