In for the kill

The current screening of action flick Killer Elite at cinemas in Shanghai is a perfect illustration of how crucial good timing is for a film release. Shortly after the action blockbuster Mission: Impossible - Ghost Protocol opened in Shanghai and earned a whopping 500 million yuan ($79.43 million) at the domestic box office, it wouldn't be too surprising if films of the same genre reap similar rewards.

Special operatives

Based on the non-fiction title The Feather Men by British author Ranulph Fiennes, Killer Elite tells the story of an ex-special ops agent who is forced out of retirement to rescue his mentor by completing an almost impossible mission.

The film opens with mercenary Danny (played by Jason Statham, The Bank Job, The Expendables), on an assassination assignment somewhere in Mexico in 1979. When the assignment goes awry Danny makes up his mind to end his career as a professional killer.

A couple of years later, when Danny has settled down in the Australian outback, he is forced to take "one last job" in an attempt to rescue his long-term pal/mentor Hunter (Robert De Niro), who is being held hostage by a sheikh in Oman.

In return for granting his friend's release, the dying tribal chief asks Danny to kill all three ex-British Special Air Service (SAS) soldiers who were responsible for the deaths of his three sons. What makes this mission even more difficult is that Danny has to make their deaths look like accidents.

Danny takes the job and puts a team together in Paris. While Danny is on his way to carry out the job, he attracts the attention of a high-ranking SAS operative named Spike (Clive Owen, Closer, The International) who tries to protect his military colleagues.

Thrilling and impressive

Directed by Irish filmmaker Gary McKendry, whose short film Everything in This Country Must won an Oscar nomination in 2005, Killer Elite manages to contain most of the attractions an average action thriller offers - car chases, gun fights, and punch-ups. As his debut feature film, director McKendry does a fair job in creating a thrilling and impressive action flick, although it's not totally convincing.

Throughout the film, which runs for an hour and 40 minutes, there is plenty of clichéd dialogue, such as "killing is easy; living with it is the hard part," and "that's not what I am, that's what I have done," among other risible examples.

These generic and boring lines, unfortunately, damage the little finesse and sophistication the film has.

However, the perfect fit of the film's casting doesn't hinder watching this action-packed thriller. Jason Statham, Robert De Niro and Clive Owen all deliver credible portrayals of tough, die-hard special-forces operatives.

Everyone's a critic: Sheik, grapple and roll

David Young

Australian, two years in Shanghai

"I enjoyed watching the fight scenes in Killer Elite. The film is a reasonable way to kill two hours watching people chase and fight each other. The cast is perfect; Statham as a tough, somewhat reluctant guy, Owen as a crafty and righteous soldier, and De Niro as a seasoned, yet still lovable, mentor. They're all fun to watch."

Li Qiang

35, Shanghainese

"Killer Elite is another generic action thriller Hollywood movie to go alongside the plethora of similar pictures of the genre. Most of the film's action scenes are nothing new to audiences and the story is very predictable; the bad guys will always die and the good guys will always win in the end. After watching the latest installment of Mission: Impossible, I found Killer Elite to be a waste of my time and money."

Liu Xiaolu

28, Shanghainese

"As a big fan of Clive Owen, I enjoyed every moment of the film he was on screen. Although I don't think an action picture is the best role for him, Owen still gives a vivid portrait of a tough, strong British solider. He looks so cool even with a fake mustache and a dodgy eye."