3 Days to Kill

Play trailer

3 Days to Kill

PG-13

Released Feb 21, 2014

1h 56m

Action

Mystery & Thriller

Adventure

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

27%

Tomatometer

119 Reviews

43%

Popcornmeter

25,000+ Ratings

Facing a terminal disease, spy Ethan Renner (Kevin Costner) has decided to give up his dangerous, high-stakes life in order to rebuild his relationship with his estranged wife and daughter (Hailee Steinfeld), whom he previously pushed away to keep them out of harm's way. However, in exchange for a potentially lifesaving drug, he must complete one final mission: apprehend one of the world's most ruthless terrorists while looking after his teenage offspring in her mother's absence.

Watch on Fandango at Home

Buy Now

Critics Consensus

3 Days to Kill uneasily mixes technically accomplished action sequences with an underdeveloped family conflict.

Read Critics Reviews

Noah Berlatsky

The Atlantic

3 Days to Kill really cares about its parental themes, with neurotic and bizarre results.

Aug 28, 2019

Full Review

Mark Kermode

Observer (UK)

Something very special: a Kevin Costner vehicle that makes both The Postman and Waterworld seem fearsomely substantial.

Rated: 1/5

Jun 22, 2014

Full Review

Geoffrey Macnab

Independent (UK)

The director McG seems uncertain whether he should concentrate on the action or the family drama.

Rated: 2/5

Jun 20, 2014

Full Review

Keith Garlington

Keith & the Movies

A mediocre action picture that never anchors itself enough to tell a competent story.

Rated: 2.5/5

Aug 25, 2022

Full Review

Kip Mooney

College Movie Review

That the CIA has a quick-acting cure for cancer is only the fifth or sixth most implausible thing in this movie.

Rated: D+

Sep 9, 2021

Full Review

Richard Crouse

Richard Crouse

Costner has a world weary, easy charm here that helps sell the humor and he appears comfortable with the action.

Rated: 3/5

Feb 1, 2021

Full Review

Read all reviews

Amy M

This movie is great. It definitely kept me entertained and I couldn't stop watching it.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

04/03/25

Full Review

Blu B

It osscillates between being boring and dragged out and just not making sense at certain points the whole time. Terrible pacing overall and everything else is just subpar about it. Costner feels like he's on auto pilot phoning the whole thing in the entire time. The villians are super forgettable as well. Steinfeld isn't bad and probably the best thing in this. The direction is super basic, the lighting is dull, and the action scenes are trying to copy the Bourne flicks. The editing will just get super fast out of nowhere during action scenes after just being dragged out. The actual spy/assassination plot makes no sense at certain points in the middle. The plot twist also just comes out of nowhere with no context either. The biggest sin this here is the family/daughter storyline feels like a completely different story from the actual spy plot and never works the two together in a cohesive way. The family stuff is defintely the better of the two and the scenes always make sense but they feel so disjointed. The music also just man I'm struggling to remember any of it and none of it fits for a action or drama. The dancing with the daughter scene was the only scene that was good but it just went straight back to being boring and convuluted. Skip this.

Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars

01/02/25

Full Review

Eldar C

I don't understand why all the negativity from the critics. This is a perfectly entertaining spy action movie balanced with plenty of heart and a lineup of charming side characters. Worth a watch.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/01/25

Full Review

P H

3 Days to Kill is an entertaining and fast-paced action thriller that cleverly blends humor, emotion, and suspense. The movie’s charm lies in its willingness to not take itself too seriously. It’s puzzling why the reviews were so harsh, as 3 Days to Kill offers solid entertainment.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

12/28/24

Full Review

Michael B

Lost me at the vacuous opening briefing. This movie was poorly written, mindless, convoluted, and meant I guess to check some boxes to appease--you know who.

Rated 0.5 out of 5 stars

09/20/24

Full Review

R T

Movie doesn't take itself too seriously and is a good time.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

08/29/24

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

McG

Director

Kevin Costner

Ethan Renner

Amber Heard

Vivi Delay

Hailee Steinfeld

Zooey Renner

Connie Nielsen

Christine Renner

Tómas Lemarquis

Albino

View more videos

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

94%

87%

Mission: Impossible - Rogue Nation

Watchlist

Furious 7

82%

82%

Furious 7

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Furious 7

The Expendables 3

32%

48%

The Expendables 3

Watchlist

TRAILER

for The Expendables 3

Inferno

23%

36%

Inferno

Watchlist

TRAILER

for Inferno

xXx: Return of Xander Cage

46%

37%

xXx: Return of Xander Cage

Watchlist

TRAILER

for xXx: Return of Xander Cage

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

Kevin Costner’s 10 Best Movies

Critics Consensus: 3 Days to Kill Misses the Mark

Video: Kevin Costner Talks to the Animals

View more photos

Synopsis

Facing a terminal disease, spy Ethan Renner (Kevin Costner) has decided to give up his dangerous, high-stakes life in order to rebuild his relationship with his estranged wife and daughter (Hailee Steinfeld), whom he previously pushed away to keep them out of harm's way. However, in exchange for a potentially lifesaving drug, he must complete one final mission: apprehend one of the world's most ruthless terrorists while looking after his teenage offspring in her mother's absence.

Director: McG
Producer: Marc Libert, Ryan Kavanaugh
Screenwriter: Luc Besson, Adi Hasak
Distributor: Relativity Media
Production Co: Wonderland Sound and Vision, 3DTK, Relativity
Rating: PG-13 (Intense Sequences of Violence|Intense Sequences of Action|Language|Some Sensuality)
Genre: Action, Mystery & Thriller, Adventure
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Feb 21, 2014, Wide
Release Date (Streaming): May 13, 2014
Box Office (Gross USA): $30.7M
Runtime: 1h 56m
Sound Mix: Datasat, SDDS, Dolby Digital

Most Popular at Home Now