THE KILLER 🔫 (A DAVID FINCHER FILM) REVIEW:

After a fateful near-miss, an assassin battles his employers, and himself, on an international manhunt he insists isn't personal. David Fincher has directed some of my all time favorite movies, so naturally, when he is paired with the writer of Se7en (masterpiece) and the great Michael Fassbender, there are plenty of reasons to be excited. Fincher’s filmography mostly consists of movies that deal with characters who are obsessed with perfection and The Killer very much falls under that category. This is a slickly directed film that will test the patience of the viewers, sort of like how Fassbender’s character’s patience is oftentimes challenged. Fassbender is predictably on top of his game, playing the unnamed assassin with a sense laid back precision as he goes about his profession in a methodically routine manner. He comes off as almost robotic, lacking any sort of emotional resonance, repeating a catchy mantra every time he goes in for a kill. “Empathy is weakness, weakness is vulnerability” he says in a cold, calculating, and monotone voice. When a job doesn’t go according to his “perfect” plan, his entire world is then shaken up, with consequences that force him to snuff out those who hired him.

What works really well in this movie is how it ventures deep into the unnamed assassin’s psyche and how he thinks. He oftentimes uses fairly accessible and legal means (I.e. key fob copiers, Postmates, Amazon delivery) to get in to places and kill his targets. It’s like Fincher knows just how convenient it is to gain access to everyday materials that would be used for something as horrible as murder in the 21st Century without drawing too much suspicion. The supporting cast is quite good, with Charles Parnell, Kelly O’Malley, and particularly Tilda Swinton turning in fine performances. There is an extended conversation at a restaurant between Swinton’s character and the unnamed assassin that was full of tension, suspense, and an unpredictable atmosphere that had me on the edge of my seat. Although I would not describe this as a high octane action movie (more so crime thriller), there is a brutal hand to hand fight scene between the unnamed assassin and a hyper adrenalized brute that completely wrecks the interior of a house, which was rather impressive and well staged for a director who rarely ever dabbles in traditional “action sequences.”

Erik Messerschmidt’s cinematography is so clean, polished, and sleek, almost as if Fincher made him do countless takes for each shot to be as perfect as the unnamed assassin’s work ethic. There are several darkly humorous moments whether it’s due to well placed needle drops, the unnamed assassin’s many fake identities, or the way in which the unnamed assassin handles certain situations while carrying out a hit. Fassbender’s direct narration also contributes to some of this dark humor, specifically when he dives into how he operates and views the state of modern consumerism as his advantage. The production design is exquisitely upscale, chock full of beautifully photographed modern architecture.

After the initial hit goes sideways though, it leads to my biggest issue with the film. To me, it’s unclear if the unnamed assassin is contradicting his purely pragmatic and logistical ideology by showing concern for a love interest who got banged up as a direct result of him missing his initial target. That lack of clear emotional resonance and confusing relationship to this girlfriend character felt a bit odd and underdeveloped. The absence of real character or even story depth may be the point Fincher is trying to make, but it may cause some viewers to be detached from the film. The soundtrack by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is fittingly eerie and suits the neo-noir vibe and aesthetic that the film confidently exudes. The ending resolution left me feeling a bit perplexed, and will be subject to different interpretations from the film’s viewers. Overall, while The Killer does not rank among David Fincher’s best films and has some contradictory story elements, it still manages to be an engaging above average crime thriller with sleek direction, witty dialogue, effective dark humor, and a suitably cold blooded performance by Michael Fassbender.