General Information
Directed by – David Fincher
Written by – Andrew Kevin Walker
Release Year – 2023
Starring – Michael Fassbender (The Killer), Sophie Charlotte (Magdala), Tilda Swinton (The Expert), Charles Parnell (The Lawyer), Arliss Howard (The Client), Kerry O’Malley (Dolores) and Sala Baker (The Brute)
Synopsis – After a mistake on the job, The Killer needs to right his wrong before it becomes too much – both in his professional and personal life.
Review
Whenever you see David Fincher’s name attached to a film, you are going to be in for some type of wild ride. You never know how the final product is going to turn out. ‘The Killer’ is another entry of neo-noir films that will stand out over the test of time.
Based on the French graphic novel of the same name, ‘The Killer’ follows the titular character (Michael Fassbender) makes a mistake on the job as a paid assassin. It is because of this that now his girlfriend, Magdala (Sophie Charlotte), is put in danger. Now, The Killer is seeking revenge on everyone who caused this to happen to Magdala, making sure they know not to mess with him again.
Fassbender knows how to captivate you from beginning to end as the character of The Killer. With constant identity changes and moving from location to location, you would think it would be hard to connect with this ever-changing character. But even without a name you can feel how human he is. He is not the typical kind of paid assassin that comes to mind when you hear what he does for a living. His pre-job yoga and playlist full of The Smiths makes him seem like a more real person rather than a killer. Fassbender sells it too with how precise yet awkward his personality feels. All of it works perfect for the story being told – a human who wants to protect his love.
While Fassbender dominates every second he is on screen, he is greatly supported by an outstanding cast. Most of the sequences throughout the film focus on Fassbender interacting with just one other person. Everyone feels like they have a purpose to the story that is being told. The back and forth between Fassbender and his scene partners makes your heart race, whether or not an action scene is taking place. The supporting performances elevate Fassbender and he elevates them just as much. This cast is as compelling as it can get with constant chemistry and bouncing off of each other that plays perfectly to the story.
The story itself is perfectly paced from beginning to end that you would think you would feel lost but it keeps you wondering what will happen next. Even with constant location changes that could be overwhelming, you know exactly where you are at and why these events are taking place. Even with the serious nature of what is happening, we are met with moments of dry humor to perfectly break the tension. It is a fun script that plays on the traditional stereotypes of this genre of film that matches what audiences are looking for in their entertainment.
Even though his character is not sympathetic due to his line of work, ‘The Killer’ has an amazing cast and fun script that plays on the noir genre for a refreshing film that will be remembered highly within Fincher’s filmography.