Jason Statham and Robert De Niro Ignite Killer Elite With a High-Octane, Globetrotting Showdown
Fifteen years on, the Jason Statham and Robert De Niro team-up remains a bruiser—an underrated action thriller now finding a second life on streaming.
If you ever wanted to see Jason Statham try to yank Robert De Niro out of a life-or-death mess while globe-trotting and cracking skulls, now is your moment: their 2011 team-up 'Killer Elite' is streaming free on Tubi.
The pitch
Directed by Gary McKendry and based on Ranulph Fiennes' 1991 book 'The Feather Men', 'Killer Elite' casts Statham as Danny Bryce, a special-ops pro who has gone to ground. When his mentor (De Niro) is kidnapped, Danny has to come out of exile and pull off an almost impossible series of hits with his crew to get the old man back in one piece.
The movie leans into grimy, retro thriller energy: globe-hopping locations, a stacked cast, and bruising, cleanly staged fights that feel more 1970s punch-up than slick 2010s shootout. That texture is half the fun. The other half is watching Statham and De Niro share the frame, even if it is not for long. There is no quippy back-and-forth, just a stony, business-only vibe that weirdly plays like a low-key passing of the torch.
Why the Statham/De Niro pairing clicks
Timing matters. Statham had just come off 'Death Race', 'Crank: High Voltage', and 'The Expendables'—a run that cemented his no-nonsense presence. Put that next to De Niro's gravitas and you get two heavyweights speaking the same language: minimal words, maximum menace.
The business side (that most people forget)
'Killer Elite' hit theaters on September 23, 2011, and it carried a notable industry footnote: it was the very first release from Open Road Films. The company went on to deliver 'End of Watch', 'Nightcrawler', and the underappreciated Gerard Butler actioner 'Kandahar'. The launch, however, was bumpy. With a reported $70 million budget and roughly $56 million worldwide, 'Killer Elite' did not make its money back in theaters. Open Road primarily handled U.S. distribution and was backed by AMC and Regal Entertainment Group, which helped the outfit stay afloat and grow despite the film’s soft run.
So, is it worth your time?
If you like Statham doing grounded, hard-edged work—yes. Add De Niro and a perfectly mustachioed Clive Owen to the mix, plus Yvonne Strahovski and Ben Mendelsohn, and you have a throwback bruiser with real star wattage. It is not the mega-hit it probably looked like on paper, but it delivers exactly what it promises: tough guys in tougher situations, thrown down with style.
- Title: 'Killer Elite' (2011)
- Director: Gary McKendry
- Based on: 'The Feather Men' by Ranulph Fiennes (1991)
- Cast highlights: Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Yvonne Strahovski, Ben Mendelsohn
- Release date: September 23, 2011
- Budget/Gross: ~$70 million / ~$56 million worldwide
- Notable context: First-ever release from Open Road Films (U.S. distributor, backed by AMC and Regal)
- Where to watch now: Free on Tubi
Short version: it missed at the box office, but as a throwback action burner with a killer cast and some teeth, it is absolutely worth a night on the couch.