Killer contro killers

Killer vs Killers is a late entry both for the Polizi genre and for director Fernando Di Leo; and often gets lambasted by fans of the genre. It's clear that this film is not as great as some of Di Leo's other work - which includes such classics as Milano Calibro 9 and The Italian Connection - but for my money, Killer vs Killers is a thoroughly entertaining crime flick that works well in spite of it's problems. The film is apparently something of a remake of John Huston's classic The Asphalt Jungle. It's been a few years since I saw said film so I cant comment on how closely it, but I wouldn't be surprised to find that a lot of influence was taken knowing how Italian filmmakers often work. The plot focuses on a heist. We are first told that a mysterious man needs a group of strangers to help him steal some documents from a safe. From there, we are introduced to a motley crew of criminals with various talents needed to pull off the job. They put a plan together and carry it out flawlessly; but when the job is done, things turn sour...

The main problems with this film are that it's too short and the plot is too generic and predictable. It's always clear where the film is going and there are not a lot of surprises; Fernando Di Leo tries to make up for this by packing the film with plenty of shooting, fist fights and fast cars; and while that does provide some entertainment, it doesn't quite mask the film's main shortfall. Di Leo once again makes use of the unique talents of cult star Henry Fonda and he fits into his role as the cold calculating killer well; though he has had a lot of practice with similar roles. The supporting cast doesn't contain anyone particularly noteworthy; though the acting isn't bad on the whole. The plot does flow rather well and even though it's predictable for most of the duration; it does seem like Di Leo had a definite idea in mind and the plot is well structured. The locations and atmosphere are good and the director makes good use of the picturesque scenery. The climax features a good shootout, though it does feel like the director ran out of film when it comes to the actual ending. Overall, this is not the best example of the genre; but it's a film worth watching and I can recommend it.

The last effort of Fernando Di Leo as a director didn't exactly become the honorable swan-song he deserved, as the film is unimaginably insecure and it didn't even get released in its home country of Italy. The reason(s) why, however, is beyond me, as "Killer vs. Killers" is a thoroughly enjoyable, action-paced and straightforward thriller with some above average acting performances, cool gimmicks and a bit of sleaze. The film can be described best as some sort of attempt to remake John Huston's film-noir classic "The Asphalt Jungle", in which a group of unrelated criminals successfully pull off a complicated heist, but eventually the whole plan goes awry due to double-crossing and betrayal. Even more than a remake, Di Leo wanted to do a tribute to Huston's film, as the plot differs once the heist is completed (and "Killer vs. Killers turns into an old-fashioned tale of revenge) and Di Leo names his characters after the stars that played in the original, like Sterling and Jaffe. A team of five outlaws, each with a specific skill, is hired to steal the formula for synthetic fuel from a military research plant and subsequently destroy the place with explosives. Once the job is completed and the reward has been paid, his Excellency (Edmund Purdom) nevertheless sends his men to kill off the team, but the two remaining members fight back. The script of "Killer vs. Killers" is rudimentary and entirely without surprises, and therefore it isn't nearly as brilliant as some of Di Leo's exploitation/crime-classics of the early seventies, such as "The Boss", "Manhunt" or "Milano Calibro.9" Those flicks had extremely convoluted plots and intelligent political undertones, whereas this is merely an undemanding & exciting time-waster. Fans of euro-violence will still love it, though! The film is literally stuffed with car-explosions, violent executions and massive artillery. Henry Silva once again gives image to an ultimately relentless and stone-cold hit man. His character owns a personal zoo (and uses cheetahs and hawks as murder weapons!) and he literally blows his opponents to pieces with a bazooka! The musical score is terrific, Dalila Di Lazzaro makes the perfect eye-candy and there's quite a bit of black humor in the script as well. Overall, "Killer vs. Killers" may not be a brilliant piece of Italian film-making and nothing you haven't seen a dozen times before, but it guarantees entertainment and a decent farewell from one of the most important Italian cult directors ever. The film is available on DVD – together in one box with the phenomenal "Il Boss" – from Nocturno.

A silly terrorist- professional- caper action turkey.

Arab oil sheik hires a group of professionals to steal him the secret of synthetic fuel.

Again, as usual, Fernando Di Leo fluffs it! Good cast (Silva, Di Lazzarro), entertaining script with lots of action and explosions and the beautiful locations of Monaco. The result is a hapless turkey that fortunately is funny enough to make you laugh...

Compared to his peers, Di Leo's directing style could best be described as "fit for television". The camera is always fixed in the corner of the room or the street, and as long as no one forgets most of their lines: it's a take. In addition to the lack of visual style, Di Leo also has no sense of pace. When watching a Di Leo film you can tell which scenes were meant to be exciting. The problem is they never really are.

Killer Contro Killers is Di Leo's last film to date, so whatever cult reputation he might have is probably based on the more famous exploitation films he made in the sixties and seventies which I've yet to see.

Not recommended.

Released on video in Finland in the mid eighties.