Review 699: The Killer

  

 

Based on the French graphic novel The Killer by Matz and Luc Jacamon, After a fateful near miss, an unamed skillful professional assassin (Michael Fassbender) battles his employers - and himself - on an international hunt for retribution he insists isn't personal.

To a vauge extent that I can recall the premise of the original graphic novels, none of which I've read or even heard of,   There's a simplicity to the film rarely found in Fincher's thrillers but the main focus of this film is on the unravelling nature of the titular killer's world of obsession and supposed perfection.  Everything is  heavy on noir-esque narration and light on the dialogue.

For a thriller, there's not a lot of action, there's a brutal beatdown between "The Killer" and a thug in the latter's Florida home. There's a 

As with most of Fincher's films, The Killer looks fantastic; the cinematography is gorgeous and captures the beauty and appeal of the locations that our protagonist visits, the locations are gorgeous (Paris, Dominican Republic, New Orleans, Florida, New York before finishing off in Chicago) almost as if Fincher is trying to make his own Bond film. The score by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is  and helps to create a sense of foreboding

Michael Fassenber is an exceptionaly talented actor with a hugely engaging screen presence  In lesser hands, this would've easily been a one-note character with no beginning or end. Throughout the film, we get scene after scene of him taking out his targets and a lot of them are very cruel and clever.

The movie is all about style, globetrotting and behaviour. I kinda liked it.

As far as thrillers go, The Killer isn't particularly groundbreaking. It didn't change my life and I've seen better from Fincher but I enjoyed it as showcase for suspense and his filmmaking talents. Here's hoping that Fincher's next offering with be more fulfilling.