American Assassin
(2017)Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton and Sanaa Lathan must prevent a World War in this action thriller from the director of Kill the Messenger.... More
Follows the rise of Mitch Rapp (O’Brien), a CIA black ops recruit under the instruction of Cold War veteran Stan Hurley (Keaton). The pair is then enlisted by CIA Deputy Director Irene Kennedy (Lathan) to investigate a wave of apparently random attacks on both military and civilian targets. Together the three discover a pattern in the violence leading them to a joint mission with a lethal Turkish agent (Shiva Negar) to stop a mysterious operative (Taylor Kitsch) intent on starting a World War in the Middle East.Hide
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Directed by Michael Cuesta ('L.I.E.', 'Kill the Messenger', '12 and Holding')
Starring Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, Taylor Kitsch, Scott Adkins, David Suchet, Shiva Negar, Navid Negahban
Written by Stephen Schiff (based on the novel of the same name by Vince Flynn)
Flicks Review
BY Steve Newall Flicks Writer
Considering how generic this slice of vaguely xenophobic counter-terror wish-fulfillment is, it comes as a surprise how bloody American Assassin turns out to be. From the get-go, the film’s violence is frequently shocking (well, R16-level shocking, not the fully traumatising kind). Quickly squandering any emotional investment in its lead, American Assassin dares you to care as its rote plot follows a good-looking US government-endorsed psycho (Dylan O’Brien) as he’s taken under the wing of a grizzled, experienced, US government-endorsed psycho (Michael Keaton) to take down a different good-looking non-US-government-endorsed psycho (Taylor Kitsch) who’s working with a bunch of not-quite-so-awesome psychos (various).... More
Most probably, we’re expected to identify with O’Brien’s character Mitch Rapp as he responds to personal tragedy by transforming into a revenge-driven killing machine, allowed into a covert squad of US agents after he beats up Scott Adkins. While Rapp’s hairdo and torso may appeal to a younger generation than the Tom Cruises or Matt Damons of this world, they’re the first examples that spring to mind as having done this better before, and with more charisma.
While he never really sells his trauma, O’Brien proves more adept at often very MMA-style fights than you’d expect, and you buy his steely concentration down the barrel of a gun. But he’s starved of anything to go up against, with Kitsch not proving much of a villain. It is great to see Michael Keaton as a take-no-shit mentor - he’s certainly not the sort of boss he’s played previously in Spotlight (or The Other Guys, for that matter) - and he gets to enjoyably ham it up a bit when the tables get turned on him.
But, yeah, it’s just all so familiar. Even - sort of - an unexpectedly over-the-top ending, which looks for a moment like it might belong better in an Emmerich film.Hide
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American Assassin
The Press Reviews
Cuesta injects vitality where it's needed. Full Review
There are 15 more Mitch Rapp books, but a sequel feels unlikely. Full Review
Built for action, like its title character, the movie packs a muscular, bloody punch, but mainly it's a well-oiled diversion. Full Review
"American Assassin" is so close-mouthed and macho that it blends in with Bourne, Bond and "Taken's" Brian Mills. Rapp can blast his way through Turkey - but this sullen, swollen hero can't elbow those box office heavyweights to make room. Full Review
It is an efficient, occasionally spectacular and mostly not-too-insulting Friday night popcorn flogger... Full Review
Mitch seems not just hot-headed but borderline racist, and neither trait is addressed in a satisfying way. Full Review
It demonstrates that even Jason Bourne lite is better than no Bourne at all, if you're in the mood. Full Review
Decent fun, in the leathery, businesslike, self-satisfied manner of this kind of movie, which soothes the hurt places in the male ego with sentiment strategically disguised as toughness. Full Review
The attempt to rebrand counterterrorism manoeuvres as a heady extension of The Hunger Games falls somewhere between dimwitted and deeply cynical. Full Review
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