THE KILLER |
★★★★★
30 April 2024
A movie review of THE KILLER.
|
Director: David Fincher (MANK, ZODIAC, THE GAME).
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Sala Baker, Arliss Howard, Tilda Swinton.
“Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight,” The Killer (Michael Fassbender)
THE KILLER is immaculate. Precision, machine-tooled by a master craftsman. Artisan, boutique filmmaking. You get my drift. The titular character’s philosophy: the striving for perfection. As I watched I thought director David Fincher was making an autobiographical movie or a creative manifesto, just replace murdering with directing and artistry.
I initially saw THE KILLER on the film festival circuit. I re-watched when it streamed on Netflix. It’s rare for me to view a film twice in one month. That’s how good this is. On first viewing, I thought it was superficial but exhilarating. On the second go, something more emerges. THE KILLER is both drily witty and ruthlessly violent. Movies seldom show what characters tell themselves versus what they deep down believe. All wrapped in a thriller with such attention to detail. The lead says justice doesn’t exist, yet he seeks justice. He says karma doesn’t exist, yet we witness plenty of karmic retribution. He says he doesn’t give a f*ck, yet he totally gives a f*ck. The reverse is true too: he labels himself unexceptional, though the opposite is clearly the case. When a character strikes fear into other assassins, you know this person is virtually peerless. I really want to read the source graphic novel.
Starring: Michael Fassbender, Charles Parnell, Sala Baker, Arliss Howard, Tilda Swinton.
“Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight,” The Killer (Michael Fassbender)
THE KILLER is immaculate. Precision, machine-tooled by a master craftsman. Artisan, boutique filmmaking. You get my drift. The titular character’s philosophy: the striving for perfection. As I watched I thought director David Fincher was making an autobiographical movie or a creative manifesto, just replace murdering with directing and artistry.
I initially saw THE KILLER on the film festival circuit. I re-watched when it streamed on Netflix. It’s rare for me to view a film twice in one month. That’s how good this is. On first viewing, I thought it was superficial but exhilarating. On the second go, something more emerges. THE KILLER is both drily witty and ruthlessly violent. Movies seldom show what characters tell themselves versus what they deep down believe. All wrapped in a thriller with such attention to detail. The lead says justice doesn’t exist, yet he seeks justice. He says karma doesn’t exist, yet we witness plenty of karmic retribution. He says he doesn’t give a f*ck, yet he totally gives a f*ck. The reverse is true too: he labels himself unexceptional, though the opposite is clearly the case. When a character strikes fear into other assassins, you know this person is virtually peerless. I really want to read the source graphic novel.
|
|
Don’t go thinking he is a good guy. However, is he a sociopath? The Killer’s inner monologue on the surface is credo, but it could easily be reinforcement. Just as fascinating as the action, is his opinions; they range from what counts as torture and modern policing, to boredom and solipsism. The Killer’s pop-nihilism reminds of Tom Cruise’s character in COLLATERAL [2004].
How many movies I watch where a character opines: you make a plan, god laughs. Control is illusion. The audience are dropped in on a job that goes wrong. The response from his handler, The Lawyer (Charles Parnell), is disproportionate. (One assumes The Lawyer actively dislikes his employee.) The Killer does not take kindly. He goes scorched earth. We get to meet The Brute, The Expert, and The Client along the way.
Some Netflix films need to be seen on the silver screen. (Like all studios for that matter.) I would’ve loved to see on the biggest canvas, with the best sound:
ATHENA [2022]
RUROUNI KENSHIN: THE FINAL [2021]
THE NIGHT COMES FOR US [2018]
14 PEAKS: NOTHING IS IMPOSSIBLE [2021]
THE HARDER THEY FALL [2021]
EL CONDE [2023]
MOSUL [2019]
ALL QUIET ON THE WESTERN FRONT [2022], etc.
Seeing THE KING [2019] was a treat. And so was David Fincher’s THE KILLER.
The Dolby Atmos sound system was utilised skilfully. The undercurrent of aural dread reminds of ENTER THE VOID [2009]. It is oppressive, nightmarish. That fight sequence. The punches are like anvils connecting.
Shame about the generic title. A subject aiming to be nondescript is reflected in the film’s moniker. Perhaps a more apropos title would be ‘The Exceptional’?
THE KILLER is a thriller that will invite repeat viewings for me. Most of Fincher’s films do.
|
|