93 Best Assassin Movies Ranked by Tomatometer

Critics Consensus: The Killer is another hard-boiled action flick from John Woo featuring eye-popping balletic violence and philosophical underpinnings.

Synopsis: Mob assassin Jeffrey (Chow Yun-Fat) is no ordinary hired gun; the best in his business, he views his chosen profession as a calling rather than... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Danny Lee, Sally Yeh, Kenneth Tsang

Directed By: John Woo

Critics Consensus: A classic blend of satire and political thriller that was uncomfortably prescient in its own time, The Manchurian Candidate remains distressingly relevant today.

Synopsis: Near the end of the Korean War, a platoon of U.S. soldiers is captured by communists and brainwashed. Following the war, the platoon is returned... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Frank Sinatra, Laurence Harvey, Janet Leigh, Angela Lansbury

Directed By: John Frankenheimer

Critics Consensus: Takashi Miike's electric remake of Eiichi Kudo's 1963 period action film is a wild spectacle executed with killer, dizzying panache.

Synopsis: In this remake of a 1963 film based on historical events, Shinzaemon Shimada leads a team of assassins in 19th-century Japan to eliminate the ruthless... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kôji Yakusho, Takayuki Yamada, Yusuke Iseya, Goro Inagaki

Directed By: Takashi Miike

Critics Consensus: Bolstered by powerful lead performances from Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, and Tommy Lee Jones, No Country for Old Men finds the Coen brothers spinning cinematic gold out of Cormac McCarthy's grim, darkly funny novel.

Synopsis: While out hunting, Llewelyn Moss (Josh Brolin) finds the grisly aftermath of a drug deal. Though he knows better, he cannot resist the cash left... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tommy Lee Jones, Javier Bardem, Josh Brolin, Woody Harrelson

Directed By: Joel Coen, Ethan Coen

Critics Consensus: As thought-provoking as it is thrilling, Looper delivers an uncommonly smart, bravely original blend of futuristic sci-fi and good old-fashioned action.

Synopsis: In a future society, time-travel exists, but it's only available to those with the means to pay for it on the black market. When the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Emily Blunt, Paul Dano

Directed By: Rian Johnson

Critics Consensus: Led by outstanding work from Emily Blunt and Benicio del Toro, Sicario is a taut, tightly wound thriller with much more on its mind than attention-getting set pieces.

Synopsis: After rising through the ranks of her male-dominated profession, idealistic FBI agent Kate Macer receives a top assignment. Recruited by mysterious government official Matt Graver,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Emily Blunt, Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Victor Garber

Directed By: Denis Villeneuve

Critics Consensus: The Bourne Ultimatum is an intelligent, finely tuned non-stop thrill ride. Another strong performance from Matt Damon and sharp camerawork from Paul Greengrass make this the finest installment of the Bourne trilogy.

Synopsis: Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) continues his international quest to uncover his true identity. From Russia to Europe to northern Africa to the United States, he... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Julia Stiles, Joan Allen, David Strathairn

Directed By: Paul Greengrass

Critics Consensus: Injecting its compendium of crime tales with the patois of everyday conversation, Pulp Fiction is a cinematic shot of adrenaline that cements writer-director Quentin Tarantino as an audacious purveyor of killer kino.

Synopsis: Vincent Vega (John Travolta) and Jules Winnfield (Samuel L. Jackson) are hitmen with a penchant for philosophical discussions. In this ultra-hip, multi-strand crime movie, their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Travolta, Samuel L. Jackson, Uma Thurman, Harvey Keitel

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: John Wick: Chapter 3 - Parabellum reloads for another hard-hitting round of the brilliantly choreographed, over-the-top action that fans of the franchise demand.

Synopsis: After gunning down a member of the High Table -- the shadowy international assassin's guild -- legendary hit man John Wick finds himself stripped of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Halle Berry, Ian McShane, Laurence Fishburne

Directed By: Chad Stahelski

Critics Consensus: John Wick: Chapter 2 does what a sequel should -- which in this case means doubling down on the non-stop, thrillingly choreographed action that made its predecessor so much fun.

Synopsis: Retired super-assassin John Wick's plans to resume a quiet civilian life are cut short when Italian gangster Santino D'Antonio shows up on his doorstep with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Common, Laurence Fishburne, Riccardo Scamarcio

Directed By: Chad Stahelski

Critics Consensus: A zany out-of-control thriller that gives lead Anne Parillaud a big character arc and plenty of emotional room to work within.

Synopsis: Convicted felon Nikita (Anne Parillaud), instead of going to jail, is given a new identity and trained to be a secret police assassin controlled by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anne Parillaud, Jean-Hugues Anglade, Tchéky Karyo, Jeanne Moreau

Directed By: Luc Besson

Critics Consensus: Driven by director Michael Mann's trademark visuals and a lean, villainous performance from Tom Cruise, Collateral is a stylish and compelling noir thriller.

Synopsis: A cab driver realizes his current fare is a hit man that has been having him drive around from mark to mark until the last... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Cruise, Jamie Foxx, Jada Pinkett Smith, Mark Ruffalo

Directed By: Michael Mann

Critics Consensus: Stylish, thrilling, and giddily kinetic, John Wick serves as a satisfying return to action for Keanu Reeves -- and what looks like it could be the first of a franchise.

Synopsis: Legendary assassin John Wick (Keanu Reeves) retired from his violent career after marrying the love of his life. Her sudden death leaves John in deep... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Keanu Reeves, Michael Nyqvist, Alfie Allen, Willem Dafoe

Directed By: Chad Stahelski

Critics Consensus: Kill Bill is admittedly little more than a stylish revenge thriller -- albeit one that benefits from a wildly inventive surfeit of style.

Synopsis: A former assassin, known simply as The Bride (Uma Thurman), wakes from a coma four years after her jealous ex-lover Bill (David Carradine) attempts to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Uma Thurman, Lucy Liu, Vivica A. Fox, Michael Madsen

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: The Villainess offers enough pure kinetic thrills to satisfy genre enthusiasts -- and carve out a bloody niche for itself in modern Korean action cinema.

Synopsis: Honed from childhood to be an elite assassin, Sook-hee embarks on a rampage of violence and revenge to finally earn her freedom and escape her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kim Ok-bin, Shin Ha-kyun, Sung-joon, Kim Seo-hyung

Directed By: Jeong Byeong-gil

Critics Consensus: Disturbing and sardonic, Prizzi's Honor excels at black comedy because director John Huston and his game ensemble take the farce deadly seriously.

Synopsis: For Charley Partanna (Jack Nicholson), life in the Prizzi family is good as long as he honors the wishes of the Godfather (William Hickey). Partanna... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jack Nicholson, Kathleen Turner, Anjelica Huston, Robert Loggia

Directed By: John Huston

Critics Consensus: Kill Bill: Volume 2 adds extra plot and dialogue to the action-heavy exploits of its predecessor, while still managing to deliver a suitably hard-hitting sequel.

Synopsis: The Bride (Uma Thurman) picks up where she left off in volume one with her quest to finish the hit list she has composed of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Uma Thurman, David Carradine, Michael Madsen, Daryl Hannah

Directed By: Quentin Tarantino

Critics Consensus: Featuring witty dialogue and deft performances, In Bruges is an effective mix of dark comedy and crime thriller elements.

Synopsis: After a particularly difficult job, hit men Ray (Colin Farrell) and Ken (Brendan Gleeson) head to Belgium to hide out until things cool down. Ray... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Colin Farrell, Brendan Gleeson, Ralph Fiennes, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Martin McDonagh

Critics Consensus: Expertly blending genre formula with bursts of unexpected wit, The Bourne Identity is an action thriller that delivers -- and then some.

Synopsis: A man, salvaged, near death, from the ocean by an Italian fishing boat. When he recuperates, the man suffers from total amnesia, without identity or... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Chris Cooper, Clive Owen

Directed By: Doug Liman

Critics Consensus: An innovative blend of samurai and gangster lifestyles.

Synopsis: Ghost Dog (Forest Whitaker) is a contract killer, a master of his trade who can whirl a gun at warp speed and moves through this... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Forest Whitaker, John Tormey, Cliff Gorman, Henry Silva

Directed By: Jim Jarmusch

Critics Consensus: A well-made sequel that delivers the thrills.

Synopsis: Jason Bourne is living in India when he is framed by Russian agent Kirill for the theft of millions from the CIA; Kirill begins to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Franka Potente, Brian Cox, Julia Stiles

Directed By: Paul Greengrass

Critics Consensus: A high-concept high school reunion movie with an adroitly cast John Cusack and armed with a script of incisive wit.

Synopsis: After assassin Martin Blank has trouble focusing on his work, resulting in a failed assignment, he returns to his hometown, Grosse Pointe, Mich., for his... View Full Synopsis

Starring: John Cusack, Minnie Driver, Dan Aykroyd, Alan Arkin

Directed By: George Armitage

Critics Consensus: Somber, stately, and beautifully mounted, Sam Mendes' Road to Perdition is a well-crafted mob movie that explores the ties between fathers and sons.

Synopsis: Mike Sullivan (Tom Hanks) is an enforcer for powerful Depression-era Midwestern mobster John Rooney (Paul Newman). Rooney's son, Connor (Daniel Craig), is jealous of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Hanks, Paul Newman, Jude Law, Jennifer Jason Leigh

Directed By: Sam Mendes

Critics Consensus: While not the classic its predecessor is, this update is well-acted and conjures a chilling resonance.

Synopsis: Years after his squad was ambushed during the Gulf War, Major Ben Marco (Denzel Washington) finds himself having terrible nightmares. He begins to doubt that... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Meryl Streep, Liev Schreiber, Jon Voight

Directed By: Jonathan Demme

Critics Consensus: The Assassin's thrilling visuals mark a fresh highlight for director Hsiao-hsien Hou, even if its glacial pace may keep some viewers at arm's length.

Synopsis: In ninth-century China, an exiled assassin (Shu Qi) must choose between love or duty when she receives orders to kill a man (Chang Chen) from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Shu Qi, Chang Chen, Yun Zhou, Satoshi Tsumabuki

Directed By: Hsiao-hsien Hou

Critics Consensus: Exiled has non-stop action, tension and style -- making it an excellent summer action movie. Johnnie To brings beautiful scenery and camerawork to the film, enhancing the action even more.

Synopsis: Two hit men from Hong Kong go to Macau to kill a renegade member of their gang, who is trying to live within the law... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Francis Ng, Josie Ho, Nick Cheung

Directed By: Johnnie To

Critics Consensus: Black Widow's deeper themes are drowned out in all the action, but it remains a solidly entertaining standalone adventure that's rounded out by a stellar supporting cast.

Synopsis: In Marvel Studios' action-packed spy thriller "Black Widow," Natasha Romanoff aka Black Widow confronts the darker parts of her ledger when a dangerous conspiracy with... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Scarlett Johansson, Florence Pugh, David Harbour, Rachel Weisz

Directed By: Cate Shortland

Critics Consensus: Atomic Blonde gets enough mileage out of its stylish action sequences -- and ever-magnetic star -- to make up for a narrative that's somewhat less hard-hitting than its protagonist.

Synopsis: Sensual and savage, Lorraine Broughton is the most elite spy in MI6, an agent who's willing to use all of her lethal skills to stay... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charlize Theron, James McAvoy, Eddie Marsan, John Goodman

Directed By: David Leitch

Critics Consensus: Rockwell is spot-on as Barris, and Clooney directs with entertaining style and flair.

Synopsis: Game show television producer Chuck Barris is at the height of his career. His creation, The Dating Game, is one of the network's top shows,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Rockwell, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Julia Roberts

Directed By: George Clooney

Critics Consensus: Munich can't quite achieve its lofty goals, but this thrilling, politically even-handed look at the fallout from an intractable political conflict is still well worth watching.

Synopsis: After the murder of 11 Israeli athletes and their coach at the 1972 Olympics, the Israeli government secretly assigns Avner Kaufman (Eric Bana) to carry... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Eric Bana, Daniel Craig, Geoffrey Rush, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Steven Spielberg

Critics Consensus: Featuring wonderful performances from Ben Kingsley and Tea Leoni, You Kill Me is a charming, funny take on the familiar inner-lives-of-hit-men premise.

Synopsis: An alcoholic mob hit man, Frank Falenczyk (Ben Kingsley), is forced into rehab by his boss (Philip Baker Hall). To clean up he gets a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Kingsley, Téa Leoni, Luke Wilson, Dennis Farina

Directed By: John Dahl

Critics Consensus: Kill List is an expertly executed slow-burn crime thriller that thrives on tension before morphing into visceral horror.

Synopsis: Events take a darker turn as a contract killer (Neil Maskell) and his business partner (Michael Smiley) carry out a new assignment.

Starring: Neil Maskell, Michael Smiley, MyAnna Buring, Emma Fryer

Directed By: Ben Wheatley

Critics Consensus: This humorously amoral, oddball comic thriller features strong performances by Pierce Brosnan and Greg Kinnear as a flamboyant, aging hit-man and an out of work suburban businessman, respectively.

Synopsis: Salesman Danny Wright (Greg Kinnear) is working through his shaky marriage and the untimely death of his child when he bumps into the similarly dispirited... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pierce Brosnan, Greg Kinnear, Hope Davis, Philip Baker Hall

Directed By: Richard Shepard

Critics Consensus: Killing Them Softly is a darkly comic, visceral thriller that doubles as a cautionary tale on capitalism, whose message is delivered with sledgehammer force.

Synopsis: When rival crook Johnny Amato (Vincent Curatola) hatches a plan to rob a card game run by mob lackey Markie (Ray Liotta), he picks a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Scoot McNairy, Ben Mendelsohn, Richard Jenkins

Directed By: Andrew Dominik

Critics Consensus: Pivoting on the unusual relationship between seasoned hitman and his 12-year-old apprentice -- a breakout turn by young Natalie Portman -- Luc Besson's Léon is a stylish and oddly affecting thriller.

Synopsis: Mathilda (Natalie Portman) is only 12 years old, but is already familiar with the dark side of life: her abusive father stores drugs for corrupt... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jean Reno, Gary Oldman, Natalie Portman, Danny Aiello

Directed By: Luc Besson

Critics Consensus: It may not be the killer thrill ride you'd expect from an action movie with a cast of this caliber, but Red still thoroughly outshines most of its big-budget counterparts with its wit and style.

Synopsis: After surviving an assault from a squad of hit men, retired CIA agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) reassembles his old team for an all-out war.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Morgan Freeman, John Malkovich, Helen Mirren

Directed By: Robert Schwentke

Critics Consensus: Wanted is stylish, energetic popcorn fare with witty performances from Angelina Jolie (playing an expert assassin), James McAvoy, and Morgan Freeman that help to distract from its absurdly over-the-top plot.

Synopsis: Wesley Gibson (James McAvoy) is an office worker whose life is going nowhere. After his estranged father is murdered, he meets Fox (Angelina Jolie), who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James McAvoy, Morgan Freeman, Angelina Jolie, Terence Stamp

Directed By: Timur Bekmambetov

Critics Consensus: Le Samouraï makes the most of its spare aesthetic, using stylish -- and influential -- direction, solid performances, and thick atmosphere to weave an absorbing story.

Synopsis: Hit man Jef Costello (Alain Delon) goes through an elaborate set of rituals before carrying out a hit on a nightclub owner. Always thorough and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alain Delon, Nathalie Delon, François Perier, Cathy Rosier

Directed By: Jean-Pierre Melville

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After botching his latest assignment, a third-ranked Japanese hit man becomes the target of another assassin.

Starring: Jo Shishido, Mariko Ogawa, Mari Annu, Kôji Nanbara

Directed By: Seijun Suzuki

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: When a hit man fails to carry through with the execution of a star witness, he finds himself marked for murder.

Starring: Vince Edwards, Phillip Pine, Herschel Bernardi

Directed By: Irving Lerner

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A gangster (Lee Byung-hun) starts a violent feud after he refuses to kill his boss's (Kim Yeong-cheol) cheating girlfriend.

Starring: Lee Byung-hun, Kim Yeong-cheol, Shin Min-a, Kim Roe ha

Directed By: Kim Jee-woon

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An assassin (Leon Lai Ming), his boss, an entrepreneur (Takeshi Kaneshiro) and two women cross paths in Hong Kong after hours.

Starring: Leon Lai Ming, Takeshi Kaneshiro, Charlie Young, Michelle Reis

Directed By: Kar-Wai Wong

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Politicians secretly hire convicts to conduct hits, then quickly return to prison.

Starring: Piolo Pascual, Gerald Anderson, Joel Torre, Joey Marquez

Directed By: Erik Matti

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Sadistic killer-for-hire Raven (Alan Ladd) becomes enraged when his latest job is paid off in marked bills. Vowing to track down his double-crossing boss, nightclub... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Alan Ladd, Veronica Lake, Robert Preston, Laird Cregar

Directed By: Frank Tuttle

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After a little girl is kidnapped, a government-agent-turned-mercenary is forced to re-emerge when he learns the incident is closely connected to him. However, when an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Hwang Jung-min, Lee Jung-jae, Park Jeong-min, Choi Hee-seo

Directed By: Won-Chan Hong

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: After yakuza boss Kurata (Ryuji Kita) dissolves his own criminal empire, a rival kingpin offers a position to Kurata's top operative, Tetsuya "Phoenix Tetsu" Hondo... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tetsuya Watari, Chieko Matsubara, Ryuji Kita, Hideaki Nitani

Directed By: Seijun Suzuki

Critics Consensus: The American Friend is a slow burning existential thriller that does justice to the Patricia Highsmith source novel.

Synopsis: American expatriate Tom (Dennis Hopper) treats Hamburg, Germany, like it's the Wild West and makes a living by hawking art forgeries, but decides to take... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dennis Hopper, Bruno Ganz, Lisa Kreuzer, Gérard Blain

Directed By: Wim Wenders

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A French chef hires three hit men to help him avenge the murders of his daughter's family.

Starring: Johnny Hallyday, Sylvie Testud, Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Ka Tung Lam

Directed By: Johnnie To

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Japanese gangster Muraki (Ryô Ikebe) is released from jail after a few years and finds both organized crime and the real world have moved on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryô Ikebe, Mariko Kaga, Takashi Fujiki, Chisako Hara

Directed By: Masahiro Shinoda

Critics Consensus: The Day of the Jackal is a meticulously constructed thriller with surprising irreverence and taut direction.

Synopsis: An underground French paramilitary group is intent on eliminating President Charles de Gaulle (Adrien Cayla-Legrand), but when numerous attempts on his life fail, they resort... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Edward Fox, Michaël Lonsdale, Tony Britton, Terence Alexander

Directed By: Fred Zinnemann

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Hit men (John Hurt, Tim Roth) catch a stool pigeon (Terence Stamp) in Spain and take him on a wild ride to Paris.

Starring: John Hurt, Terence Stamp, Tim Roth, Laura del Sol

Directed By: Stephen Frears

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A hit man (Allen Baron) comes to New York to kill a gangster and gets the gun from a big guy (Larry Tucker) with a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Allen Baron, Molly McCarthy, Larry Tucker, Danny Meehan

Directed By: Allen Baron

Critics Consensus: Though it can't best Robert Siodmak's classic 1946 version, Don Siegel's take on the Ernest Hemingway story stakes out its own violent territory, and offers a terrifically tough turn from Lee Marvin.

Synopsis: A hit man (Lee Marvin) and his partner (Clu Gulager) try to find out why their latest victim, a former race-car driver (John Cassavetes), did... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Lee Marvin, Angie Dickinson, John Cassavetes, Ronald Reagan

Directed By: Don Siegel

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A suicidal man (Leon Cain) hires a demented killer (Steve Mouzakis) to help him end it all, but he miraculously continues to survive each attempt... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Steve Mouzakis, Leon Cain, Zoe de Plevitz, Christian McCarty

Directed By: Dru Brown

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An assassin (Makiko Esumi) fends off numerous attacks from her comrades, who are trying to move up in rank by killing off the competition.

Starring: Makiko Esumi, Sayoko Yamaguchi, Kan Hanae, Masatoshi Nagase

Directed By: Seijun Suzuki

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A soldier returns home from Vietnam and is hired by crooked cops to kill a few crooks but things get complicated when one of the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karl Scheydt, Elga Sorbas, Jan George, Hark Bohm

Directed By: Rainer Werner Fassbinder

Critics Consensus: Stylish and inventive, Salvo parcels out the thrills that genre fans seek while anchoring its story with satisfying, slow-building tension.

Synopsis: A mafia assassin gives his latest victim's sister her sight back.

Starring: Saleh Bakri, Sara Serraiocco, Mario Pupella, Giuditta Perriera

Directed By: Fabio Grassadonia, Antonio Piazza

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Police detective and successful author Dennis Meechum (Brian Dennehy) has not been able to write since his wife's death and owes an overdue manuscript to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: James Woods, Brian Dennehy, Victoria Tennant, Allison Balson

Directed By: John Flynn

Critics Consensus: Fantastic acting and crisply choreographed action sequences propel this unique, cool take on the revenge thriller.

Synopsis: Raised by her father (Eric Bana) in the Finnish wilderness, teenage Hanna (Saoirse Ronan) has trained all her life to be the perfect assassin. Her... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Saoirse Ronan, Eric Bana, Cate Blanchett, Tom Hollander

Directed By: Joe Wright

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A detective spends three months in a coma and sees everything upside down after he is shot in the head. He becomes an assassin and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sirin Horwang, Apisit Opasaimlikit, Kurkkiat Panpipat, Nopachai Chaiyanam

Directed By: Pen-Ek Ratanaruang

Critics Consensus: Smart, sharp-witted, and fueled by enjoyably over-the-top action, The Long Kiss Goodnight makes up in impact what it lacks in consistent aim.

Synopsis: Schoolteacher and single mother Samantha Caine (Geena Davis) lives an average suburban life -- until she begins having strange memories of unexplained violence and discovers... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Geena Davis, Samuel L. Jackson, Patrick Malahide, Craig Bierko

Directed By: Renny Harlin

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Former government assassin Jonathan Hemlock now devotes his time to teaching and collecting paintings, but his quiet life is interrupted when he is persuaded by... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Clint Eastwood, George Kennedy, Vonetta McGee, Jack Cassidy

Directed By: Clint Eastwood

Critics Consensus: While it deserved stronger direction and a more fully realized script, Michael Shannon's riveting performance in the title role is more than enough to make The Iceman recommended viewing.

Synopsis: Hit man Richard Kuklinski earns a well-deserved reputation as a cold-blooded killer but manages to keep his violent profession a secret from his wife and... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Shannon, Winona Ryder, James Franco, Ray Liotta

Directed By: Ariel Vromen

Critics Consensus: As beautifully shot as it is emotionally restrained, The American is an unusually divisive spy thriller -- and one that rests on an unusually subdued performance from George Clooney.

Synopsis: When an assignment in Sweden ends badly, master assassin Jack (George Clooney) retreats to the Italian countryside with the intention of remaining anonymous. In an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: George Clooney, Violante Placido, Thekla Reuten, Paolo Bonacelli

Directed By: Anton Corbijn

Critics Consensus: Crank: High Voltage delivers on its promises: a fast-paced, exciting thrill ride that doesn't take itself too seriously.

Synopsis: After surviving an incredible plunge to near-certain death, Chev Chelios is abducted by Chinese mobsters. Waking up three months later, Chev finds that his nearly... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Dwight Yoakam, Efren Ramirez

Directed By: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Critics Consensus: Though less subversive than its predecessor, Sicario: Day of the Soldado succeeds as a stylish, dynamic thriller -- even if its amoral machismo makes for grim viewing.

Synopsis: FBI agent Matt Graver calls on mysterious operative Alejandro Gillick when Mexican drug cartels start to smuggle terrorists across the U.S. border. The war escalates... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Benicio del Toro, Josh Brolin, Isabela Merced, Jeffrey Donovan

Directed By: Stefano Sollima

Critics Consensus: Angelina Jolie gives it her all in the title role, and her seasoned performance is almost enough to save Salt from its predictable and ludicrous plot.

Synopsis: When Evelyn Salt (Angelina Jolie) became a CIA officer, she swore an oath to duty, honor and country. But, when a defector accuses her of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Angelina Jolie, Liev Schreiber, Chiwetel Ejiofor, Daniel Olbrychski

Directed By: Phillip Noyce

Critics Consensus: Maggie Q's still waiting for the action movie that really deserves her -- but until then, The Protégé hits just hard enough to satisfy.

Synopsis: Rescued as a child by the legendary assassin Moody (Samuel L. Jackson) and trained in the family business, Anna (Maggie Q) is the world's most... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Michael Keaton, Maggie Q, Samuel L. Jackson, David Rintoul

Directed By: Martin Campbell

Critics Consensus: Crank's assaultive style and gleeful depravity may turn off casual action fans, but audiences seeking a strong dose of adrenaline will be thrilled by Jason Statham's raucous race against mortality.

Synopsis: Chev Chelios (Jason Statham), a hit man wanting to go straight, lets his latest target slip away, then he awakes the next morning to a... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Amy Smart, Jose Pablo Cantillo, Efren Ramirez

Directed By: Mark Neveldine, Brian Taylor

Critics Consensus: Although this action-romance suffers from weak writing and one too many explosions, the chemistry generated by onscreen couple Pitt and Jolie is palpable enough to make this a thoroughly enjoyable summer action flick.

Synopsis: John and Jane Smith, a couple in a stagnating marriage, live a deceptively mundane existence. However, each has been hiding a secret from the other:... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Angelina Jolie, Vince Vaughn, Adam Brody

Directed By: Doug Liman

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Boss Lung (Ko Hung) knows that someone in the Hong Kong Triad wants him dead. After a botched assassination nearly takes his life, he orders... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Anthony Chau-Sang Wong, Francis Ng, Jackie Lui, Roy Cheung

Directed By: Johnnie To

Critics Consensus: The Equalizer is more stylishly violent than meaningful, but with Antoine Fuqua behind the cameras and Denzel Washington dispensing justice, it delivers.

Synopsis: Robert McCall (Denzel Washington), a man of mysterious origin who believes he has put the past behind him, dedicates himself to creating a quiet new... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Marton Csokas, Chloë Grace Moretz, David Harbour

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Hong Kong superstar Andy Lau re-teams with directors Johnnie To ("The Mission") and Wa Ka Fai for a spectacular no holds barred cinematic extravaganza. Lau... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Andy Lau, Takashi Sorimachi, Simon Yam, Kelly Lin Hsi-Lei

Directed By: Johnnie To, Ka-Fai Wai

Critics Consensus: Bullet Train's colorful cast and high-speed action are almost enough to keep things going after the story runs out of track.

Synopsis: In Bullet Train, Brad Pitt stars as Ladybug, an unlucky assassin determined to do his job peacefully after one too many gigs gone off the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Brad Pitt, Joey King, Aaron Taylor-Johnson, Brian Tyree Henry

Directed By: David Leitch

Critics Consensus: The Accountant writes off a committed performance from Ben Affleck, leaving viewers with a scattershot action thriller beset by an array of ill-advised deductions.

Synopsis: Christian Wolff (Ben Affleck) is a mathematics savant with more affinity for numbers than people. Using a small-town CPA office as a cover, he makes... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Affleck, Anna Kendrick, J.K. Simmons, Jon Bernthal

Directed By: Gavin O'Connor

Critics Consensus: The Equalizer 2 delivers the visceral charge of a standard vigilante thriller, but this reunion of trusted talents ultimately proves a disappointing case study in diminishing returns.

Synopsis: Robert McCall's mysterious past cuts especially close to home when thugs kill Susan Plummer, his best friend and former colleague. Now out for revenge, McCall... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Denzel Washington, Pedro Pascal, Ashton Sanders, Bill Pullman

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Critics Consensus: Trying too hard to be clever in a Pulp Fiction kind of way, this film succumbs to a convoluted plot, overly stylized characters, and dizzying set design.

Synopsis: A case of mistaken identity puts a man named Slevin (Josh Hartnett) in the middle of a war between two rival New York crime lords:... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Josh Hartnett, Morgan Freeman, Ben Kingsley, Lucy Liu

Directed By: Paul McGuigan

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Kong (Pavarit Mongkolpisit), a deaf-mute assassin, lives a life of quiet desperation working for Bangkok mobsters. Despite his disability, Kong's mentor, Jo (Pisek Intrakanchit), trains... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Pavarit Mongkolpisit, Premsinee Ratanasopha, Patharawarin Timkul, Pisek Intrakanchit

Directed By: Oxide Chun Pang, Danny Pang

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Joe Doyle (Daniel Zovatto) is a young hitman, like his father before him, who lives with his mother Gloria (Academy Award nominee Cathy Moriarty). By... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Daniel Zovatto, Tilda Cobham-Hervey, Cathy Moriarty, David Proval

Directed By: Cameron Van Hoy

Critics Consensus: With an implausible story and numerous plot holes, Shooter fails to distinguish itself from other mindless action-thrillers.

Synopsis: A top Marine sniper, Bob Lee Swagger, leaves the military after a mission goes awry and disappears without a trace. Swagger is coaxed back into... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Michael Peña, Danny Glover, Kate Mara

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Critics Consensus: While it's still hard to argue with its impeccable cast or the fun they often seem to be having, Red 2 replaces much of the goofy fun of its predecessor with empty, over-the-top bombast.

Synopsis: Former CIA black-ops agent Frank Moses (Bruce Willis) and his old partner, Marvin Boggs (John Malkovich), are caught in the grip of retirement -- but... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, John Malkovich, Mary-Louise Parker, Anthony Hopkins

Directed By: Dean Parisot

Critics Consensus: The Hitman's Bodyguard coasts on Samuel L. Jackson and Ryan Reynolds' banter -- but doesn't get enough mileage to power past an overabundance of action-comedy clichés.

Synopsis: The world's top protection agent is called upon to guard the life of his mortal enemy, one of the world's most notorious hit men. The... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Gary Oldman, Salma Hayek

Directed By: Patrick Hughes

Critics Consensus: Despite a charming cast, The Whole Nine Yards can't tickle funny bones consistently enough to distract from its sitcom-like story.

Synopsis: Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski (Bruce Willis), a mob hitman-turned-informant, ratted on the mob and put his life in jeopardy. Now he has moved to suburban... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, Rosanna Arquette, Michael Clarke Duncan

Directed By: Jonathan Lynn

Critics Consensus: Equilibrium is a reheated mishmash of other sci-fi movies.

Synopsis: In a futuristic world, a regime has eliminated war by suppressing emotions: books, art and music are strictly forbidden and feeling is a crime punishable... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Christian Bale, Emily Watson, Taye Diggs, Angus Macfadyen

Directed By: Kurt Wimmer

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A waitress (Ann-Margret) helps a French hit man (Jean-Louis Trintignant) on the run from another hit man in Los Angeles.

Starring: Jean-Louis Trintignant, Ann-Margret, Angie Dickinson, Roy Scheider

Directed By: Jacques Deray

Critics Consensus: American Assassin hits a few easy targets, but without enough style or wit to truly bring its characters to life -- or stand out in a crowded field of more compelling spy thrillers.

Synopsis: When Cold War veteran Stan Hurley takes CIA black ops recruit Mitch Rapp under his wing, they receive an assignment to investigate a wave of... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Dylan O'Brien, Michael Keaton, Sanaa Lathan, David Suchet

Directed By: Michael Cuesta

Critics Consensus: Anna finds writer-director Luc Besson squarely in his wheelhouse, but fans of this variety of stylized action have seen it all done before -- and better.

Synopsis: Beneath a woman's striking beauty lies a secret that will unleash her indelible strength and skill to become one of the most feared assassins on... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sasha Luss, Luke Evans, Cillian Murphy, Helen Mirren

Directed By: Luc Besson

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Arthur Bishop (Charles Bronson) is a veteran hit man who, owing to his penchant for making his targets' deaths seem like accidents, thinks himself an... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Charles Bronson, Jan-Michael Vincent, Keenan Wynn, Jill Ireland

Directed By: Michael Winner

Critics Consensus: A violent mess of a movie, Smokin' Aces has some Quentin Tarantino's style but not much of his wit or humor.

Synopsis: Sleazy entertainer Buddy "Aces" Israel incurs the wrath of crime boss Primo Sparazza when he agrees to testify against the Las Vegas mob. Two FBI... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ben Affleck, Andy Garcia, Alicia Keys, Ray Liotta

Directed By: Joe Carnahan

Critics Consensus: Zoe Saldana has the chops but she's taken out by erratic and sloppy filmmaking.

Synopsis: In 1992 Bogotá, a little girl watches crime lord Don Luis and his henchman Marco murder her parents. Fifteen years later, the now-grown Cataleya, who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Zoe Saldaña, Jordi Mollà, Lennie James, Michael Vartan

Directed By: Olivier Megaton

Critics Consensus: A juvenile, ugly movie that represents the worst tendencies of directors channeling Tarantino.

Synopsis: Tired of the crime overrunning the streets of Boston, Irish Catholic twin brothers Conner (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy (Norman Reedus) are inspired by their... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Willem Dafoe, Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, David Della Rocco

Directed By: Troy Duffy

Critics Consensus: Despite the charms of its ensemble, The Hitman's Wife's Bodyguard fails to protect the audience from repetitive and tired genre tropes.

Synopsis: The world's most lethal odd couple -- bodyguard Michael Bryce (Ryan Reynolds) and hitman Darius Kincaid (Samuel L. Jackson) -- are back on another life-threatening... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Ryan Reynolds, Samuel L. Jackson, Salma Hayek, Antonio Banderas

Directed By: Patrick Hughes

Critics Consensus: An action thriller starring Mads Mikkelsen as the world's most dangerous assassin should be terrifically entertaining, but Polar proves it's possible to ruin anything if you try.

Synopsis: The world's top assassin, Duncan Vizla, aka The Black Kaiser, is settling into retirement when his former employer marks him as a liability to the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mads Mikkelsen, Vanessa Hudgens, Ruby O. Fee, Robert Maillet

Directed By: Jonas Akerlund

Critics Consensus: Liam Neeson is in typically fine form, but Run All Night suffers from a convoluted plot and workmanlike execution.

Synopsis: Longtime hit man Jimmy Conlon (Liam Neeson), best friend of mob boss Shawn Maguire (Ed Harris), has seen better days. He's haunted both by the... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Ed Harris, Joel Kinnaman, Common

Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

Critics Consensus: Though it runs dangerously close to being a pure sugar rush with no substance, Gunpowder Milkshake is a brutal blast that will absorb audiences into its neon-infused universe.

Synopsis: Sam (Karen Gillan) was only 12 years old when her mother Scarlet (Lena Headey), an elite assassin, was forced to abandon her. Sam was raised... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Karen Gillan, Lena Headey, Carla Gugino, Michelle Yeoh

Directed By: Navot Papushado

Critics Consensus: It isn't quite as compelling as the earlier trilogy, but The Bourne Legacy proves the franchise has stories left to tell -- and benefits from Jeremy Renner's magnetic work in the starring role.

Synopsis: When the actions of Jason Bourne spark a fire that threatens to burn down decades of research across a number of secret intelligence agencies, Eric... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeremy Renner, Rachel Weisz, Edward Norton, Stacy Keach

Directed By: Tony Gilroy

Critics Consensus: Liam Neeson elevates the proceedings considerably, but Unknown is ultimately too derivative -- and implausible -- to take advantage of its intriguing premise.

Synopsis: After a serious car accident in Berlin, Dr. Martin Harris (Liam Neeson) awakes to find his world in utter chaos. His wife (January Jones) does... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Liam Neeson, Diane Kruger, January Jones, Aidan Quinn

Directed By: Jaume Collet-Serra

Critics Consensus: Jason Bourne delivers fans of the franchise more of what they've come to expect -- which is this sequel's biggest selling point as well as its greatest flaw.

Synopsis: It's been 10 years since Jason Bourne (Matt Damon) walked away from the agency that trained him to become a deadly weapon. Hoping to draw... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Matt Damon, Tommy Lee Jones, Alicia Vikander, Vincent Cassel

Directed By: Paul Greengrass

Critics Consensus: Jason Statham and Ben Foster turn in enjoyable performances, but this superficial remake betrays them with mind-numbing violence and action thriller cliches.

Synopsis: One of an elite group of assassins, Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) may be the best in the business. Bishop carries out his assignments with precision,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Ben Foster, Donald Sutherland, Tony Goldwyn

Directed By: Simon West

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A strung-out junkie named Maggie (Bridget Fonda) kills a police officer during the botched robbery of a drug store. After being sentenced to die at... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bridget Fonda, Gabriel Byrne, Dermot Mulroney, Miguel Ferrer

Directed By: John Badham

Critics Consensus: Bullet to the Head's unapologetically trashy thrills evoke memories of its star and director's proud cinematic pasts -- but sadly, those memories are just about all it has to offer.

Synopsis: When veteran hit man Jimmy Bobo (Sylvester Stallone) and his partner, Louis (Jon Seda), kill a corrupt ex-cop, Louis in turn loses his life to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Sung Kang, Sarah Shahi, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje

Directed By: Walter Hill

Critics Consensus: Mary Elizabeth Winstead does reliably gripping work in the title role, but Kate is disappointingly derivative of numerous other female assassin films.

Synopsis: Meticulous and preternaturally skilled, Kate is the perfect specimen of a finely tuned assassin at the height of her game. But when she uncharacteristically blows... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Woody Harrelson, Miku Martineau, Jun Kunimura

Directed By: Cedric Nicolas-Troyan

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Lowly FBI clerk Walter Weed (Tom Berenger) unwittingly becomes the target of assassins when gangland kingpin Hal Leuco places a bounty on his life. Responding... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Tom Berenger, Ernie Hudson, Michael Parks, Tommy Flanagan

Directed By: P.J. Pesce

Critics Consensus: The Big Hit seeks to blend the best of Hong Kong and American action cinema, but ends up offering a muddled mush that mostly misses.

Synopsis: Affable hit man Melvin Smiley (Mark Wahlberg) is constantly being scammed by his cutthroat colleagues in the life-ending business. So, when he and his fellow... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Mark Wahlberg, Lou Diamond Phillips, Christina Applegate, Avery Brooks

Directed By: Kirk Wong

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: A veteran assassin (Jang Dong-gun) accidentally kills a little girl, then falls in love with his next target -- the child's mother (Kim Min-hee).

Starring: Jang Dong-gun, Kim Min-hee, Brian Tee, Kim Hee-won

Directed By: Lee Jeong-beom

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Starring: Michael Constantine, Charles Bronson, Jill Ireland, Telly Savalas

Directed By: Sergio Sollima

Critics Consensus: Chow Yun-fat makes his dubious English-language debut in The Replacement Killers, a stylish but muddled knockoff of the Hong Kong shoot-em-ups that earned the star his international renown.

Synopsis: Hired assassin John Lee (Chow Yun-Fat) is asked by Chinatown crime boss Terence Wei (Kenneth Tsang) to murder the young son of policeman Stan Zedkov... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Chow Yun-Fat, Mira Sorvino, Michael Rooker, Jürgen Prochnow

Directed By: Antoine Fuqua

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: An assassin is sent to kill a young woman but finds himself unable to pull the trigger. They form an uneasy alliance and flee from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sam Worthington, Odeya Rush, Allen Leech, Amy Landecker

Directed By: Jonathan Mostow

Critics Consensus: With little to recommend beyond a handful of entertaining set pieces, Mechanic: Resurrection suggests this franchise should have remained in its tomb.

Synopsis: Living undercover in Brazil, master assassin Arthur Bishop (Jason Statham) springs back into action after an old enemy (Sam Hazeldine) kidnaps the woman (Jessica Alba)... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Jessica Alba, Tommy Lee Jones, Michelle Yeoh

Directed By: Dennis Gansel

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Arthur Banks (Kiefer Sutherland) is a top-tier hit man who works mainly for the South American drug lords. His MO is to befriend women who... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Kiefer Sutherland, Melora Walters, Leslie Stefanson, Jamey Sheridan

Directed By: Richard Greenberg

Critics Consensus: A rote, utterly disposable Jason Statham vehicle that just happens to have Clive Owen and Robert De Niro in it.

Synopsis: Danny Bryce (Jason Statham), one of the world's deadliest special-ops agents, returns from self-imposed exile after his mentor, Hunter (Robert De Niro) is captured. Danny... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jason Statham, Robert De Niro, Clive Owen, Yvonne Strahovski

Directed By: Gary McKendry

Critics Consensus: Overly serious and incomprehensibly edited, Ninja Assassin fails to live up to the promise of its title.

Synopsis: Trained in methods of killing from an early age, Raizo (Rain) is a member of the secret clan of assassins known as the Ozunu. After... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jeong Ji-hoon, Naomie Harris, Ben Miles, Rick Yune

Directed By: James McTeigue

Critics Consensus: Proud Mary proves Taraji P. Henson has more than enough attitude and charisma to carry an action movie -- just not, unfortunately, one this indifferently assembled.

Synopsis: Mary is a professional assassin who works for Benny, a ruthless gangster who heads an organized crime family in Boston. Her life gets completely turned... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Taraji P. Henson, Billy Brown, Jahi Di'Allo Winston, Neal McDonough

Directed By: Babak Najafi

Critics Consensus: The Jackal is a relatively simple chase thriller incapable of adding thrills or excitement as the plot chugs along.

Synopsis: During an FBI raid on a Moscow nightclub, the brother of Russian gangster Terek Murad (David Hayman) is killed. Murad wants revenge and hires anonymous... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Richard Gere, Sidney Poitier, Diane Venora

Directed By: Michael Caton-Jones

Critics Consensus: This sequel to the cult favorite The Boondock Saints is more of the same -- unoriginal, absurd, violent, over-the-top, and occasionally mean-spirited.

Synopsis: Connor (Sean Patrick Flanery) and Murphy MacManus (Norman Reedus) have been living in Ireland for several years, working on a farm with their father (Billy... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Patrick Flanery, Norman Reedus, Judd Nelson, Billy Connolly

Directed By: Troy Duffy

Critics Consensus: Worth seeking out for only the most hardcore of Margot Robbie completists, Terminal lives down to the medical definition of its title in dreadfully derivative fashion.

Synopsis: In the dark heart of a sprawling and anonymous city, two assassins carry out a sinister mission, a teacher battles a fatal illness, an enigmatic... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Margot Robbie, Simon Pegg, Dexter Fletcher, Mike Myers

Directed By: Vaughn Stein

Critics Consensus: With an uninspired plot and rote set pieces that are overshadowed by its star's physique, The Gunman proves a muddled misfire in the rapidly aging Over-50 Action Hero genre.

Synopsis: Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is back, suffering from... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sean Penn, Idris Elba, Ray Winstone, Mark Rylance

Directed By: Pierre Morel

Critics Consensus: Hitman features the unfortunate combination of excessive violence, incoherent plot, and inane dialogue.

Synopsis: A professional assassin known only as Agent 47 (Timothy Olyphant) gets caught up in a dangerous political takeover. He flees across Eastern Europe, hoping to... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Timothy Olyphant, Dougray Scott, Olga Kurylenko, Robert Knepper

Directed By: Xavier Gens

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Assassin Robert Rath (Sylvester Stallone) arrives at a funeral to kill a prominent mobster, only to witness rival hired gun Miguel Bain (Antonio Banderas) complete... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Sylvester Stallone, Antonio Banderas, Julianne Moore, Anatoli Davydov

Directed By: Richard Donner

Critics Consensus: Ava seems to have all the components of an entertaining spy thriller, but not even this spectacular cast is enough to salvage the dull, clichéd story they're given to work with.

Synopsis: An assassin becomes marked for death by her own black ops organization after questioning orders and breaking protocol.

Starring: Jessica Chastain, John Malkovich, Colin Farrell, Jess Weixler

Directed By: Tate Taylor

Critics Consensus: Jennifer Garner inhabits her role with earnest gusto, but Elektra's tone deaf script is too self-serious and bereft of intelligent dialogue to provide engaging thrills.

Synopsis: Assassin-for-hire Elektra works for a mysterious international organization known as the Hand, for which she kills her targets without question, and in a conspicuous red... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Jennifer Garner, Terence Stamp, Kirsten Zien, Goran Visnjic

Directed By: Rob Bowman

Critics Consensus: With murky cinematography, a meandering pace, a dull storyline, and rather wooden performances, The Pang Brothers' Hollywood remake of Bangkok Dangerous is unsuccessful.

Synopsis: Remorseless assassin Joe (Nicolas Cage) is in Thailand to complete a series of contract killings for a crime boss called Surat (Nirattisai Kaljaruek). He hires... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Nicolas Cage, Shahkrit Yamnam, Charlie Young, Panward Hemmanee

Directed By: Oxide Chun Pang, Danny Pang

Critics Consensus: Hitman: Agent 47 fails to clear the low bar set by its predecessor, forsaking thrilling action in favor of a sleekly hollow mélange of dull violence and product placement.

Synopsis: Genetically engineered from conception to be the perfect killing machine, he's the culmination of decades of research, endowed with unprecedented strength, speed, stamina and intelligence.... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Rupert Friend, Hannah Ware, Zachary Quinto, Ciarán Hinds

Directed By: Aleksander Bach

Critics Consensus: A strained, laugh-free sequel, The Whole Ten Yards recycles its predecessor's cast and plot but not its wit or reason for being.

Synopsis: After faking his death, former killer-for-hire Jimmy "The Tulip" Tudeski (Bruce Willis) retires to Mexico with his new wife, Jill (Amanda Peet), while his ex-wife,... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Bruce Willis, Matthew Perry, Amanda Peet, Kevin Pollak

Directed By: Howard Deutch

Critics Consensus: No consensus yet.

Synopsis: Frank Carden (Morgan Freeman), one of the world's greatest assassins, is handed a lucrative contract to kill a highly secretive billionaire. But in a twist... View Full Synopsis

Starring: Morgan Freeman, John Cusack, Jamie Anderson, Alice Krige

Directed By: Bruce Beresford