The Killing Machine

Jeff Wincott stars as Harlan Quinn a hit-man who wakes up to find that he's been declared dead and that he's been recruited to work for the CIA in killing anybody who's a threat to the government, this has all been set up by the mysterious Mr.Green (Michael Ironside) and his first targets include a homosexual advocate, a muckraking journalist and a female professor with information that the AIDs virus was manufactured. Dr.Ann Kendall (Terri Hawkes) is the last one of Wincott's list but he finds himself falling for his prey and when the time comes for the kill, Quinn ends up protecting Kendall from the assassins now gunning for them both in this intense thriller. Jeff Wincott gives an impressive performance and Ironside makes for a great villain which elevates this far above the usual output of this worn out hit-man genre.

4/5 Matt Bronson

Director David Mitchell has created a gem in The Killing Machine.

Starring Jeff Wincott who has also been in other classic flicks, Last Man Standing 1996, Martial Outlaw 1993, Mission of Justice 1992 and Martial Law II: Undercover 1992.

Also starring Michael Ironside who has also been in other classic flicks, The Butcher 2009, Terminator Salvation 2009, Surveillance 2008, Starship Troopers 1997, Total Recall 1990, Nowhere to Hide 1987, Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II 1987, Forced to Kill 1994 and Scanners 1981.

Also starring Terri Hawkes who has also been in other classic flicks, Sabotage 1996 and Hello Mary Lou: Prom Night II with Michael Ironside.

I enjoyed the fight scenes and the shootouts.

If you enjoyed this as much as I did then check out other classic hit-man flicks, The Fifth Commandment 2008, Icarus 2010, Leon: The Professional 1994, The Marker 2008, The Replacement Killers 1998, Crank 2006, The Long Kiss Goodnight 1996, Smokin' Aces 2006, Kill Bill: Vol.1 2003, Kill Bill: Vol 2 2004, Road to Perdition 2002, Pulp Fiction 1994, The Bourne Ultimatum 2007, Nikita 1990, The Boondock Saints 1999, Hit-man 2007, Killing Them Softly 2012, One in the Chamber 2012, Bullet to the Head 2012, Interview with a Hit-man 2012, American Ultra 2015, Hit-man: Agent 47 2015, Sicarivs: the Night and the Silence 2015, Accident Man 2018, A Hit-man in London 2015, Polar 2019 and Wanted 2008.

While the plot is nothing new (government contract killer falls for one of his assignments), this Canadian-lensed action drama is a cut above the rest. The amazing, intense Jeff Wincott plays the contract killer, and the fetching, vulnerable Terri Hawkes is the assignment he falls for. The always dependable Michael Ironside is Wincott's shadowy boss, a government official of sorts who is told who to kill, if not always why. This low-budget actioner was filmed and produced with the care and attention to detail of many A-level productions. And Wincott is thoroughly believable as a killing machine who develops a conscience. The fight scenes are extremely well staged, and they are frequent. Some decent nudity and a couple of detailed sex scenes keep the attention from flagging between fights and shootouts. Kudos to the director/writer, who clearly knew how to get the most for his money.

This is a thought provoking movie shot in a very interesting manner. The content is a bit eery, but the quality is superior for a "B" action flick. Jeff Wincott is great in his performance. The storyline is very good but with a dark ending... but it keeps your attention.

Do not let the presence of interesting actor Michael Ironside, tempt you into watching "The Killing Man". This bad excuse for a martial arts film is tedious, contrived, and rather ridiculous. The story is nothing more than a series of encounters with Jeff Wincott as a programed, back from the dead assassin, eliminating those who could expose this country's involvement in a plot "are you ready?", that the U.S. government introduced the aids virus. Other annoyances include Wincott mumbling "What do you want from me?" countless times, sets that resemble an empty warehouse, a requisite strip club scene, philosophical discussions about killing and redemption, slow motion showcasing, and other total nonsense. Bad, and not good bad by any stretch of the imagination. - MERK