David Fincher’s The Killer is a brooding, thrilling, slow-burn type of movie that redefines what a movie about hit men should be about. As a fan of the Hitman video game series, I have to say I was incredibly excited for this film to come out. To say that my expectations were not only met, but healthily exceeded, would be fair to say.
The Killer follows the story of the aforementioned Killer, played by an electric Michael Fassbender and whose name is never actually revealed. After an assassination goes wrong and his girfriend is injured in retaliation, The Killer embarks on a vendetta to bring those who wronged him to a type of justice only he can deliver.
I absolutely love how the film keeps the true identities of just about everyone in the film anonymous. It creates this sense of mystery and acts to keep the characters at arm’s length, as would be the goal of any proper hit man I can imagine. Couple that with killer narration work from Fassbender and you really get to dive deep into the mind of an expert in that profession. It’s haunting and cold but simultaneously fascinating and grounded.
Seeing The Killer meticulously work through his pattern-like routines is totally fascinating. While the story itself is fairly shallow, the emphasis comes in HOW The Killer operates, not necessarily WHAT he’s trying to accomplish. The slow burn methodicism of the story is countered by the enamoring charisma of Fassbender and his techniques.
That’s not to mention that the various fight scenes/assassinations of the film are incredibly tense, well-choreographed and shocking. The ability to capture not only the ability for The Killer to adapt on the fly but also methodically follow a plan is captivating on screen.
For some, the slow-burn nature of the film may be enough to turn away from The Killer. There are undeniably slow sections of the film, and the opener was certainly a bit confusing. I could see past all this to the film’s core. It truly delivered the nostalgia for me of the times I would play the Hitman games, trying my best to not get caught, sneaking around and eliminating targets with deadly accuracy. That kept me enamored with the film more than it may for some.
The biggest knock I had against The Killer came with one major fight scene. It was filmed in the dark and was almost too hard to see, which is a shame because the fight was one of the more action packed sequences of the film.
Final Thoughts:
The Killer is a genre-defining film from David Fincher. A thrilling masterpiece of the methodical hitman genre. Michael Fassbender is perfect in the role, both on screen and in narration. If you have ever enjoyed the Hitman games, love thrilling action films, or just want something to completely capture you for nearly 2 hours. The slow-burn style may be offputting to some, but everyone should give it a chance.
4/5
