A flurry of images tells us of the lead character’s past exploits as its opening credits, and the film quickly segues into his current mission. We are dropped into the world of The Killer as our unnamed assassin sits in an abandoned workspace, observing a Parisian hotel room across him, lying in wait for his target.
The killer begins talking to us in voice over, narrating the mundane and banal present even in a job like his. We are given a glimpse of his methodical morning routine: a yoga session, a protein-laden breakfast courtesy of McDonald’s, and calming himself by listening to classic rock songs on end. As his voice over continues and his target appears in the hotel room, the killer tells us his rules of strategizing and emotional disassociation as keys to ensuring his success.
However, when he unexpectedly misses his mark and his girlfriend falls prey to a retaliatory attack, what follows is a tale of revenge as the killer goes on a vengeful spree against his employers, clashing with the very code he swears by.
A welcome return for star Michael Fassbender to the movies and director David Fincher to the thriller genre, The Killer is a stylish yet straightforward film that will be considered “safe” and “mainstream” for fans of the filmmaker. In typical Fincher style, the director ensures he flips a classic film genre on its head.
The film attempts a deconstruction of the “skilled hit man” film trope, filling us in with the realistic details of his work as well as adding a psychological tinge to the story. However, in doing so, Fincher fashions a film like its protagonist—immaculately executed but emotionally hollow at its core. This runs the risk of the film going against the audience’s expectations, keeping them at a distance, and never involving them on a deeper level.
Therefore, the film is more of a slow-burn, character-driven drama than a thorough action film, not containing the dosage of thrilling fun the audience might be looking for.
Nonetheless, the film provides Fincher with the opportunity to broaden his horizons in the action-thriller genre. An exciting showcase for what would happen if he were given the keys to a Jason Bourne or James Bond-esque vehicle (with one gritty action sequence validating that statement), the film is his calling card to helm more blockbusters. In contrast to his previous work, Fincher also injects deadpan, dark humor into the film, which only adds to the overall offbeat nature of the film.
The Killer is akin to a one-man play divided into five parts, with the film comfortably resting on the shoulders of leading man Michael Fassbender, who is in top form as the cold, calculating, and ruthless assassin. Even though he speaks very little, Fassbender shines as a vengeful, focused man who is experiencing cracks in his psyche, providing us with a well-rounded character arc. His performance is well complimented by the supporting players peppered through each segment, with Tilda Swinton and Sala Baker turning in equally compelling performances as rival assassins.
The film is brought alive by Ren Klyce’s immersive sound design, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross’ experimental, paranoia-ridden score, and cinematographer Erik Messerscmhidt’s visual flourishes.
Overall, The Killer might come off as a mixed bag, with some viewers deriving enjoyment from the film in parts, while others may be completely alienated from it. It cannot be denied, however, that The Killer works well because of a director-actor pairing at the height of their powers and is a combination I would not mind seeing more of.
Texts of A Pop Culture Buff 