3 Days to Kill 2014

The story begins at the CIA Headquarters in Langley, Virginia, where Agent Vivi DeLay (Amber Heard) is in a critical meeting with the CIA director and another official, discussing their primary target, Wolfgang Braun—also known as “The Wolf” ([Richard Sammel]). He is in negotiations to sell arms to terrorists, working alongside an associate called The Albino ([Tomas Lemarquis]). Vivi is tasked with taking both of them down, and she inquires about the agent currently on the ground: Ethan Renner (Kevin Costner).

The narrative shifts to a hotel in Paris, where we find Ethan alongside another agent, Yasmin ([Mai Anh Le]). Their mission is to intercept The Albino, who is poised to conduct a deal with Serbian criminals. In a swift and tactical maneuver, Ethan eliminates the buyers but gets distracted when he remembers it’s his daughter Zooey’s (Hailee Steinfeld) birthday. Rushing to make a call, he finds himself in a desperate situation when Yasmin’s cover is blown and she meets a tragic end in the elevator. The violent chaos unfolds with a shoot-out, culminating in Ethan chasing The Albino before succumbing to weakness and blacking out.

Upon regaining consciousness in the hospital, a doctor informs Ethan of his dire prognosis: he has cancer that has metastasized to his lungs, with a grim forecast of only three to five months to live. Returning to his apartment, he discovers a family of refugees, led by Jules ([Eriq Ebouaney]), residing there. Faced with this unexpected situation, Ethan grapples with retaining his home while deciding to allow this family to stay temporarily.

Ethan reaches out to his ex-wife, Tina (Connie Nielsen), under the pretense of urgency, only to reveal he needs her to help finalize his will. During this meeting, he confesses his terminal condition and his wish for Zooey to remain unaware of it. With a tentative agreement to cease his clandestine work, they reunite with Zooey at her school. Their encounter is stilted; Zooey is more focused on a new boyfriend, Hugh ([Jonas Bloquet]), than connecting with her father.

Things take a turn when Ethan is offered a lifeline by Vivi—an experimental drug that may keep him alive long enough to settle matters with his daughter. Despite initial resistance, the promise of survival compels him to take on the mission to find The Wolf and eliminate him.

Ethan embarks on a series of dangerous encounters, which includes a tense moment when he mistakenly breaks into Zooey’s school principal’s meeting while trying to manage an informant, and emotional struggles as he witnesses Zooey trying to navigate high school life. His declining health does not go unnoticed, leading to more frantic efforts to protect Zooey from the dangers of his world. Time and again, Ethan’s love for his daughter sharpens his resolve, whether he’s teaching her to ride a bike or barreling into dangerous confrontations to ensure her safety.

As he gets closer to tracking down The Wolf, Ethan’s health deteriorates further, building up to a climactic series of confrontations—first with The Albino and then with The Wolf. Just when it seems everything might collapse under the weight of betrayal and danger, Ethan’s relationships with Zooey and Tina provide a intertwining thread of hope amidst the chaos.

In a heart-wrenching conclusion, despite his fading strength, Ethan proves his commitment to his family, opting for love and connection over vengeance. With a new lease on life thanks to Vivi’s treatment, Ethan embraces the holiday season with Zooey and Tina, aiming to be the father they both deserve. As Ethan prepares to celebrate Christmas, he is determined to create lasting memories, even as his past looms large. In a poignant moment, we see him setting up a Christmas tree, underscoring the fragile yet beautiful balance of life, love, and redemption.