Directed by David Fincher, The Killer follows an employed assassin who goes on an international manhunt after a fateful near-miss sets off a series of events that threaten his life.
The Killer (Michael Fassbender) takes directions via phone call from The Lawyer (Charles Parnell) for his assignments. The film did a constant back and forth between live action and narrated thoughts in first-person. From the beginning, he comes off as an expert in what he does. Not just as a marksman or someone that can’t be followed, but the all around package – the ultimate assassin. He waxes idiotic about the complexities that come with the job and, in so many words, an acute awareness that’s needed to succeed. But all of the explaining and repetition of phrases like “stick to the plan” turn out to be moot as he ends up missing his target. The fatal miss sets the tide for the rest of the movie.
As the film begins, you’ll notice it’s broken down into chapters. It made it easier to follow the story and stay on track with things so that was a welcome change. The Killer’s cup ranneth over with suspense and that bodes well for audiences that feel the need to stay locked in. What the film lacked, however, was a proper ending and better dialogue. The dialogue between The Killer and other employees he came across was subpar and led to me checking my watch on a handful of occasions. The ending was extremely underwhelming and was a huge let down after spending so much time being on edge with excitement.
The Killer gets a 6.5 out of 10. Fassbender is good but not great in this awkward action film. It’s a film about an assassin and the fight scenes are pretty brutal so I’d tread lightly watching with young kids.The film also stars Tilda Swinton and Arliss Howard who don’t do or say very much, but are easily recognizable.
It’s in select theaters now but streams on Netflix starting Nov. 10.
-Jon Jones
Photos: Courtesy of Netflix