Killer Elite

"A macho, adrenaline-fix suspenser that plays like the bigscreen equivalent of those pulpy spy novels that once clogged grocery-store checkouts."

"Robust, does the job, but unrefined."

"A pileup of sub-Bourne action set pieces, sad laughs and clichés."

"The surface is glossy, the body count high, and the events opaque and often risible."

"Jason Statham is matched with Robert de Niro and Clive Owen in this headcracking hitman yarn, but it's a bit overcomplicated for its own good."

"I had a reasonably good time, on the whole..."

"The fun of Killer Elite, such as it is, is all in the hardass action. But there's nothing elite about this disposable time-killer."

"This is actually a pretty good thriller, based more on character and plot than on action for its own sake."

"A snarly Euro-thriller with crust under its fingernails and bad breath. It doesn't care if you like it, which is why I kind of do."

"Efficient, overly formulaic action piece could have been more distinctive but delivers the goods for solid international returns."

"The glossy topcoat provided by the paycheck participation of De Niro and Owen can't cover up the essential emptiness of the project."

"A few good stunts, some tolerable brooding and one nice, if silly desert chase. But not essential."

"Less a cerebral thriller than an underachieving time-waster with feeble pretensions."