While it promised to rock us like a hurricane, Killer Elite instead bores us with action movie clichés aplenty and uninspired action sequences.

The idea of watching a moustached Clive Owen take on the bald badass-ness of Jason Statham was an intriguing one. Throw in Robert De Niro in fighting fit action mode and Killer Elite looked like the action event of 2011 (the film was only just released in Australia).

Instead it became one of the biggest disappointments and with good reason, for Killer Elite is a straight to DVD worthy blunder of a movie that wastes a good premise and even better cast.

Jason Statham star as Danny Bryce, a mercenary who leaves the killing game after developing a conscious. When his best friend and mentor Hunter (Robert De Niro) is held captive by a sheik with one hell of a grudge, Danny agrees to do one last job to secure Hunter’s freedom.

The only problem is that job involves killing three former SAS soldiers. When Britain’s finest turn up dead, a secret society of former operatives known as “The Feathermen” send their best enforcer Spike (Clive Owen) to seek out and stop Danny and his crew.

Cue plenty of chase sequences and fisticuffs that are neither brilliantly staged or executed with director Gary McKendry (his feature film debut) opting for lazy shaky cam during the action scenes, which is a shame since Statham has a knack for delivering a good punch up that deserves to be coherently visible.

Sitting uncomfortably beside its Bourne-esque quivering is a conspiracy thriller (supposedly based on true events) influenced by 1970s era filmmaking, yet without the script nor the acting to back it up. Statham is on autopilot and Owen seems like he wants to be somewhere else. Only De Niro brings some life to the proceedings with a surprising physical performance and some good zingers.

While it presents itself as a globetrotting thriller with scenes set in Paris, Dubai and outback Australia, Killer Elite was mostly shot in Melbourne. As a result plenty of fine Aussie talent such as Ben Mendehlson, Aden Young and Firass Dirani feature in the film. That local distributor Disney have decided to release the film months after everyone else during a crowded week with no press behind it should give a hint to its quality.

For fans of the actors only, or those who come across it when it eventually hits the bargain DVD aisles.