The Gunman

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The Gunman

R

2015

1h 55m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Crime

Drama

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

15%

Tomatometer

179 Reviews

32%

Popcornmeter

10,000+ Ratings

Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman (Javier Bardem) with dealings in Africa.

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Critics Consensus

With an uninspired plot and rote set pieces that are overshadowed by its star's physique, The Gunman proves a muddled misfire in the rapidly aging Over-50 Action Hero genre.

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Dwight Brown

National Newspaper Publishers Association

Mar 7, 2017

The Gunman doesn't shoot blanks, but it is never fully loaded.

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Sandra Hall

Sydney Morning Herald

Apr 16, 2015

3/5

Part of the problem is the script's determination to drag some of Spain's most scenic spots into the action whether or not they suit the mood.

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Paul Byrnes

Sydney Morning Herald

Apr 16, 2015

3/5

If you want a thriller about architecture, here is your thing. Gaudi with Guns, they could have called it.

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Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

Aug 21, 2022

2/5

...a dull, emotionally inert, slog of an experience.

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Brian Eggert

Deep Focus Review

Jun 9, 2022

2/4

Unfortunately, no matter how many beautiful locations are served up by the globetrotting plot, or how pumped-up Penn may look, the story is very familiar stuff, but without anything to set it apart.

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David Walsh

World Socialist Web Site

Feb 12, 2021

It is largely a clichéd scaffolding for certain violent set pieces, which are interesting as formal exercises of a kind, but have no long-lasting emotional or any other kind of impact, except to further inure audiences to killing and brutality.

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Mark B

@Thelaser555 Oct 21, 2026

The excellent Javier Bardem is completely wasted in this absurd, action move starring Sean Penn. You are either a Sean Penn fan or you are not and I am not so I am not entirely sure why I put myself through watching this. Here's a question- what other tough guys like Statham, Stallone, Pacino, Schwarzenegger, Bond, etc, etc ever wore a bullet-proof vest???? Penn doesn't even cover it up at times. He really does not convince as the renegade rogue as he predictably mows down all the 'bad guys' despite being told by his doctor that he has some brain ailment that will kill him if he puts himself in any more volatile situations. But don't worry. Penn finds a handy medical room at a bullring and gives himself a morphine shot and some pills, so he's all rebooted again. And then Elba appears out of nowhere and without any explanation (he's an MI6 agent apparently) to offer Penn some advice and turn himself into the authorities. Then he disappears again. Enough said.

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Juris O

@Juris100 Sep 6, 2026

The film seems to be good, but it’s clearly only for one viewing.

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Shannon G

@RT11774820 Aug 10, 2026

Don’t know why this is getting low ratings. It’s a great movie and full of action and suspense. 4/5

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bryce C

@RT36550894 Jul 29, 2026

pretty lame, run of the mill predictable script. Nothing you'll watch twice and perhaps not even finish

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Paul S

@PManRager Jul 20, 2026

It had a lackluster story, and it was not as exciting as I was hoping it would be, but this movie still provided a lot of nail-biting and epic action, with an intriguing story nonetheless. I definitely recommend it for action, spy-thriller, combat, and drama fans!

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Oscar T

@ScarfaceRampage Jun 24, 2026

An underrated movie, Sean Penn with a Glock 18

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Pierre Morel

Director

Sean Penn

Jim Terrier

Idris Elba

DuPont

Ray Winstone

Stanley

Mark Rylance

Cox

Javier Bardem

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Synopsis

Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier (Sean Penn) is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie (Jasmine Trinca), a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman (Javier Bardem) with dealings in Africa.

Director: Pierre Morel
Producer: Andrew Rona, Sean Penn, Ron Halpern
Screenwriter: Don MacPherson, Pete Travis, Sean Penn
Distributor: Open Road
Production Co: Silver Pictures
Rating: R (Some Sexuality|Language|Strong Violence)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Crime, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Mar 20, 2015, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): Jan 26, 2016
Box Office (Gross USA): $10.6M
Runtime: 1h 55m
Sound Mix: Dolby Atmos

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