Explore David Fincher’s masterful direction in ‘The Killer,’ a chilling tale of revenge and intrigue that defies expectations. Dive into a world of cold-blooded precision and unpredictable twists.
In the hands of a lesser director, a hitman-themed film often descends into a predictable pool of overused tropes, inducing boredom instead of delivering groundbreaking thrills. However, “The Killer,” currently available for streaming on Netflix, gracefully falls into the capable grasp of director David Fincher, who displays his mastery of cinema.
Are we fortunate to witness this? Absolutely. Observing Fincher meticulously crafting this movie, focusing sharply on an enigmatic assassin portrayed by the mesmerizing Michael Fassbender, is a delight. Fassbender excels at portraying a character simmering with hidden anger beneath a façade of icy coolness.
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Penned by Andrew Kevin Walker, a collaborator from Fincher’s “Seven,” and based on French comic books by Luc Jacamon and Alexis “Matz” Nolent, “The Killer” is quintessential Fincher. While it may not reach the heights of “Fight Club” or “Zodiac,” it wreaks havoc in ways that are too gratifying to divulge in a review.
Nestled in a deserted WeWork building in Paris, the assassin keeps his sniper rifle trained on a luxurious hotel suite across the street. His waiting game involves indulging in McDonald’s, practicing yoga, and listening to the Smiths, his favorite band. Through voiceovers, he issues self-commands, emphasizing the need to maintain a blood-chilling composure, disregard empathy as a weakness, and suggest that impatience has no place in the world of professional killing (or film directing).
Fincher ingeniously draws parallels between his filmmaking process and the assassin’s methods. It’s impossible not to think of Fincher, the perfectionist behind the camera, the director who subjected Jesse Eisenberg to nearly 100 takes to nail the first scene in “The Social Network.” Mistakes are not tolerated.
However, a fatal and revealing mistake kicks off the movie when the killer misses his target. Hodges (Charles Parness), his lawyer handler, offers to eliminate the killer to appease the client. Hodges dispatches two assailants to the killer’s hideout in the Dominican Republic, where they brutally assault his lover, Magdala (Sophie Charlotte).
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The personal line is crossed, and the killer abandons his own rules to seek revenge. Suddenly, the film pulsates with life, and the audience is swept up in the tension. Fincher, too, embarks on a revenge journey with the killer, starting in New Orleans (watch out for that nail gun) and moving on to Florida, where he confronts the “Brute” (Sala Baker), the one responsible for Magdala’s injuries.
In New York, the killer encounters the Brute’s partner, a woman resembling a Q-tip, portrayed brilliantly by Tilda Swinton. She becomes a captivating adversary, especially during an encounter in a chic restaurant where she orders a flight of whiskey to brace herself for what lies ahead. The killer is pushed to his limits, and their exchange is nothing short of electrifying.
Swinton and Fassbender engage in a battle of wits that showcases their legendary acting prowess. You’ll crave more of their dynamic, but the killer’s path leads him to Chicago to confront the client (Arliss Howard) who set this chain of events in motion. Fireworks ensue, but they’re not the kind you might expect.
“The Killer” marks a departure for Fincher; it’s the film where he refuses to adhere to a strict plan, allowing traces of humanity to disrupt his raw and captivating storytelling. Don’t anticipate a heartwarming redemption. Fincher and his killer share a penchant for leaving haunting loose ends. “The Killer” might not warm your heart, but its chilling essence will linger and haunt your dreams.
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