Cinema for Brunch THE KILLER Review

Director David Fincher is back in true form with the ironic hitman odyssey tale “The Killer”.

Synopsis

After a fateful near-miss an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn’t personal.

Review
The killer with a conscious. The deadly samurai with a soul. Many stories have adapted “the lone wolf who finds purpose” story to varying effect. For a visually gifted director who has a knack for constantly evolving his craft, “The Killer” finds David Fincher right at home. Officially reuniting with screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker (the last time we’ve seen these two officially together was “Se7en”) and adapting the French comic book “Le Tueur” by Matz and Luc Jacamon, “The Killer” follows our unnamed protagonist (played by Michael Fassbender) on an existential odyssey to tie up loose ends and find out if he is as really indifferent to his environment as he says he is. Slight spoiler alert – he isn’t. During one of the many moments the killer’s “stream-of-consciousness” takes center stage, the protagonist simply states the difference between him and anyone else doing this lonely, morally bankrupt job of killing: “I don’t give a fuck”. Immediately following this line, a job is botched (a reflection of the film’s brutal irony) and an act of retaliation too close to home sends our would-be lone wolf on the path to vengeance and surprising self-discovery. Picture “John Wick” with a Jim Jarmusch-like soul and you have a good idea of what “The Killer” is…but “Ghost Dog”, this is not. Instead, we have an existential-turned-acutely poetic parable from an auteur that was born to make such a thing.

“The Killer” is a parable of stubborn determination. The determination is for many things – for the protagonist to complete his mission and return home, to make a point that he is not to be screwed with, or simply, as stated before, to prove he doesn’t care. Only Fincher (with a hell of an assist from screenwriter Walker) would be a crazy enough filmmaker to present this parable through the lens of a hitman. As it begins, “The Killer” can take a while to sink your teeth into. The first 15 minutes or so takes you into the rather boring world of someone who is not only employed in this profession but is good at it. A lot of waiting, observing, stretching…stuck with nothing else but one’s own thoughts until the target presents itself. “If you aren’t able to endure boredom, this job isn’t for you”, the protagonist shrewdly states at one point. The stream-of-consciousness narration for the protagonist ranges from the typical (“it’s a dog-eat-dog world”) to the humorous (“I’ve done my 10,000 hours”) to the rehearsed and robotic (“trust no one”, he tells himself every time before he does the deed). Traveling from Paris to the Dominican Republic, New Orleans, Florida, etc., it’s only a matter of time before these random thoughts start to crack within themselves as the protagonist is thrown from one purpose-altering kill to another.

At the center of what makes “The Killer” effective as a hitman parable of irony is Michael Fassbender’s lead performance. His thousand-yard stare is at times intimidating, humorous and chilling. His stream-of-consciousness narration is also effectively indifferent, akin to Santino Fontana’s creepy reading of the Carolina Kepnes’ “You” novels. He drives this film rather than carry it, posing himself as the perfect actor to bring this falsely apathetic character to life. On this strange odyssey, we also meet some strong supporting players. Tilda Swinton has a solid, understated moment as “The Expert”, a woman who has a heart-to-heart with the protagonist in a tense but quiet come-to-Jesus scene. It’s a moment where Fincher quiets things down for two like-minded souls whose paths of vengeance and retribution have brought them to this very moment. Sliding more into the film’s flirtation with dark comedy, Charles Parnell excels as “The Lawyer”, a character who tries his best to reason and level with the protagonist in a scene that is probably the best tense and hilarious scene in Fincher’s career thus far.

The reunion of Fincher and Walker is the best formation of talent behind what makes this film (mostly) run as smooth as it does. Fincher, as always, executes strong direction here and gives us two memorable scenes that would otherwise be usual action fare. A terrific car/motorcycle chase scene that is kinetically edited without the audience being lost on who is the ferocious cat and who is the evasive mouse. A hand-to-hand fight sequence that serves as the centerpiece of the film – a thrilling, hyperactive sequence that needs to be seen to be believed. The choreography is jaw-dropping, the effects are awesome and the bone cracking, body slamming is truly felt. Seriously, if Fincher ever gets tapped to direct a “John Wick” spinoff or sequel, it could be problem for anyone trying to top what he could bring to that amazing franchise. Andrew Kevin Walker stuns with biting dialogue and sharp wit through the protagonist’s monologues and the exchanges between characters. The character development of the protagonist is also very sharp, throwing the “killer” through the ringer as he runs into one complication after another. While this may not be as action-packed as most “hitman subgenre” fans would prefer, there is depth to the killer’s journey of self-awareness-disguised-as-revenge which Walker drives home without being too preachy or pretentious.

Closing Thoughts
“The Killer” is a film that generates more value as one lets it gestate in their mind long after viewing it. What is seen at face value as a dark thriller/comedy about a hitman dealing with blowout of a botched job is actually more nuanced when you piece together the elements Fincher and Walker have presented. “The Killer” is one of Fincher most thoughtful films in its execution and character development. Fassbender brings it home with his lead performance and has the perfect range of indifference and incredulous irritation for a man that is trying hard not to “feel” when his whole mission is based of the validity of his feelings. It’s a philosophical story that may not be for everyone (especially the conventional “hitman subgenre” fans) but is definitely worthy of a watch amongst the “Ghost Dog’s” and the “Le Samouraï’s”.

Trailer