Killshot (released on Jan. 23, 2009) is an atmospheric neo-noir that captures the cold, unforgiving spirit of the Elmore Leonard novel upon which it is based. Directed by John Madden, the film strips away the glitz of traditional Hollywood thrillers to reveal a raw, character-driven story about ordinary people caught in the crosshairs of professional killers.
It is a film defined by its wintry landscapes and a palpable sense of dread, utilizing a slow-burn pace that emphasizes the psychological toll of being hunted. Madden focuses on the collision between domestic stability and psychopathic unpredictability, creating a tension that is as much about the breakdown of safety as it is about physical violence.
Carmen Colson (Diane Lane) and her husband Wayne (Thomas Jane) are a struggling couple in the midst of a separation, trying to navigate the mundane challenges of life in rural Michigan.
Their world is violently upended when they inadvertently witness an extortion attempt gone wrong.
The perpetrators are Armand “The Blackbird” Degas (Mickey Rourke), a weary but lethal veteran hitman with a personal code, and Richie Nix (Joseph Gordon-Levitt), a manic, impulsive, and deeply sociopathic young hoodlum.
Because The Blackbird leaves no witnesses, the Colsons are forced into the Federal Witness Protection Program. Relocated to a safe house in Missouri, they find themselves under the watch of federal agents while trying to rebuild their fractured relationship.
However, the protection is thin.
The Blackbird, spurred on by the erratic Richie, remains relentless in his pursuit.
As the killers close in, the Colsons realize that the bureaucracy of the law cannot truly protect them.
The narrative features supporting turns from Rosario Dawson as Richie’s girlfriend and Hal Holbrook as the head of the Toronto mafia.
The story moves toward a harrowing climax back at the Colsons’ home, where Carmen and Wayne are forced to shed their civilized veneers and rely on their own instincts to survive a final, deadly confrontation with a predator who has nothing left to lose.
Don McManus and Lois Smith round out the cast.
Mickey Rourke in Killshot (Photo/The Weinstein Company)
Reception for Killshot
Killshot grossed $2.96 million in limited release.
After a short release on five screens, Killshot was released on DVD on May 26, 2009.
Legacy
Killshot is rooted in its status as a faithful, gritty adaptation that captures the unique cadence and moral ambiguity of Leonard’s prose.
It is remembered for Rourke’s haunting, understated performance, which arrived on the heels of his career resurgence, and for Gordon-Levitt’s terrifyingly energetic turn as the unhinged Richie Nix.
The movie is also noted for its troubled production history, which included significant re-edits that eventually resulted in a film that felt more like a focused, European-style thriller than a standard American blockbuster.
While it received a limited theatrical release, it has earned a strong reputation among noir enthusiasts and fans of Leonard’s work for its casting and its bleak, realistic tone.
