# The Prince (2014 film)
**The Prince** is a 2014 American action thriller directed by Brian A. Miller, written by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore, and starring [Jason Patric](https://www.edgepedia.org/jason-patric) as a retired mob enforcer who returns to the criminal underworld when his daughter is kidnapped.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015) [Bruce Willis](https://www.edgepedia.org/bruce-willis) plays Omar, the rival who waits for his return, and [John Cusack](https://www.edgepedia.org/john-cusack) plays Sam.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) The film received overwhelmingly negative reviews, with a Metascore of 19 and a 0% Tomatometer on Rotten Tomatoes.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-prince/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015)
| Key fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Director and writers | Brian A. Miller; screenplay by Andre Fabrizio and Jeremy Passmore[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) |
| Lead cast | Jason Patric (Paul), Bruce Willis (Omar), John Cusack (Sam), 50 Cent (The Pharmacy), Jessica Lowndes, Gia Mantegna, Jung Ji-Hoon (Rain)[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) • [4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-prince-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zoti4mdi) |
| Release | Limited theatrical release on August 22, 2014, in approximately 5 cinemas, as a qualifying release ahead of VOD and home video[5](https://saturation.io/budgets/the-prince-2014) |
| Runtime | 91 minutes (AFI); the BBFC lists 86m 28s for the UK home-entertainment version[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) • [4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-prince-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zoti4mdi) |
| Ratings | MPAA R for violence, drug content and language; UK 15; Australia MA 15+[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1085492/parentalguide/) • [7](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/prince-0) |
| Critical reception | Metascore 19 from 7 critics; 0% Tomatometer from 10 reviews, 23% audience score[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-prince/) • [2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015) |
| Home video | DVD and Blu-ray released October 28, 2014[8](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-prince/20054805/where-to-watch/) |
## Spoilers
### Plot
Paul, played by Jason Patric, is a retired assassin living as a family man. When his college-age daughter Beth ([Gia Mantegna](https://www.edgepedia.org/gia-mantegna)) is kidnapped, he is drawn back into the life he gave up and must confront his former rival.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015) • [9](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-prince) That rival is Omar (Bruce Willis), described by director Brian Miller as a very powerful man in New Orleans who put a price on Paul's head after Paul mistakenly killed Omar's wife and daughter.[10](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/cbb/content/377461/bruce-willis-in-unrelenting-action-film-the-prince/story/) Paul's search takes him into the New Orleans underworld of sex and drugs, where he is joined by Angela, a troubled college student played by [Jessica Lowndes](https://www.edgepedia.org/jessica-lowndes).[11](https://www.movieinsider.com/m7092/the-prince)
## Production
The film was developed by Brian A. Miller in 2012 and 2013 as one of his contemporaneous Bruce Willis VOD action thrillers, alongside *[Vice](https://www.edgepedia.org/vice-2015-film)* (2015) and *Reprisal* (2018).[5](https://saturation.io/budgets/the-prince-2014) A cast led by Willis gathered in [Mobile, Alabama](https://www.edgepedia.org/mobile-alabama), for filming to begin in early December 2013, with Willis playing Omar, a criminal with a grudge waiting for the return of the retired Vegas mob enforcer played by Patric.[12](https://www.screenglobalproduction.com/news/2013/11/26/Bruce-Willis-shooting-action-thriller-in-Alabama) Mobile stood in for New Orleans for a large portion of the shoot, and Miller praised the production value the city provided.[12](https://www.screenglobalproduction.com/news/2013/11/26/Bruce-Willis-shooting-action-thriller-in-Alabama) • [10](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/cbb/content/377461/bruce-willis-in-unrelenting-action-film-the-prince/story/) Filming kicked off on December 3, 2013, with the crew blowing up a Jaguar on Dauphin Street.[13](https://cloudusa.blog/2013/12/05/articleclip-the-prince-filming-kicks-off-with-a-bang/)
The producers were [Randall Emmett](https://www.edgepedia.org/randall-emmett), George Furla, Samuel Y. Ha, Huh Soo Young, and Adam Goldworm, and the production companies included Emmett Furla Oasis Films and Aperture Entertainment, with Lionsgate as distributor.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE) Yaron Levy was the cinematographer, Rick Shaine the editor, and The Newton Brothers composed the music.[1](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE)
## Release and reception
On August 22, 2014, [The Prince](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-prince) opened in roughly 5 theaters under an intentionally restricted release, one intended to qualify the film before its main commercial distribution via VOD and home video.[5](https://saturation.io/budgets/the-prince-2014) DVD and Blu-ray editions followed on October 28, 2014.[8](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-prince/20054805/where-to-watch/)
**Critical response.** Reception was strongly negative. Metacritic recorded a Metascore of 19, labeled "Overwhelming Dislike," based on 7 critic reviews, with 71% negative and 29% mixed; its user score was 3.6 from 31 ratings.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-prince/) Rotten Tomatoes showed a 0% Tomatometer from 10 reviews and a 23% Popcornmeter score from more than 2,500 ratings.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015) Reviewers compared it unfavorably to *Taken*: Robert Abele of the Los Angeles Times called it a "Taken" retread, and Scott Tobias of The Dissolve, rating it 1.5/5, described a by-the-numbers affair with no discernible prince in the film.[2](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015) [The Hollywood Reporter](https://www.edgepedia.org/the-hollywood-reporter)'s Frank Scheck found wit in short supply but noted that Miller keeps things moving briskly through the relatively brief running time.[3](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-prince/)
**Content ratings.** The film was rated R in the United States for violence, drug content and language.[6](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1085492/parentalguide/) The British Board of Film Classification classified the home-entertainment version 15 for drug use, strong language and strong violence, noting around twenty-five uses of strong language and scenes showing heroin injected, crack smoked, and cocaine snorted.[4](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-prince-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zoti4mdi) Australia classified the DVD MA 15+ for strong violence, drug references and coarse language.[7](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/prince-0)
## Place in Miller's VOD thrillers
Comparative critical analyses have positioned The Prince within the broader mid-2010s Bruce Willis VOD action thriller catalog, alongside titles such as *Vice*, *Marauders*, *Acts of Violence*, and *Reprisal*, with the picture consistently receiving similar negative reviews as a representative example of the contained-budget VOD action production model.[5](https://saturation.io/budgets/the-prince-2014) The film later became available on free ad-supported and rental platforms, including Tubi TV and YouTube Free, and for rental on Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, and Fandango At Home.[14](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-prince-2014-0)
## References
1. [The Prince (2014), AFI Catalog](https://catalog.afi.com/Film/70836-THE-PRINCE)
2. [The Prince, Rotten Tomatoes](https://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_prince_2015)
3. [The Prince Reviews, Metacritic](https://www.metacritic.com/movie/the-prince/)
4. [The Prince, British Board of Film Classification](https://www.bbfc.co.uk/release/the-prince-q29sbgvjdglvbjpwwc0zoti4mdi)
5. [The Prince (2014) Budget: $18M Production Cost, Saturation.io](https://saturation.io/budgets/the-prince-2014)
6. [The Prince (2014) Parents guide, IMDb](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1085492/parentalguide/)
7. [THE PRINCE, Australian Classification](https://www.classification.gov.au/titles/prince-0)
8. [The Prince - Where to Watch, Moviefone](https://www.moviefone.com/movie/the-prince/20054805/where-to-watch/)
9. [The Prince Parents' Guide, Common Sense Media](https://www.commonsensemedia.org/movie-reviews/the-prince)
10. [Bruce Willis in unrelenting action film 'The Prince', GMA News](https://www.gmanetwork.com/news/cbb/content/377461/bruce-willis-in-unrelenting-action-film-the-prince/story/)
11. [Everything You Need to Know About The Prince Movie (2014), Movie Insider](https://www.movieinsider.com/m7092/the-prince)
12. [Bruce Willis shooting action thriller in Alabama, Screen Global Production](https://www.screenglobalproduction.com/news/2013/11/26/Bruce-Willis-shooting-action-thriller-in-Alabama)
13. [The Prince filming kicks off with a bang, Cloud USA](https://cloudusa.blog/2013/12/05/articleclip-the-prince-filming-kicks-off-with-a-bang/)
14. [The Prince streaming: where to watch movie online?, JustWatch](https://www.justwatch.com/us/movie/the-prince-2014-0)
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*Topic: Encyclopedia › Arts and culture › Screen and stage › Film and television › Films and standalone screen works › Individual films by title and year › Action and adventure films (individual works) › Action thrillers, 2010s › Crime and vigilante thrillers*
*Initially written Sep 17, 2026 · Reviewed: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026 · Edited: Oct 3, 2026; Oct 25, 2026; Nov 1, 2026 · Last review: Oct 25, 2026*
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