IFC Films | Release Date: May 15, 2015
6.1
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Generally favorable reviews based on 62 Ratings
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25
Mixed:
31
Negative:
6
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5
LowbrowCinemaMay 22, 2015
GOOD KILL is a good attempt to deal with the complexity and ethics behind drone warfare. Director Andrew Niccol is back to more adult terrain after some pretty dreadful misfires but like all of his films, a great central conceit falls apartGOOD KILL is a good attempt to deal with the complexity and ethics behind drone warfare. Director Andrew Niccol is back to more adult terrain after some pretty dreadful misfires but like all of his films, a great central conceit falls apart by the third act. So you're left with very little about a very important topic. A total misfire. Expand
2 of 2 users found this helpful20
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6
duncan1964Jun 29, 2015
Ethan Hawke is a drone pilot who starts to question the moral implications of his missions as he fights the Taliban under direct orders from the CIA. As the stakes are raised his professional loyalty is called into question and his home lifeEthan Hawke is a drone pilot who starts to question the moral implications of his missions as he fights the Taliban under direct orders from the CIA. As the stakes are raised his professional loyalty is called into question and his home life starts to fall apart. When its addressing US foreign policy and the questionable ethics of advanced military technology the film works very well, in part due to a tight script but mainly due to Hawke's haunted, committed performance. But when the film concentrates on his home life it fails to engage and takes on the tone of a soap opera making it harder to care about the story we are really interested in. A film of two halves , one of which is far superior to the other. Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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7
StevieGJDMay 20, 2015
I really enjoyed the film. Those who go to this movie for a "Go USA" vibe will be unhappy. Much as American Sniper showed the personal impact of combat, Good Kill demonstrates the toll on the human spirit from high tech warfare. ItI really enjoyed the film. Those who go to this movie for a "Go USA" vibe will be unhappy. Much as American Sniper showed the personal impact of combat, Good Kill demonstrates the toll on the human spirit from high tech warfare. It certainly does not make the CIA look all that good, but few movies do. For those who doubt the subject matter of the film, what do you think drone strikes means? This movie explains it in a pretty direct way. Ironically, I saw it despite Ethan Hawke (who I loved in Boyhood, but generally don't like in films), who does a pretty good job. Zoe Kravitz is good again too, not to mention hot. Expand
2 of 3 users found this helpful21
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3
ydnar4May 16, 2015
I was interested in Good Kill as soon as I saw the trailer. The story was certainly one that brought me in. I was also eager to see Ethan Hawke's next project after Boyhood, which was the first movie I saw him in that I actually enjoyed hisI was interested in Good Kill as soon as I saw the trailer. The story was certainly one that brought me in. I was also eager to see Ethan Hawke's next project after Boyhood, which was the first movie I saw him in that I actually enjoyed his performance. Good Kill does have some veteran actors involved with Hawke, Bruce Greenwood and January Jones, who had the best performance in the film by far. Good Kill brings a relatively unknown component of the war on terrorism (it is said to be a true story but I'm not sure if I believe it) to light. Hawke gets caught in the middle of a huge ethical dilemma and begins to suffer from post traumatic stress. Good Kill was not exciting enough to keep my attention so I needed a big performance from Ethan Hawke and sadly I did not get it. I would not waste the money on this film because its just mediocre throughout. Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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9
lordofdicksJul 19, 2015
The storyline is realistic and it really shows the impact of modern warfare on both terrorist and innocent lives. The pilot only follows the orders given when to engage and sometimes even he may have mixed opinions about that. The cast isThe storyline is realistic and it really shows the impact of modern warfare on both terrorist and innocent lives. The pilot only follows the orders given when to engage and sometimes even he may have mixed opinions about that. The cast is good, and with Ethan Hawke in it, this movie is definitely a go. Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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0
hotfromcauldronMay 25, 2015
A few steps from the Las Vegas Strip - Air Force aces and video gamers - wipe out the enemy 6000 miles away - at the risk of suffering carpal tunel syndrome. For one grounded pilot the thrill is gone - his marriage is suffering - hisA few steps from the Las Vegas Strip - Air Force aces and video gamers - wipe out the enemy 6000 miles away - at the risk of suffering carpal tunel syndrome. For one grounded pilot the thrill is gone - his marriage is suffering - his morals are questioned. Provocative thoughts - lazy execution.
Never as good as an episode of Homeland. Old habits die hard but Good Kill is why I won’t be an avid movie theatre goer who “must see” all films as they are released on the silver screen. In fact, this past month Slow West, Maggie, and Barely Legal premiered on direct TV weeks before their theatrical openings. They sold out. So I have no reason to support them. Why spend money on a ticket, gas, parking and snacks when I never have to leave my couch. In fact why spend 8.99 for one showing when I can wait and see it for 9.99 with a month supply of other films and TV shows. ( stock alert - Netflix will go to $900).
Hollywood is transitioning but I predict less movies will make more. More movies will make less. Fewer movies will have red carpet openings. Art houses will close. To be “must see” Magic Mike will have to drop his g-string. Mr. Grey will need to whip out his stick. A dozen super heroes will converge on evil.
And a car chase will be 120 minutes. Oh, wait, that’s Mad Max. And while I’m ranting- imagine rebooting the Mona Lisa - the Stones Let’s Spend the Night Together-
Miller’s Death of a Saleman. Just like Hollywood folk botch up their looks with make overs so does Hollywood destroy their classics. Why Poltergeist? Psycho? Nothing is scared for the mighty buck.
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1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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0
Viper482May 22, 2015
I work in the USAF RPA community and can say with complete confidence this movie is full of $%^&. Nothing in this movie is the way thing are actually done, it is an insult to the men and women who are conducting these missions 24/7, 365 daysI work in the USAF RPA community and can say with complete confidence this movie is full of $%^&. Nothing in this movie is the way thing are actually done, it is an insult to the men and women who are conducting these missions 24/7, 365 days a year. PTSD is a real issue with this mission, being involved in a warzone by day then going home to your family at night can screw with your head. The director could have made this the story, instead he chose to insult these men and women by basically pushing the popular agenda. The USAF is going to start its own PR campaign to fight this kind of smearing that is simply untrue. Can't wait for it. Expand
1 of 4 users found this helpful13
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6
Tss5078Jul 29, 2018
Major Tom Egan (Ethan Hawke) is a decorated Air-force pilot, who after five deployments, has been assigned to a base in Las Vegas, where he conducts drones strikes over Afghanistan. He hates his job and feels like a coward, but things get aMajor Tom Egan (Ethan Hawke) is a decorated Air-force pilot, who after five deployments, has been assigned to a base in Las Vegas, where he conducts drones strikes over Afghanistan. He hates his job and feels like a coward, but things get a whole lot worse, when the CIA commissions his team to start doing questionable jobs. Egan starts to come apart and take it out on his co-workers and family, leading to an uncertain future. IFC films are right at the top of my list right now as the absolute best in independent film. Seldom have they disappointed me, and I wouldn't describe my feelings about Good Kill as disappointed, but rather indifferent. This film, based on a true story, was exceptionally written and features a fantastic director and an amazing cast, but it also moves at a snails pace and is extremely repetitive. It's just drone strike, reaction, intervention, repeat, over and over again, followed by an ending that wasn't all that surprising. Ethan Hawke gives a powerful performance, despite the fact that he lacks the kind of emotion this role sorely needed. I understand that having Egan be this stone cold guy on the outside is a major theme, but it also makes for a lot of seemingly endless conversations and interactions. Good Kill has a lot of elements I look for in a movie, it's well written, has a cast I really enjoy, a director I know very well, still, it's lacking in emotion and levity. The film is monotonous and much longer than it had to be, all in all, not bad, but not great. Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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5
LeZeeSep 9, 2016
A modern warfare and its effect on the family of a person who involved in it.

I like this director's films, because he writes the screenplay for all his films and each were so different with cleverness in narration. Sadly, this is the
A modern warfare and its effect on the family of a person who involved in it.

I like this director's films, because he writes the screenplay for all his films and each were so different with cleverness in narration. Sadly, this is the first one I didn't like. It was very similar to the 'Eye in the Sky', but came before than that and with a stretched storyline. It centres on Thomas, a pilot for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) stationed at an air base in Las Vegas, but fighting combat in the middle-east. Every day he's bombing at the terrorist makes him quite uneasy when the innocents get killed. And on the other hand, failing to handle his family with his professional distress brings more complication and how it ends are the rest of the film.

In my view I think the overly sentimentalised great film concept destroyed it. The emotions work fine in the war themes, but here it gives a wrong idea over battle against the terror outfits. Because of a combat officer with the sympathetic mind, that considered as the weakness of a soldier. So it all begins with the writing, if one wants to make a war film, a modern warfare, relying on this kind of storyline brings only anti sentiments from the soldier's perspective and we the people who love our nation.

I understand when the main film characters are not physically present at the actual battleground, not easy to draw a good story out of it. And due to the complete absent of a soldier getting injured in a crossfire, they wend for different kind of emotional dealing. The only thing that made me sense was the sexual abuse parts and how it was taken care later. Good actors, good direction, but a weak story and shortfall of some good thrill moments makes it an average.

5/10
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0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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7
T-ManMoviezMay 17, 2015
'Good Kill' is an american drama/thriller by director Andrew Niccol. The movie was released on May 15th 2015.

The plot of the movie evolves around Major Thomas Egan, a former F-16 jet pilot, who know works as a drone operator at a military
'Good Kill' is an american drama/thriller by director Andrew Niccol. The movie was released on May 15th 2015.

The plot of the movie evolves around Major Thomas Egan, a former F-16 jet pilot, who know works as a drone operator at a military base. His job requires Thomas to carry out requested drone strikes and essentially kill people with the push of a button. Very discontended with this premise and frustrated because he would rather go back to flying jets, Thomas becomes emotionally cold towards his wife and children.

The movie can generally be divided into two major settings and plots. Thomas' situation at home with his wife and children and how he tries to cope with what he does and Thomas' situation at work, where he sits in a 'box' and carries out drone strikes. Unforetunately, the two plots do not go well together.
The sections where Thomas is at work and kills people in the middle east with a reaper drone are much more interesting than what ensues at home, where he gets into more and more trouble with his wife and starts drinking on a daily basis. It makes you kind of weary and uneasy in a sense since you just want the movie to go back to the drone flying sections. That is not to say that the 'family-plot' comes off as a filler, it just can't compete with the more engaging drone operating plot. Which is, in my opinion, clearly the movies strongest suit and something not a lot of movies have done; this movie does that well. You can identify with Thomas as he sits in front of a computer, conducting drone strikes from thousands of miles away, killing, in some instances, innocent people. It's the actual implementation of the 'if you push this button, people will die' problem. It kind of feels sinister in instances and while staying very sterile and clean at the same time. This aspect about the movie however could have used more exploration and screen time, instead there is drama about Thomas and his family.

What can we conclude here?
'Good Kill' is a movie of diversity. One plot very interesting and engaging, the other one not so much. There could have been more of the focus on what happens in the 'box', in the middle of the desert, which is, what got me into watching this movie. The performances were okay and the effects were nice. I was going to rate this movie a 6, but felt it was not deserving of such a comparably low rating. It is a 7, not a strong one, but 6 is too low for this.
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0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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8
annapatrixSep 17, 2015
Great story line, a well done drama. Ethan Hawke is amazing in this movie. A must watch!

Watch it online for free: https://www.primewire.ag/watch-2760940-Good-Kill-online-free
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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7
JLuis_001Sep 7, 2017
Much more satisfactory than expected, Good Kill is an excellent film that brings into play a delicate subject without falling into manipulations or even attempts to take sides, it exposes its ideas and story with bases so the viewer make hisMuch more satisfactory than expected, Good Kill is an excellent film that brings into play a delicate subject without falling into manipulations or even attempts to take sides, it exposes its ideas and story with bases so the viewer make his own conclusions on the subject, which makes its concept more satisfactory than it would seem at first. Expand
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7
TVJerryMay 26, 2015
Most of this film takes place in a metal box on an air base in Las Vegas, where "pilots" fly drone bombing missions over the Middle East. The other scenes follow Ethan Hawke with his wife (January Jones), as he tries to rectify his work andMost of this film takes place in a metal box on an air base in Las Vegas, where "pilots" fly drone bombing missions over the Middle East. The other scenes follow Ethan Hawke with his wife (January Jones), as he tries to rectify his work and maintain his marriage. The tactical scenes are both compelling and unsettling, while the personal moments could have used more dramatic punch. In addition, the commanding officer (Bruce Greenwood) is asked rather transparently by the script to continuously supply the debate points surrounding this controversial procedure. While it effectively raises some contentious arguments on both sides, the film would have had more punch with a more potent emotional parallel. Expand
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5
c700Sep 30, 2015
Intriguing concept but terribly boring execution.

First of all they only capture the american point of view, staring through their cameras. I consider it a missed opportunity to not colour it from the talibans side, of how terror only
Intriguing concept but terribly boring execution.

First of all they only capture the american point of view, staring through their cameras. I consider it a missed opportunity to not colour it from the talibans side, of how terror only leads to more terror.

Second of all I really despise the casting choice. Mainly the protagonist only switches between cool silence and grumbly one-liners, which made me want to drill my earholes AND eyes out, because he can't act. I'm serious! He can't! A stone statue would have played the part better. After 50 minutes he laughs for the first time, and I was as surprised as you would be if a man with facial paralysis started moving his face. No kidding.

But the visuals of Afghanistan are nice enough I suppose, however interchanged with boring interiors 50/50.

I'm kinda sad, because it is a topic that a film is worthy capturing, but this film managed so poorly. There were so many missed opportunities, wrong design and character choices, that led to this unengaging plot. There was definitely potential. So overall, can't recommend.
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9
alexa417Oct 9, 2015
A great psychological drama rather than a war movie.

Watch here for free http://www.watchfree.to/watch-2a20ec-Good-Kill-movie-online-free-putlocker.html
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0
BroyaxJun 6, 2020
Comme toujours avec Andrew Niccol, la mise en scène est toujours sérieuse et les sujets qu'il choisit sont... souvent assez polémiques ! Et comme souvent, cela fait certainement réagir. Aussi réagis-je immédiatement tant que le fer est encoreComme toujours avec Andrew Niccol, la mise en scène est toujours sérieuse et les sujets qu'il choisit sont... souvent assez polémiques ! Et comme souvent, cela fait certainement réagir. Aussi réagis-je immédiatement tant que le fer est encore chaud et que les décombres fument encore...

Surtout que j'apprécie Ethan Hawk, un acteur éminent qui ne tire jamais la couverture à soi et sert toujours ses rôles... avant lui-même, contrairement à nombre d'acteurs "triple A" qui dégoulinent autant de prétention que d'incompétence épouvantables... Mais ne nous emballons pas et restons focalisé sur la cible... parce que moi son boulot, je le fais avec joie et allégresse tous les matins sans problème et la nuit s'il le faut : donnez-moi une check-list, des cibles et j'envois la purée tant que vous voulez, mon Colonel !! oui Monsieur et plutôt deux fois qu'une, Monsieur !!

Parce que Ethan donc incarne ce bisounours ex-pilote qui... pilote désormais des drones ; évidemment pour un pilote, se taper un drone, c'est comme donner un bus à pilote de Formule 1... mais à la guerre comme à la guerre, on est pas dans une putain de colonie de vacances !

Apparemment, la collègue mexicaine ne l'a pas encore compris ni intégré... si lui est le bisounours qui noie ses larmes de Caliméro dans l'alcool, elle, c'est l'autre bisounours, bisounourse pardon, de gauche, pacifiste pro-islamo-multi-culturaliste (et sûrement écolo et baissage de froc pendant qu'on y est) adepte du vivre_ensemble et angéliste niaise complètement débile...!

J'espère qu'ils n'embauchent pas des connes comme ça dans l'Armée américaine parce que là, franchement, c'est de la haute trahison ou de la pure connerie de simple connasse de base.

Alors oui, comme ça, les drones ont des armes et même des missiles... qui tuent les gens ! et attention, c'est pas un jeu vidéo, non, non... et même que les terroristes s'entourent de boucliers humains, à savoir des civils, des femmes et des enfants... ! mais quelle horreur la guerre, c'est trop affreux, affreux... la frappe chirurgicale qui dérape dans les grandes largeurs...

Et le Caliméro qui boit alors qu'il a un super boulot, une vieille muscle-car à jantes bling-bling, deux beaux enfants et une blonde encore bandante... nan mais meeerde... de quel côté es-tu mon petit gars ? avec nous ou avec eux ? faudrait savoir ! Donc tout est raté là-dedans ou presque... sauf peut-être ce moment où il veut rendre la justice (?!)... mais alors c'est quoi ce bordel, tu deviens très vindicatif sur ce coup-là, tout-à-coup...

M'enfin bref, tout ce merdier ne vaut finalement pas un pet !
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