Synopsis
Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie, a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman with dealings in Africa.
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Cast
- Sean PennJim Terrier
- Jasmine TrincaAnnie
- Javier BardemFelix Marti
- Ray WinstoneStanley Edgerton
- Mark RylanceTerrance Cox
- Idris ElbaBarnes
- Peter FranzénReiniger
- Mark BillinghamReed
- Daniel AdegboyegaBryson
- Ade OyefesoEugene
- 60
Empire
Sub-Ludlum plotting but stylishly executed, this offers a fun night out but is far from a nailed-on franchise-starter. - 58
Entertainment Weekly
Sean Penn doesn’t make movies very often these days. So when he does, you go in with certain expectations. Sadly, it’s best to leave them at the concession stand if you’re planning on enjoying The Gunman. - 50
Village Voice
Penn’s vanity — both in the way he shows off his bod and in the way he drives home the nobility of the once-wayward Terrier — is either the most deeply annoying thing about The Gunman, or the one thing in it that actually works. I’m leaning toward the latter. - 40
The Hollywood Reporter
Ripe, borderline hammy turns from Javier Bardem, Ray Winstone, Idris Elba and Mark Rylance add some spice. - 40
Screen Daily
A muddled bid for political relevance has led the film-makers to drag on The Gunman’s primary mission: to entertain. - 40
Total Film
A genuine disappointment, given the talent involved, and a rare misstep for Penn, who can’t save this moribund vanity project from flatlining. - 40
Time Out London
Thanks to ‘Taken’ director Pierre Morel, this too often feels like just another slice of brainless Eurotrash, packed with saw-it-coming plot twists, half-hearted car chases and an angsty hero with mega muscles and zero charisma. - 38
Slant Magazine
The lack of any visual ingenuity, reflexivity, or awareness of genre tropes diminishes the intermittent pleasures of the action's slightly involving kineticism.