Programmed to Kill (1987): cast, story & where to watch

Released in 1987, Programmed to Kill is an action, horror and science fiction film directed by Allan Holzman, running about 91 minutes. “She's programmed to kill. He's got every reason to stop her. Neither of them have any choice.” — that tagline sets the tone.

What it’s about. International terrorist leader, Fatima, is critically injured when she attempts to hijack a jumbo jet and is thwarted by Eric Matthews and his anti-terrorist organization, The Retaliators. Fatima is taken to a top-secret research institute, where she is turned into a lethal cyborg and programmed to hunt down the members of her own terrorist group. In the heat of battle, her computerized brain malfunctions, and she turns her lethal vengeance on the Retaliators. Now Eric Matthews and his team must match human cunning against deadly technology.

Who’s in it. Programmed to Kill stars Robert Ginty as Eric Mathews, Sandahl Bergman as Samira, James Booth as Brock and Alex Courtney as Blake, among others.

How it landed. With an audience score of 3.4/10, Programmed to Kill has proved divisive with audiences.

Where to watch. Streaming options change often. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Programmed to Kill page.

If you liked it. Fans of Programmed to Kill tend to enjoy The Dark Knight, The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King, Inception and The Lord of the Rings: The Fellowship of the Ring.