Al Pacino, Robert De Niro, Carla Gugino

Two Veteran New York City Detectives hunt a vigilante who may be one of their own.

Flixster Users

46% liked it

81,044 ratings

Critics

20% liked it

137 critics

R, 1 hr. 41 min.

Directed by: Jon Avnet

Release Date: September 10, 2008

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DVD Release Date: January 6, 2009

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Stats: 6,048 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (6,048)


  • September 6, 2009
    It's a knockout. A complete powerhouse of a thriller that laced with suspense, a great cast and explosive action. A tremendous, thrilling, intelligent and sensational film. It is always entertaining with enough action, drama and surprises to keep you satisfyed. It's spellbinding,...( read more) adreniline-pumping, breathtaking and exhilerating all the way through to the end. Absorbing, dark, cold, compelling, intensely gripping, hard-edged and riveting. Well-paced, well-crafted, terifficly written and superbly performed by it's very talented cast. Powerful, extroadinary and unforgettable. Absolutely incrediable, heart-pounding and spectacular. Al Pacino and Robert De Niro are magnififcent, brilliant, compelling and have never been better. Just amasing performances by two amasing actors. It's awsome to see these guys take the screen together again. Their chemistry is brilliant, they have style, humor and attitude. You couldnt ask for a better match up. Where in Heat, they were squaring off, we got only a taste of them being in a few scenes together, where as here they own every scene they are in. A masterpiece. Director, Jon Avnet's best film yet. A fantastic and excellent film that will keep you on the edge of your seat. One of the best police thrillers in years.
  • July 21, 2009
    Awful waste of time. The twist was predictable and pointless. The writing was boring and silly. Not my kind of movie and by that I mean the kind that suck. I respect the actors, but the story and direction didn't support the acting as it should have.
  • June 30, 2009
    When I initially saw the trailer for Righteous Kill I knew it was going to be bad. I just didn't think it was going to be this bad. Robert DeNiro got through his role with a furrowed brow and some grumpiness while Al Pacino coasted through the movie with mostly vacant stares and ...( read more)some vague charm. But all I really saw were dollar signs in both sets of eyes. The story was the very definition of weakness (two of the greatest American actors ever and this is all we can find for them? This is like getting Stephen Hawking a job at a science museum gift shop!) and by the time the twist came around all I could respond with was a lackluster "ooh." Aside from Carla Gugino the only other thing I can give Righteous Kill was the scene where DeNiro kicked the shit out of 50 Cent and the part where Pacino... well,. see for yourself if you've absolutely got to see Righteous Kill. The supporting cast was good enough and the chemistry between Donnie Wahlberg and John Leguizamo was pretty good, unlike the movie. I think the director was either suffering from too many chromosomes or was getting bullied by his producers, who had to be thinking that DeNiro and Pacino were going to carry this steaming turd to the bank. If you Google the words "total waste" or "complete shame" Righteous Kill is bound to show up.
  • June 14, 2009
    This was a pretty good one with the story that flows perfectly. Pacino and De Niro were great. The intelligently presented plot makes this one worth seeing.
  • April 24, 2009
    Big Actors filling big shoes. New generation 21st century movie. Good family cop film. De Niro and Pacino have a good chemistry.
  • November 21, 2009
    Two veteran cops investigate a serial killer mystery and suspect the killer may be a cop. Robert De Niro and Al Pacino are two of the greatest actors of all time. These two men have cemented themselves as acting legends in films such as 'Taxi Driver' 'Raging Bull' and 'GoodFella...( read more)s' (De Niro) and 'The Godfather' 'Serpico' and 'Dog Day Afternoon' (Pacino) to name a few. The two had only been in the same movie twice before, in 'The Godfather, Part II' and 'Heat'.However, iIn 'Godfather II' they never shared the screen together, and in 'Heat' they only have two scenes together. 'The Godfather, Part II' and 'Heat' are two masterpieces of cinema, and a lot of credit goes to the performances by De Niro and Pacino. Unfortunately this third pairing up, called 'Righteous Kill' ruins their undefeated record. It is a boring, dull crime film which plays out more like a bad episode of Law and Order than Heat 2...
  • November 18, 2009
    If you have a standard when it comes to Al Pacino, Robert De Niro or both like I do, this movie was sort of a disappointment. It wasn't a bad movie, it was just in the category of mediocre. The script is not exactly original and it tends to fall under the thriller cliche's. It's ...( read more)really too bad because there were some great performances fighting to break free, but were constricted by the script.
  • November 17, 2009
    Two great actors, but the whole package is disappointing...
  • November 11, 2009
    Lost time watching...
  • November 7, 2009
    Ho passato tutto il film a pensare che fosse De Niro lo stronzo, quando invece era Pacino e soprattutto con un pelino in più d'attenzione lo avrei capito anche all'inizio perché lo spiegava °_°, yay me.
    E comunque vederli insieme è sempre un brivido.

Critic Reviews


September 26, 2008
Nigel Andrews, The Financial Times

The movie goes nowhere and takes 100 minutes to do so. It should have cut its losses, gone for comedy and called itself Grumpy Old Cops. full review

September 12, 2008
Pete Hammond, Back Stage

If the movie isn't anything to write home about, Pacino and DeNiro are. full review

September 12, 2008
Claudia Puig, USA Today

Pacino has a few funny lines, as does Leguizamo, but not nearly enough to save the film from collapsing under the weight of its own self-righteous tedium. full review

September 11, 2008
Colin Covert, The Minneapolis Star Tribune

Enduring a contrived and convoluted crime drama would be worthwhile if it featured powerhouse performances from the two best screen actors of their generation. Such is not the case. full review

September 11, 2008
Peter Travers, Rolling Stone

Righteous Kill, a.k.a. The Al and Bob Show, is a cop flick with all the drama of Law and Order: AARP. full review

View more Righteous Kill reviews at RottenTomatoes.com

Comments


  • terris85017
    January 11, 2009
    (2008 Director: John Avnet) After reading Daniele's review, NOW I want to see this!! I loved the movie "Heat" WHICH co-starred these same 2 legends...but on opposite sides of the law. Overdue to see them both together on the same screen
  • paulhaas91
    December 2, 2008
    it was bull crap that 50 cent had to get shot in the head lol
  • robertallenandersonjr
    September 2, 2008
    This will be the best movie of the year most likely.
  • Ray0fTheDead
    August 4, 2008
    There is definetly a very dark overtone of conspiracy in this flick. I guarantee that one of the two GREATS have their hand in the cookie jar. Just watching the trailer gives me the chills about this synopsis. And I heard Armand Assante is the rip roaring bad ass villian. I'll never know until I am ass deep in that comfy theater chair. Can't wait.
  • kgarnett5
    July 13, 2008
    rob dydreks in it he gets shot in the head...
  • FilmFanatic92
    November 8, 2007
    I Hope 50 Cent Doesnt Ruin This Movie. When You Have Two Great Actors Like Pacino And De Niro, The Last Thing You Need Is A Mediocre Rapper Messing Up The Whole Thing. Lets Hope For The Best. The Film Does Have John Leguizamo, Donnie Wahlberg, And Carla Gugino... :)

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