The Gunman
Open Road Films | Release Date: March 20, 2015
4.6
USER SCORE
Mixed or average reviews based on 78 Ratings
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19
Mixed:
34
Negative:
25
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User Reviews

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1
Erik_ImsenJul 9, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. So Sean Penn went to the gym. After a rather nice workout, he took a good look at himself and thought: "Gee, I'm a ripped, nice and hot mofo! This deserves a treat!"

The treat takes the shape of a film that makes "The November Man" look good and entertaining. Based on a plot written in a tweet, this movies throws at you everything you already saw before: locations, cars, product placement, twists and turns, filming style...

First, the writing makes every character so flat and undeveloped that you simply cannot, despite your best efforts, care for anything happening to them. I guess the unlikeability of Penn's character must have struck the writer who afflicted him with a random, improbably and conveniently easily diagnosed health issue that he will use any chance he gets to try and make you care for our gunman.

Second, the directing doesn't manage to make us forget the very poor writing. Action scenes are scarce and dialogues are boring. The first hour makes it directly to my top ten of longest hours ever. The ending does not make sense one second (Penn is told he will do time in jail after revealing the assassination that triggered the whole story, but miraculously and conveniently finds himself joining his lover (and what a miserable love story) thanks to a timely escape-ex-machina).

With a team so obviously lazy and not even trying to take their jobs seriously, the marketing people had to grab anything they could to sell us this piece of boredom. Hence the bankable Idris Alba who has his name high up on the poster and credits and appears after 70 minutes of film for a screen time not exceeding 5 minutes in a role that is so thin it would insult a C-list actor.

How Bardem or Winston accepted the role they got is a mystery grabbing my attention way more than the actual plot.

So Sean Penn went to the gym, got to expose copiously his ripped upper body and added a fancy producing credit to his name. That's everything positive in The Gunman.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
PaulystanMar 3, 2016
Generally interesting concept but poorly done, averagely acted and badly developed plot. Sean Penn is not a convincing muscle tough guy and apparently he only ages by shaving his beard thing... only to be watched if the only other option isGenerally interesting concept but poorly done, averagely acted and badly developed plot. Sean Penn is not a convincing muscle tough guy and apparently he only ages by shaving his beard thing... only to be watched if the only other option is being stuck in a lift with a big man suffering terminal flatulence.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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3
Rodrigo2803May 14, 2015
Sean Penn character is literally not sympathetic enough to make you wanna root for him. Aside from a not so strong script, there's not much in the movie that can save it from disaster.
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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2
metaguestOct 24, 2015
This review contains spoilers, click expand to view. Awful movie. Sean Penn as love interest to a lovely young lady made me cringe. He looked like an old fart on steroids, lots of them. I had to fast forward through love scenes, couldn't stomach them. Story was so ridiculous when he got spells from illness yet took out bad guys like there's no tomorrow. Snooze between dumpsters and good to go. Would have played slightly, and I emphasize slightly, more believable if they hadn't thrown in the brain damage. Ray Winstone and Idris Elba were good; both should have had a lot more screen time. Javier Bardem overacted when he was "drunk and was otherwise still quite bland. Story very predictable in a lot of parts, clues as to what was coming were really in your face. Yeesh, what an absolute waste of time.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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1
nosmaApr 24, 2016
Really terrible, annoying, waste of my time. The plot is so farfetched why would anyone want to assassinate an african cabinet minister everybody knows they have no power at all and eliminating a minister doesn't change anything it's theReally terrible, annoying, waste of my time. The plot is so farfetched why would anyone want to assassinate an african cabinet minister everybody knows they have no power at all and eliminating a minister doesn't change anything it's the president who has the final say. I have never been this irritated by a movie from start to finish and the only reason i endured it was i needed to see how much worse it could get. The love storyline is senseless, unnecessary and manipulated to pump up Penn's ego.… Expand
1 of 1 users found this helpful10
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1
copabeatMar 22, 2015
How many times can this same plot be done? Poorly written, poorly directed badly acted. The Gunman is just another shoot stuff up, blow stuff up, make lots of noise and flames boring movie. Ca someone in Hollywood please make somethingHow many times can this same plot be done? Poorly written, poorly directed badly acted. The Gunman is just another shoot stuff up, blow stuff up, make lots of noise and flames boring movie. Ca someone in Hollywood please make something creative already.… Expand
1 of 2 users found this helpful11
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3
ScrawnyPunkMar 23, 2015
Remember that time Matthew Fox was in that Roshamon rip-off set in Spain? Or that time that they remade The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 for some reason? No? That's a shame, because either is more memorable than this late-career paycheck forRemember that time Matthew Fox was in that Roshamon rip-off set in Spain? Or that time that they remade The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3 for some reason? No? That's a shame, because either is more memorable than this late-career paycheck for Sean Penn. In a loving ode to both Safe House and the Constant Gardner (that's what they did, right?...intentionally combined the most boring parts of these movies to cinematic test of fortitude for the casual observer), Sean Penn gallops around the world kicking all sorts of bad-guy-butt like only a 54-year-old can do these days. Somebody done him wrong...and they're about to get theirs once he figures it out.

The positives - the actors are top-notch (and committed to their roles), the scenery is quite lovely, and the film is not (as I suspected about half-way through) 4 hours long. The negatives - boring, derivative, falsely preachy, and saddled with the worst dialog I have seen since Attack of the Clones.

On the bright side, Sean Penn is extra bulked up. Which made me think...if he can look like that at his age, then I definitely can. I'm hitting the gym tonight and my wife will thank me for it in a year or so. So thanks for that, Mr. Penn. Sorry you had to melt your guns for your new lady, since it looks like you must have really missed them after making this movie.… Expand
1 of 3 users found this helpful12
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1
ThegodfathersonMar 21, 2015
Sean Penn's grumpy, irritated spy in The Gunman, is by far his most pathetic role yet. After all, Director Pierre Morel takes the helm of this "spy clearing his name", seen-it-all-before action thriller. With a great cast, including- IdrisSean Penn's grumpy, irritated spy in The Gunman, is by far his most pathetic role yet. After all, Director Pierre Morel takes the helm of this "spy clearing his name", seen-it-all-before action thriller. With a great cast, including- Idris Elba, Ray Winstone and Javier Bardem, how could it be THIS bad? Turns out, the lazy writing, tiring plot and so-so characters made the film unbearable if it went on for another hour. But there is a heavy amount of bloody, gleeful and slick action to behold, also it's a well shot movie as well. Javier Bardem's nerdy looking villian doesn't hold up the movie until it's rushed final minutes. Overall, The Gunman is a well shot, but tiring film, that really knows how to fire than entertain.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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3
ydnar4Jun 30, 2015
Sean Penn has consistently been one of the best actors in Hollywood for the past twenty years but since he won an Oscar in 2008 for Milk he seemed to cutback on the roles he's been playing and many of these roles were supporting characters.Sean Penn has consistently been one of the best actors in Hollywood for the past twenty years but since he won an Oscar in 2008 for Milk he seemed to cutback on the roles he's been playing and many of these roles were supporting characters. The Gunman is Penn's return to a leading role where he seems to be taking a page out of Liam Neeson's book and looking to become an action star now that he has aged. Pierre Morel, the director of the original Taken film, is the director for the Gunman which had me interested but sadly the film just does hold up. The plot is sub-par and confusing in many places. The action isn't bad but its not going to be making any headlines and the characters are forgettable despite a pretty strong cast. The trailers promised a lot in this film that was almost non existent in the film. Idris Elba was one of the top billed characters in the film despite getting about 2 minutes of screen time in the film. The action is also often replaced with boring and cheesy drama and no one wants to see that.… Expand
0 of 1 users found this helpful01
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0
REVIEWERWILLMar 22, 2015
no guns in the movie sean pean takes his shrit off and 2nd worst of the year the the hole movie suck sean pean is not a good actor and also every actor in the movie sucks
0 of 6 users found this helpful06
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2
MaxPayneIsGodAug 30, 2018
Almost lost for words but not quite. I heard this movie was trash and thought I'd like to see for myself.
The Gunman gets literally EVERYTHING wrong.
A garbage story with a try-hard spin wanting to be meaningful and relevant but fell short onAlmost lost for words but not quite. I heard this movie was trash and thought I'd like to see for myself.
The Gunman gets literally EVERYTHING wrong.
A garbage story with a try-hard spin wanting to be meaningful and relevant but fell short on both fronts.
Penn, ever the Social Justice Warrior, playing against his type as an action hero is just not believable in the role of an assassin. Its a role which have been just as easily portrayed by Dolph Lundgren or even Stephen Segal (circa 1993) or even a straight to DVD Statham vehicle. Bardem is suitably creepy, but brings nothing new or unique to the role, he's just doing Skyfall crossed with The Counselor.
Elba, will be grateful his immense talent was not besmirched by more screentime in this horrible film.
Overall a completely flawed movie which is utterly forgettable and really shouldn't exist.
2 out of 10 for Bardem's sleezyness, Elba's luck for having a small role, and Penn for getting as shredded as he was for his age.… Expand
0 of 0 users found this helpful00
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