The Killer review
Imagine a less competent and emotionally detached John Wick and you’ve got The Killer.
Maybe that’s not entirely fair. John Wick is actually exciting, entertaining and filled with charismatic characters with innovative fight sequences. The Killer is more of a sleep-inducing means of telling the most boring hitman story possible.
After 20 minutes waxing on about his thoughts on a little bit of everything, a calculated and cold hitman (Michael Fassbender) does something he’s never done — he missed the target. Maybe that could set up an intriguing premise, but it also calls the hitman’s competency in question. Imagine Ferris Bueller droning on and on about how smart he was and within the first half hour gets busted by Principal Rooney?
All that early lip service comes off like a pretentious waste of time especially when factoring in the killer was coming off like a pompous windbag before botching the one thing that supposedly makes him special.
Now that he’s screwed up, the hitman has to do some damage control. Taking all the necessary precautions including changing flights, The Killer returns to his hideout. His spot has seen better days though. It’s been ransacked and his girlfriend is in the hospital with some life-threatening injuries. Maybe the other surprise of the film is that The Killer could connect with another person who could tolerate his idiosyncrasies to be in a relationship.
This leads him on a complex and overly drawn out, misguided revenge plot. The problem screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (Se7en) faces in adapting Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon’s novel is simple. It’s hard to find much sympathy for a character who goes on a killing spree for something that’s entirely his fault.
Most of The Killer’s victims have weak connections on this revenge plot and it’s not a great look that they’re minorities and women getting offed.
At least there’s some fun to be had with the running joke of The Killer using TV character named for his aliases. If only there was more creativity and fun with the rest of the film.
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Fassbender makes the film more watchable than it deserves. His steady narration of events and head on a swivel approach makes The Killer more formidable than the script.
It’s hard to be invested in an assassin who won’t play by any code of honor. And it’s worse since The Killer is taking out scores of people because he screwed up his job.
Director David Fincher nails the intensity needed during the tense segments. And there’s legit excitement during the action sequences thanks in no small part to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ haunting score.
The Killer’s observations and commentary are very similar to The Watchmen’s Rorschach. Unfortunately, we’re trapped watching this dull hitman’s actions. Sure, Fassbender’s reading of the dialogue is terrific, but it feels empty when The Killer comes off like such a fraud.
The two-hour run tile is not well earned. There’s too much navel gazing and slowly paced moments. The occasional spark comes from exchanges with Tilda Swinton and Charles Parnell. They’re more interludes than anything of lasting substance.
The Killer is a monologue heavy talky drama with pockets of excitement. Unless you need a nap skip this one or check out the litany of far superior hitman films instead.
Rating: 5 out of 10
Photo Credit: Netflix