First Kill

Name: First Kill
Genre: Action, Thriller
Released: July 21, 2017
Duration: 97 min
Rating: 39
Cast: Bruce Willis, Deb G. Girdler, Gethin Anthony, Hayden Christensen, Magi Avila

2017

METASCORE

Generally unfavorable reviews based on 7 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Ratings

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5.8

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5.8	User Score Mixed or average reviews based on 23 Ratings

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First Kill

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Movie Details & Credits

Lionsgate Premiere | Release Date: July 21, 2017 | R

Starring: Bruce Willis, Deb G. Girdler, Gethin Anthony, Hayden Christensen, Magi Avila, Megan Leonard, Shea Buckner, Ty Shelton, Tyler J. Olson, William DeMeo

Summary: In order to reconnect with his son Danny (Ty Shelton), big shot Wall Street broker Will (Hayden Christensen) takes his family on a hunting trip to the cabin where he grew up. While out hunting with Danny, the trip takes a deadly turn when they stumble upon several robbers and witness the murder of one of the criminals. After becomingIn order to reconnect with his son Danny (Ty Shelton), big shot Wall Street broker Will (Hayden Christensen) takes his family on a hunting trip to the cabin where he grew up. While out hunting with Danny, the trip takes a deadly turn when they stumble upon several robbers and witness the murder of one of the criminals. After becoming entangled in a bank heist gone bad that results in the kidnapping of Danny, Will is forced to help the kidnappers evade the police chief (Bruce Willis) and recover the stolen loot in exchange for his son's life. [Lionsgate Premiere]… Expand

Director: Steven C. Miller

Genre(s): Action, Thriller

Rating: R

Runtime: 97 min

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Critic Reviews

Richard Roeper

Jul 20, 2017

The blood-soaked potboiler First Kill is Generous Pour through and through, from Bruce Willis playing a cop for the umpteenth time in his career to the old switcheroo we can see coming a mile away to the pounding and overwrought score to some genuinely effective detours and subplots. Read full review

Neil Genzlinger

Jul 20, 2017

The movie, directed by Steven C. Miller, doesn’t hold a lot of surprises, but there is worse terror-in-the-woods fare out there — rather a lot of it, in fact. Read full review

Craig D. Lindsey

Jul 20, 2017

Christensen is impressive as a man who uses his wits and keeps cool. His straight-faced dedication is quite the contrast to the blatant disgust Willis reveals in his performance (and, really, for the whole movie). This actually makes First Kill a surprisingly fascinating study of two leading actors. Read full review

Peter Debruge

Jul 26, 2017

Frankly, if forced to bet between John McClane and Anakin Skywalker, I’d take the “Die Hard” tough guy every time, but that’s just the underdog factor Miller is going for, staging a reasonably entertaining series of off-road chases and backwoods shootouts en route to that final confrontation. Read full review

Keith Watson

Jul 20, 2017

Lacking any vibrancy, wit, or formal rigor, First Kill is not only as bland and leaden as its über-generic title suggests, it's downright sloppy to boot. Read full review

Katie Walsh

Jul 20, 2017

Every character states their inner motivation out loud, often without prompting, making for a film that loses its intrigue almost immediately. Read full review

Frank Scheck

Jul 20, 2017

It’s all pretty tedious, with Miller failing to infuse the proceedings with the stylistic flair necessary to compensate for the cliché-ridden plotline, whose twists can be seen a mile away. Read full review

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User Reviews

GamingCouchSpud

Nov 8, 2021

First Kill is the latest film to star Hollywood Star Bruce Willis, however do not mistake this for anything more than a Hayden Christensen film. Hayden Christensen takes the lead and Bruce Willis is very much a secondary character, but please do not let that put you off. This is a greatFirst Kill is the latest film to star Hollywood Star Bruce Willis, however do not mistake this for anything more than a Hayden Christensen film. Hayden Christensen takes the lead and Bruce Willis is very much a secondary character, but please do not let that put you off. This is a great film.

The story is pretty simple Will (Hayden Christensen) decides to take his son Danny on a hunting trip to give him confidence after he is bullied at school. Everything is going fine until they witness an attempted murder in the woods, and before you know it Danny (Ty Shelton) find himself kidnapped. What follows next is Will doing whatever it takes to get his son back.

After a slowish start, the action picks up after about 20 minutes, and from then till the end it is all very tense and very action packed. Everyone and their granny will spot the twist a mile away, but that never stops the film being very enjoyable. And there is some interesting dynamics which seemed quite original.

This film really shows Hayden Christensen at his very best, and although at times it seems that Bruce Willis is just going through the motions, he does his job perfectly fine.

It is also worth noting that Danny (Ty Shelton) has to be one of the very very few likeable child actors out there. He plays his part perfectly, and unlike so many young actors who over do it, I never once felt like I wanted him to come to any harm by the kidnapper. So rare these days for a truly likeable young character in a film.

Perfect Saturday night viewing. I watched the film from start to finish and after the first 20 minutes had passed, I never checked my phone, or looked away once. And in this day and age a film that can keep my attention is a film I can recommend.

8/10… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

r96sk

Feb 9, 2021

Good enough.

I felt satisfied after watching 'First Kill'. Sure it isn't anything extremely memorable or overly creative/unique, but I came away feeling positive about it. It gave me what I wanted from a straight-to-video action film. Hayden Christensen is enjoyable in the lead role, andGood enough.

I felt satisfied after watching 'First Kill'. Sure it isn't anything extremely memorable or overly creative/unique, but I came away feeling positive about it. It gave me what I wanted from a straight-to-video action film.

Hayden Christensen is enjoyable in the lead role, and even Bruce Willis seemed to be trying at least; unlike, in my view anyway, in 2016's 'Precious Cargo'. Gethin Anthony, of 'Game of Thrones' fame, is good too - he features in the best scene of the film with child actor Ty Shelton.

The plot is nothing close to being anything fresh, but it's suitable and it held my interest all the way through... I can't really ask for more. 7*.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

Ralfbergs

Jul 7, 2018

I love Bruce Willis's acting, but this movie could've been much better. I mean they make it off as an exciting thriller while in the end it turns out to be not as interesting as hoped for and overall quite predictable.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

bfoore90

Sep 30, 2019

I'm a fan of Hayden Christensen, i'll admit that i am. I enjoyed his time as Anakin in Star Wars and I respect his decision to quit Hollywood because he felt he "didn't earn it" after Star Wars and start fresh with these low budget films. First Kill isn't as bad as advertised, Hayden reallyI'm a fan of Hayden Christensen, i'll admit that i am. I enjoyed his time as Anakin in Star Wars and I respect his decision to quit Hollywood because he felt he "didn't earn it" after Star Wars and start fresh with these low budget films. First Kill isn't as bad as advertised, Hayden really brings it in his role for this predicable and watchable thriller. Bruce Willis, who isn't in the film much, again sleepwalks through this without bringing much to the table. The rest of the cast does well and the film is solidly directed. All, in all, First Kill is a watchable film but don't go out of your way to check it out.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

tipar

Oct 28, 2018

I have seen better but you can see the whole thing without doing a big if any, effort.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

CoKronakan

Jun 25, 2018

Don't know what happened with these two once great actors career that they are dropping their dignity to join in for a below average movie. First of all the writing is like it the script was done by a 5 year old and being awfully basic and I think dumb is the best attribute I can give it.Don't know what happened with these two once great actors career that they are dropping their dignity to join in for a below average movie. First of all the writing is like it the script was done by a 5 year old and being awfully basic and I think dumb is the best attribute I can give it. The directing style is just painful even for your eyes not to even mention the bad style of how the whole movie was shot. The actors just didn't have who to work with. Which doesn't help the movie overall. The plot of the movie was a typical template and the winning formula to an overly exaggerated cliche movie, and a painfully cheese 'Happy Ending'. It had absolutely no depth to it, even the concept of the plot was bad. And based on the fact that this was a thriller it's should be 0/10 because there is nothing thrilling in it. It wasn't fun to watch this movie, if anything it was chore. And it wasn't entertaining either. So overall the movie is a bad movie which did everything they could wrong with a movie. They are lucky that it was produced by a larger publisher.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

MattBrady99

Sep 15, 2018

It's generic in every sense of the word.

Nothing more offensive than a action movie being dull. Well, at least Hayden Christensen isn't awful and gives a decent performance. Unfortunately, the same can't be said about Bruce Willis, who's after that pay check again.

2 of 2 users found this helpful20

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