I saw this film at the cinema. The sound system was terrific and made for a great movie experience: every crackle, bass boom, glitch, and song played was felt.
Fassbender's performance was played straight: no dramatics beyond what the film made. I've read the graphic novel on which the film is based, and it made for a more intense and action-packed experience. On the other hand, the film injected boredom and a kind of lightness that the graphic novel didn't have.
I don't think the film will have a sequel or prequel made, but it could happen, I suppose.
The soundtrack was magnificent: I've rarely heard Ross/Reznor make a more immersive and ambient soundtrack, which showed in the film. Fincher rid himself of the 'Panic Room' and 'Alien 3' theatrics with constant panning and special effects. I somehow feel that he's come into his own as a director more now than ever.
I guess this film owes a lot to the old 'Le Samouraï' film, a masterful dance through the mundane and extraordinary life of a hit person.
The Smiths. I love The Smiths. It was nice to hear some of their songs played throughout the film. I nearly wish they'd played Johnny Marr's guitar solo in 'Shoplifters Of The World (Unite and Take Over)', but it was cut off, which was perhaps for the best. A minor thing.
Tilda Swinton played her role low-handed. Talk about a character having come to terms;: perhaps they'd always been at peace with potential work outcome.
Part of me would like to rework the script, but then, I believe it was first worked on twenty years ago; that script may have seen some revision over decades.
All in all: this film is really worth seeing. The views, vistas, colours, the mundane, most acting... I loved the rhythm of the film; I can't say one part of the film is better than another, which is often the case for Fincher films, for me.
This is one of the biggest letdowns in years. You simply cannot go wrong with Fassbender, until you go voiceover all the way! The story is never thrilling, clever or original… it’s just a B-movie that was reanimated for a Netflix release. It somehow gave me the same disappointment as George Clooney in The American, but think that movie won by a margin… skip this movie and enjoy the better 2023 releases.
Average at best. I mean I’m glad we finally have a Fassbender film, it's been forever, but overall it was kind of a letdown. The first act was good and entertaining, but then things got repetitive and predictable and we ended up watching basically a hitman run errands.
No empathy... is his motto... and he kills everyone he encounters, the very innocent vs the guilty yet he spares the rich man's life because he "didn't know what was going on"... Yet he killed the lady and taxi driver when they didn't really know what was going on either? That really knocked off a few points for me because that makes no sense.
Film kills me, he gives an epic speech at the start then fucks it up lol he ain't no agent 47
A really well script thriller, Fincher knows how to create suspense.
The film The Killer is not director David Fincher's best work. For me, it is his most contained work. It's almost a study on himself - a meditation.
The film The Killer is based on a comic of the same name. The story is super cliché. A murder goes wrong and the mercenary wants revenge on his bosses.
The film is essentially psychological. Since, to be a thriller it needs a threat, something that doesn't happen here. Perhaps the threat is internal? Anyway, the film works.
The technical side of the film is exceptional. The sound works well, the photography is good and the cast is sensational. The question is what kind of film the director wants to make. The only clue we have is its biggest reference Le Samouraï from 1967 by Jean Pierre Melville - every direction references and pays homage to this film. However, unlike its reference, this film is more sinuous, provocative and some might say sentimental. In any case, Le Samourai is more rounded. Whereas, this one is more polygonal.
The film is not perfect, it could have been cut from 40 minutes to 60 minutes. But it's still worth it - I liked all the action, the rest is questionable.
I'm not exactly sure what I was expecting, but this movie was not whatever I was expecting.
An interesting film, that for me at least is in the upper tier of movies for the year (not quite the top tier but still up there) but I can say most assuredly it's not a movie for everyone. The only real way it's similar to John Wick is that it has some element of a revenge movie plot and the rest of it, the tone, the setting, the commentary, the style is very much it's own thing.
It's a much more slow-burn style of revenge movie as opposed to your John Wicks or The Equalizer. I think I'd put it more in the bucket with something like The Covenant, slow movie with action but the action is less the point and focus of the movie than other elements.
Performances are solid across the board, I enjoyed the writing and pacing as well. I think it's a movie that will find it's audience although probably not as large as Fincher's best works. But honestly, in a year where we get a new solid Fincher, Scorsese and Nolan I'm not going to complain too much lol.
What a dumb freaking ending!!!
He says "Empathy is vulnerability, vulnerability is weakness" . So he kills the cab driver , dolores (people who don't deserve to die) but actually leaves the main villain of the story?!! I mean what the f-
I know the villain didn't do it personally, but he still ordered some guy to be killed , that makes him a bad person right?
Seriously, one of the worst David Fincher movies I've ever seen.
Wanna be John Wick.
1/10
Over average “portrait of an assassin” film. Fassbender plays the role very well.
The inner monologue is ok but seemed to fail, at times, at being as interesting, as original or as funny as it intended to be.
Having our assassin listen only to the Smiths was a little cheesy IMO. I know it was meant to be cheeky but it missed the mark for me.
My daughter and I agreed that because of Fincher we entered the theatre with high expectations and were a tad disappointed. Had Fincher tightened things up and sprinkled in a couple more tasty morsels it could have been a great film…
… and there are a ton of plot holes and implausible situations. Here are a few in chronological order (spoiler alert):
Being invisible is impossible our man says because there are cams everywhere. So his camo is dressing like a German tourist. He scopes out the location of his future assassination for days as the German tourist, then switches to ninja clothes for the dirty deed, then switches back to his same German tourist outfit to make his escape. Ridiculous.
Why didn’t the assassins that beat up his gf wait around to kill him? You would think that would count as a failed assassination and that they too would be targeted for cleanup. I need to rewatch the part with the attorney because perhaps he says that he expected our man to have disappeared to the other side of the planet and that sending the assassins to his house was just a gesture to make it look like he made an attempt to clean up. And in that case to whom were they making this show of cleaning up? The botched assassination victim? That makes no sense…
The first assassin has one of those loud entrance door beeps when our man enters the assassins house and yet our man goes about looking through the house as if he expects to find the assassin asleep on the couch with a bag of potato chips. Of course the assassin gets the drop on him… Ridiculous.
Billionaire client says attorney suggested the proper thing would be to cleanup (kill our man) for an extra $150K. What? $150K? Assuming the attorney takes 1/3 as commission, that means each killer gets $50K to fly to Puerto Rico and murder another assassin? Dang assassins are on sale in this movie! They must have killed a lot of folks at $50K a pop to have “more money than they could ever spend”.
That’s it for now. If I’ve missed any other plot holes or implausibilities please let me know.
PS: I don’t usually care about holes and implausibilities but this movie pretends to be a realistic peek into the life of a highly competent, no frills assassin.
Felt like the script had been sitting on a shelf for 20 years, but since it's based on a graphic novel that old, that kind of explains it. A C- script elevated to B+ by Fincher's direction and a Reznor/Ross score and excellent sound design.
Honestly, would be better without the inner monologuing. I almost lost it during the first 30 minutes.
"Forbid empathy. Empathy is weakness. Weakness is vulnerability."
Starts out strong with the parts in Paris and the not getting caught aspect, I was on the edge of my seat the whole first chapter. It's very character focused with a good main performance by Michael Fassbender. Not much dialogue between characters but loads of narration from Fassbender who gives us a philosophy class through endless monologues. Like most of Fincher's movies, don't expect much action, there are some great unexpected kills though. Love the music choices but the score was straight out annoying at times.
Didn't like the direction the story was going in after the first chapter, unoriginal and kinda boring. It also struggles at rebuilding tension past that point. Lost me in the middle but caught my attention again in the epic superhuman hand-to-hand fight scene in Florida. Thank god for Tilda Swinton. Completely flat third act and ending. An ok watch overall but run-of-the-mill and forgettable.
Crazy how many product placements were in this movie.
Ch. 1: Paris/The Target - 8/10
Ch. 2: Dominican Republic/The Hideout - 6/10
Ch. 3: New Orleans/The Lawyer - 6/10
Ch. 4: Florida/The Brute - 7/10
Ch. 5: New York/The Expert - 6/10
Ch. 6: Chicago/The Client - 5/10
Feels shitty for me to say but this is kinda embarrassing for Fincher. The ending is cool but it's a massively pointless film.
This was incredibly disappointing. The entire film is described by this expository voiceover in the voice of Michael Fassbender's character. There are only two reasons for such a tool to be used throughout a film: Weak writing or a production company that didn't have the funds to make a film the way in which it was intended. In this case, I think that it was the former. This was a story about nothing that went nowhere, and it had nothing of interest to say along the way. The only reason for the rating I gave it was b/c of the cast. Had they been any less, this film would've ranked a 4/10.
Started off really interesting.. the first chapter of the movie gave me a promising premise and I was ready to have a thrilling time, but after the first chapter the plot was getting uninteresting, the side characters were not interesting at all and it was boring as hell. Kinda expected a more thrilling action movie. Fincher did his thing, the dark gritty atmosphere was cool and the very few fighting scenes were well choreographed. By the end of the movie all I was thinking was "should this movie had been made". Its just plain boring and uninteresting. Michael Fassbender was great and Tilda Swinton was also good for the little amount of time she had.
Pros:
Fassbender's acting
Cinematography and the locations
Atmosphere
Cons:
Boring and uninteresting
Underdeveloped and a rushed ending
Uninteresting supporting characters
6/10
B-grade trashy genre exploration in an A-grade wrapper. The technical points are nice, and it's neat seeing this genre actively work around current tech, but it lacks a certain narrative substance.
It's cool and all but nothing new or special. I'd probably suggest watching The Equalizer instead, or John Wick. Unlike those movies, this one really annoyed me at times.
Definitely not Finchers best.
:heart:x6
This felt like a poor man's John Wick. This is just me - but I was bored with this movie. All the way thru it I felt like maybe now it will finally get exciting - but it doesn't. Generally when an action movie has to be narrated from beginning to end - it's going to be bad. And this movie was heavily/primarily narrated. I could go on, but I don't want to spoil anyone else's possible enjoyment of this movie. If I were rating this just for myself - I'd only give it 3 star, but I know some folks will enjoy this type of story-telling.
How I rate:
1-3 :heart: = seriously! don't waste your time
4-6 :heart: = you may or may not enjoy this
7-8 :heart: = I expect you will like this too
9-10 :heart: = movies and TV shows I really love!
I get why the mixed reviews and low score for this one. Being a David Fincher movie, I was honestly expecting way more. The pacing is extremely slow, the "assassin" scenes are way to short and not a fan of the narration voiceover. Is distracting, repetitive and doesn't add anything to what it is being shown. The acting from Fassbender wasn't his best. Music is cool, that's why I give it a 5, but it could go lower.
A slow, plodding and monotonous revenge movie that even makes Liam Neeson movies look good, the final nail in the coffin being the dull as dishwasher anticlimax ending. The style of the movie with the repetitive “assassin 101” mental notes, presumably to add atmosphere and tension, merely serves to add to the feeling of emptiness that surrounds the whole movie.
Throw in a bald-cap and a barcode tattoo—folks, we got ourselves a Hitman reboot. :gun:
Started nice but, the rest is awful.
Good part is how it starts, his internal monologue is brilliant. I expected too much with that start, ended too low for me. It didn't feel like he took revenge, it was just murder again and again, there was no emotion for us to feel. The person for whom he wants take revenge, we can't relate with that because that person is there for 5 sec. I liked the unforgiving part of him but in the end he messed that too. The surprise kill was also brilliant IMO.
tldr; Meh Movie, You can skip it.
A killer kills and tries to kill some more. The end.
Everything else is just filler. It could've been a 5 minute short film.
If you turn it off before the ending it's a 7
As a devoted David Fincher fan, I was let down by the film's slow pace, lackluster storyline, and predictability.
Fassbender does a very good job as the Killer, however his character, as well as the movie, needed a crescendo, a different pace to it. Everything was too slow and in that, the weight of being THE Killer, is lost.
Hitman meets John Wick, only slower paced.
That being said it's not unenjoyable, at times it's a little dry or predictable but it held my attention. Fassbender plays his role extremely well, as do all the cast it must be said.
This would be another 6.5 if we could give such a thing, but a 7 works just as well for the acting and 'feel'
It's like a long preamble to something huge that never came. It's not a movie but an overproduced high budget monologue. Fassbender was a waste on this one. Directionless and derelict.
This definitely looked and felt like a Fincher film, and I think that gives it a lot of leeway with folks, myself included. The life of an assassin is made to feel very unglamorous and just like any other job--there's more work than you'd like to do that goes into every major task. And I was fascinated with the somewhat mundane aspects of such a high stakes profession. Fassbender sells it and covers up some weaker plotting. I know many folks have a problem with the ending feeling inconsistent with the rest of the film, and I'm wishy-washy on it myself, but it did feel like he was making a rational (is it going to cause more trouble if I kill this guy?) decision over an emotional one. Possibly? Anyhow, I still found myself liking this for what it was--a flawed but intriguing film from a master of his craft.
I was expecting something to happen the whole movie. It didn't.
Very good acting. Very well sound recordings and operator work. Actually it felt like a game, Max Payne.
But I am overall disappointed. Worst Fincher movie ever.
A hitman travels the world seeking revenge for an offense. Rather than being a lackluster film, I found it a tad difficult to digest. Despite mocking itself in many instances, it has a very authorial and contemplative style like MUBI’s newest Czechoslovakian dramatic film. There are interesting moments, but overall, I found it a little bland. It might be worth a second viewing, but honestly, I think I’ll pass.
Idk, seems like he did an awful lot of improvising.....
I heard David Fincher and I thought I would check it out, but the monotone voice over made it impossible.
Such a boring film. David Fincher? Really? it's disappointing.
Boring, then boring, at the en boring. 1 fight that is it, a real one, no a skinny girl who eats lettuce knocking a 250 pound dude, nothing more, no action, bad script, I think nowadays directors and actors just take advantage of Netflix, Amazon, 20 years ago, no one read the script and said, ok let's do this, but today the ppl could watch a show about someone inclusive painting a wall and saying , the best movie, the painter break the mold, he Is not a poor latino, he Is the new freedom, jajjaja. Skip it, I would like to see a korean cop movie or an Indian cop drama dance romance instead, at least those movies are something that i could talk during my lunch.
there was this one beautiful silhouette shot i really liked, it's around that chapter when he was in florida, then his fight with that man was good, especially the sound design, it was unusually quiet for a fight scene and that exact detail is what drew me in
also his internal monologue throughout the movie was nice, Michael Fassbender was great
Wow, that felt really pointless. Somewhere towards the middle I remember thinking "will the whole movie be.. this?" and yes, it was.
I couldn't help but keep thinking of "Haywire". Another film with Fassbender playing a killer. Another film by a top-notch director that hit wide of the mark.
This is okay. It passes the time. It keeps your attention and leaves you feeling only mildly short-changed.
I wasn't a big fan of the ending... Illogical given what has transpired. And the internal monologue as narration means that this whole thing has got next to no rewatch value.
Up until the end, I'd have said that Fincher had outdone Soderbergh's efforts in Haywire. But I come out the other side of this now thinking Haywire is superior. It has rewatch value despite its many, many faults.
John Wick >>>>>>>>>>>> Fassbender's killer
I found it tiring and contradictory.
Solid and dense. I didn’t want to be interrupted by anything, which is now a rarity. The cold-blooded, minimalistic style of a simple story about a profession is catchy. One of the people around can be a master in it. Fincher is good! But if you expect some kind of it’s a brand feature, then the movie is certainly not for you.
It is a non stop monologue without any great story line, I switched off after an hour as I could not tolerate further.
Impressive on the directing and acting side, but hugely disappointing when it comes to writing and story. David Fincher's dependable direction means the film is good at tension building and Michael Fassbender delivers a fantastic performance as a cool and calculating assassin. Unfortunately we're forced to listen to endless monologues from him and this narration quickly got irritating. I was disappointed when the story became a basic vengeance story after the first chapter. The whole thing feels a bit like watching the Hitman video game walkthrough (all these detailed preparation scenes and sneaking around), with some Assassin's Creed-style conversations as the killer chats with his victims. I was drifting off throughout the movie and the ending fell flat completely. The highest point for me was the Florida hand-to-hand fight scene. Just amazing fight choreography and physicality to the whole fight.
All the monologue at the beginning and he fails to make the kill makes it look really really embarrassing.
Michael Fassbender, always spoke highly of his acting skills and he's always done a great job in his roles and i was impressed once again in this decent film that was sound from start to finish that I enjoyed very much with some good action.
Michael wick... yeah good movie finally!!
The most straightforward genre film Fincher has made since Panic Room, and probably his goofiest effort since The Game. It’s not great, what’s really lacking here is that inventive spark that makes his best work tick. The script is generally cliche, repetitive, predictable and sometimes cheesy. That’s not entirely surprising given that the film’s based on a graphic novel, and thankfully the film is at the very least somewhat aware of its own shortcomings. For example, there are some really funny moments of dark comedy through the film’s use of cynical narration. I also feel like Fincher is self-inserting himself in Fassbender’s character here (it’s kinda obvious if you’re familiar with his other work), but that ultimately doesn’t lead to a new, unique insight. It’s not a secret metaphor for filmmaking or Fincher’s career, at least I’m not seeing that. At most it just feels like Fincher taking a laugh at himself. It’s also not really reinventing the wheel when it comes to the way that it explores the serial killer as a cinematic archetype. Instead, this movie is at its best when Fincher’s finding new ways to present familiar ideas. The set pieces are pretty decent, he still knows how to bring the tension, shoot with precision and use great sound design & score. His use of songs from The Smiths adds a cool stylish touch, or it comments on scenes in an ironic way. Again, the sum doesn’t add up to something special or unique, but because it's made with a lot of skill and sleek style, it doesn't feel as disposable as a lot of other films like it.
5.5/10
great movie, i enjoyed it a lot. i like well done, slow paced movies and tv series.
Slow paced but very nicely executed. Worth a watch. Also Michael Fassbender is amazing as always.
A bit too meh for David Fincher. It was stylistic and sleek, but it was all the plating, the food wasn't filling.
It's fun. I didn't want to turn it off at any point during it. But there's really no depth to it. What you see is what you get. The story is flat and boring, Michael Fassbender doesn't do anything except for stare with a straight face the entire time. There's no emotion to it. And the ending was just completely unearned.
There's no point in the movie where the killer is interesting. There's no point in the movie where you feel anything for any of the characters involved, except for discomfort for witnessing this stuff. It feels like I'm watching someone else play Hitman 3 without any of the stakes, the intrigue, or the funny parts. It's just bland. Really expected more from David Fincher.
Underwhelming.
It was good, Fincher and Fassbender do not disappoint, I always like revenge, but maybe I was expecting something more.
Bro how big was that dude? His movement made him look like a CGI monster.
trent and atticus back at it again with the best soundtrack
"Vigilance is essential. Even the most disciplined mind can become weary. Impatient. Hurried. Sloppy."
What can I say? It's Fincher! The dude knows how to tell a story and I was not expecting The Killer to be the way it is. I love the attention to detail in the imperfect world. Mistakes happen, followed by precise actions. The colors are classic Fincher as well.
13 initials minutes are an monologe destroying any hope in a Society.
Tilda Swinton talk something about pragmatism and cruelty in same situation, depending of one man or other.
Debate: in a link with movie subject, death is an oportunity or a moral sin. Thats the thought of character, I think. But what is cruelty? In death, this and pragmatic action are equal?
To be cruel somebody need a big passionate feelings or calculate steps without it?
The type of vibe I wanted from the movie was "relentless". I haven't watched much FIncher yet, but this movie hit all the right spots and Fassbender's always fun to watch.
A captivating film, with an intriguing plot, although it can be a little slow at times. It addresses deep reflections on the fragility of human life and the choices that shape our existence.
Better than expected and was very entertaining. Even the fight scene was good...most movies over do that part.
9/10
I'm sorry. it was so boring, I quit after half the movie
The Killer is not for everyone. It portrays a perfectionist and his many imperfections. The story is intelligent. The atmosphere is dark. The filmmaking is exceptional.
The first revenge thriller without revenge and thrill. Just a man doing his job and correcting an error in a clean way. Zero emotion. I loved every minute! Finally a movie that I won't forget in a few days. This one was indeed special.
I'm a sucker for assassin movies. This one had me glued to the screen for the first act. The story then slowed down quite a bit. I was hoping for a bit more action, a bit more behind the preparation of his moves aside from an endless voice over. A lot of what happened was predictable but not everything.
The Killer is not a perfect assassin and he knows it... and he makes sure that you know it too.
Good film and good acting.Fassbender is the great actor.
The timing of me learning about sigma and then viewing this film couldn’t have been more perfect. Oh did I see film? More of a filmmaking exercise than an actual film.
Entertaining but kind of empty and pointless despite the wannabe-deep voice-over. Easy watch though, just don't expect too much.
I found that quite stressful... but, guess that's the point.
Not the best Fincher movie you'll see
It's like Fincher is trying to do Soderbergh and ends up doing Jarmusch. The persistent VO is really something.
Don't waste your time the total junk I fell asleep on i
the killer kept on saying trust no one all the time and trusted the last guy....
Killer Soundtrack, should have used the Smiths and Wesson
The ordinary life of a killer.
6/10
Not bad, not good. The slow pace of the movie didn’t bother me, i like it. The voice over (his inner voice) was great, but still I expected more. The ending felt rushed. With a better ending this could have been a way better movie. Defiantly a must to watch if you are a fan of fassbender.
Very slick and well-shot, great dialogue but a bit of a nothing burger plotwise
Very slow paced and uneventful
Really reminds me of video games with voices overs
It's a love letter to the smiths with a help from Trent Reznor and Portishead as guest star. Without the soundtrack and Fassbenter its a 5-6.
I like this genre, but... for someone who reflects a lot on his thoughts, the killer is able to anticipate shit.
I really enjoy this but also kinda disappointed.
It would have been a 8/10 if it wasn’t for that ending.
Michael Fassbender is great and the cinematography.
The supporting cast are sadly underwhelming.
When it comes to the ending he (Michael Fassbender) decides to kill a couple of innocent people without a second thought but then he lets the guy who paid to kill him live for no reason.
Almost as if this was Fassbender's audition to play Batman. On another note, it was a ridiculously precise, beautifully shot movie.
“Stick to your plan. Trust no one. Stick to the plan. Forbid empathy. Stick to the plan. Anticipate, don't improvise. Stick to your plan. Never yield an advantage. Stick to the plan. Fight only the battle you're paid to fight. Ask yourself, ‘What's in it for me?’. Stick to the plan. Trust no one. Empathy is weakness. Weakness is vulnerability. This is what it takes if you want to succed. Simple.”
watched Fincher's new film "The Killer". Is it based on Lawrence Block's killer Keller? thought so, but it was a graphic novel." At first I was a bit disappointed, but I was drawn in from the very beginning of the film! was emotionally involved with Fassbender, th nameless assassin without a name and without dialogue! The Smiths' famous music played all over the place! As usual, Reznor's sound effects were superb! The film begins with a monologue about the wait for the assassination, the failure, the escape, and the counterattack! The film moves from Paris to Dominica to North America, showcasing the assassin's know-how, lessons learned, and details! While maintaining tension, the ups and downs of the story are as dramatic as the classics that morph from the opening to the closing chapters! This will be a strong IP. Will it become a series? wish I had seen it in a movie theater. Highly recommended.
I was recommending this movie to my brother and, after I started describing it, he said, "Oh, I think I saw the trailer. It honestly just looked like a bunch of hitman clichés". Honestly, he isn't wrong. This movie hits a lot of ideas that we've seen before, from things like Dexter on TV, to even the Meet the Sniper promotional trailer for Team Fortress 2. And the familiarity of the concept isn't the only thing that was a potential turn off. There's also the heavy reliance on narration, which can often feel like a stilted, storytelling crutch. However, the film overcomes both of these issues through sheer quality of execution. This is David Fincher after all. The production, writing, and performances are all top notch. The simplicity of the narrative was also appreciated, with more effort put into building a world that feels real. A simple story in a complex world is much preferred over a overly ambitious story in a world that feels empty. Here we just watch a master of his craft move from A to B to C, being presented with interesting problems and finding creative solutions. Michael Fassbender is excellent, selling the role and the narration. The Tilda Swinton scenes were the other highlight. My only real critique is that the ending didn't quite land for me, feeling a bit rushed.
No substantial plot, and Tilda Swinton is annoying, but it was very well done regardless.
This is not a bad movie considering the crap that has come for the past 10 years. A MUST WATCH if there is nothing else to watch.
Probably not the movie you will want to watch twice but good enough to get you to the end without boredom.Under par
Fincher ,but good enough thriller or whatever style of movie it was suppose to be.
Litle bit slow. It’s ok but not an eight.
Like the butt of the gun you have in your hand: cold, hard, and oh so solid.
Fassbender makes the role of an elite hitman out for revenge look easy (probably because it is), but what sets this film apart is the tone, which is at once dramatic, sedate and intriguing. David Fincher delivers a film that I couldn't stop watching.
Made with distinctive craft and unique flair, The Killer is my this year's Killers of the Flower Moon.
It's an assassin movie with oddly very little Fincher in it.
Loved Fassbender, then again I always do. His performance was on point and I would have loved seeing him in a proper Fincher movie. The inner dialogue was good, music created a sorth of sombre overtone throughout the movie and the action made sense instead of being just one set piece after another. It's a simple story, Killer goes on a job, messes up, other killers are sent to take him out but he's not home at the time, loved one gets hurt, he kills everyone who had anything to do with it... almost.
The whole premise is the man going against the code that made him the best at what he does to avenge harm that was inflicted on someone he cares about. The inner dialogue slightly gets in his train of tought but it's too general, to stylistic and not substantive. All in all, good movie to kill an evening with.
And if it leaves you wanting just a little more, I'd recommend Man on Fire by the late Tony Scott. Denzel Washington carries that movie just as well as Fassbender carries this one, arguably even better, and it has brilliant performances from then very young Dakota Fanning and a memorable cameo by Christopher Walken. The music is on my playlist to this day.
Pretty boring. Had to watch it on 1.5x speed to get through it.
I would definitely count David Fincher among the best directors working in Hollywood today. But that doesn't mean that every one of his films is a masterpiece, and I'd also put "The Killer" in the "good, but not great" category. The direction is relatively cold but, at the same time, always stylish. I imagine Fincher approaches his filmmaking in the same way that Michael Fassbender's hitman approaches his missions.
The story is told primarily through Fassbender's voiceovers, a stylistic device that I rarely enjoy. However, it works very well here because it adds a refreshing dose of humor. After all, what the killer says and what actually happens are rarely the same thing. The pace picks up considerably in the second half of the movie. The killer then moves from one location to the next and meets a few colorful characters so that it never gets boring. The resolution is also fitting, making it an entertaining movie experience overall.
I liked it but it's a story we have seen many times before, going all the way back to the father of the assassin-for-hire movies, Le Samourai. Ghost Dog was also influenced by it but at least it brought something original by mixing Black culture with Samurai philosophy.
I was waiting for this whole year .. Michael Fassbender nailed it .."Stick to the plan.Anticipate, don't improvise. Fight only-the battle you're paid to fight. Trust no one. Forbid empathy. Empathy is a weakness. Weakness is vulnerability. Never yield an advantage. Each and every step of the way, ask yourself, "What's in it for me?". This is what it takes. What you must commit yourself to if you want to succeed. Simple.
Excellent. Those w aversion to deliberate pacing and meticulous attention to detail may zone in and out, but I really enjoyed this. Fassbender is superb. Sound design is expectedly top tier. Strong 8.4. Not Fincher's best, and perhaps his most straightforward foray, but the pulpy richness is a treat.
I missed these kind of features from Fincher, this kind of acting from Fassbender and this kind of score from this duo. So glad to see it all together. It’s a great but not amazing thriller. I brings the world of the comic book original and adds a lot to it, changes some elements and still waves at who has read the comic (like the scene with the guy on the plane). But for a Fincher thriller it lack being a little bit more punchy and unconventional, and also more intense in the end. Still, enjoyed a lot and specially because I went to the cinema to see this!
I haven’t actually seen this but I had a dream last night where I watched it and it was pretty good
Hope it won’t rub off John Wick too much, the description seems similar to it.
Shout by XiofireBlockedParent2023-11-10T21:01:03Z
Stylish, sleek and punchy; The Killer is as poised and crafted as it's titular protagonist. From the atmospheric, bass forward score to the pace of the streamlined plot, this is just a cool fucking movie that I can't wait to watch again. I'm not as immersed in the Fincher lore as many seem to be here, but I've never come away from one of his movies disappointed yet and The Killer is no exception. Great movie.