I know it's a fairly generic title, but if you're going to make a movie called The Killer, it better be damn good to eclipse the similarly-titled John Woo film. David Fincher disappoints, however, with a movie that's just okay (and sort of supposed to be his take on Melville's Le Samuraï). Starts off well enough, with Michael Fassbender doing cool voice-over on top of his assassin's actions, making him seem badass as shit, so of course he has to suffer his first/worst failure, with very personal results. This takes him on a picaresque revenge path, and that structure is really what sinks it for me. After the Florida sequence, my attention started to drift. Even though Fincher gives us a different take on killing each time, he always seems to be making the same semi-ironic point about the personal vs. the professional, and after the cool Florida fight, everything else seems kind of anti-climactic (especially the "final boss"). Fincher is extremely good at putting various pieces together (as in his detective thrillers), but here, the story is just too slim for his particular talents to shine. It's just "one thing after another".
Loved it because I'm a massive Fincher fan, but this one felt a little different than his other work. Definitely a lot of French and other foreign film influence, in that it isn't focused on satisfying the audience with whiz bang explosions. Its pacing is one of its strongest aspects. Having read the work it is adapted from, I wonder if it would have worked better as a series, but I've always preferred Fincher when he is making movies. Could have been a bit longer, maybe, but I think it will grow even more on me over time.
It is ok but pretty generic which is a same as the comic/graphic novel series it is based on takes a far more interesting approach. Apart from the inner monologue he hardly took anything from the source and even that was better in the original.
Ok thriller drama that's high on style but low on story and builds up to a climax that isn't coming. Movie is fine, just like Fassbender but it could be a lot stronger.
Michael Fassbender is amazing as an assassin who goes by many names. The edgelord narration assures us that he cares about nothing-- since everything is meaningless-- but he betrays his own philosophy by going on a personal revenge trip that will probably end very badly. People have been calling it a metaphor for Fincher's own cold, detached perfectionism, but to me it makes more sense as the story of a nihilist who finds there are some things worth caring about in this godforsaken world. Funny and tense. It keeps getting better and better. Highly recommended, which surprised me, given how I've reacted to most of his post-Zodiac work.
Netflix seems to have a hardon for psychopaths, whether it is in the many true crime docs, or this. Having a psychopath as a protagonist doesn't work. It's a bit like watching No Country For Old Men from the perspective of Javier Bardem's character. There's nothing likeable, or even human, about Fassbender's character. The violence and sadism is senseless, and gives a creepy, crawly sense throughout the film that some anti-social teenager, somewhere in the world, is going to find this cool, try to emulate it all and kill a whole bunch of people just as senselessly.
That said, the style and pacing of the film was slick. Fassbender is magnetic, despite the major problems with his character.
Gawd, seldom have I seen a more boring movie! Too little action, too long and interminable inner monologues that droned on and on and on, not to mention a weak plot line that went nowhere fast. I’ve seen some terrible movies in my day, but seldom have those been so terribly “Meh” as this one.
Netflix Originals: Bringing you the meh since 2015.
Cold-hearted killer murders lots people, but god forbid you kill a stupid dog. The degenerated thinking of today.
The self-serious assassin thinks himself to be a top-notch professional, but constantly fails. Could have made for a decent comedy, but this is a mediocre neo-noir instead.
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Comments 1 - 12 of 12
leodelgado01
Clever, brutal, sarcastic, tense. Really liked it.Siskoid
I know it's a fairly generic title, but if you're going to make a movie called The Killer, it better be damn good to eclipse the similarly-titled John Woo film. David Fincher disappoints, however, with a movie that's just okay (and sort of supposed to be his take on Melville's Le Samuraï). Starts off well enough, with Michael Fassbender doing cool voice-over on top of his assassin's actions, making him seem badass as shit, so of course he has to suffer his first/worst failure, with very personal results. This takes him on a picaresque revenge path, and that structure is really what sinks it for me. After the Florida sequence, my attention started to drift. Even though Fincher gives us a different take on killing each time, he always seems to be making the same semi-ironic point about the personal vs. the professional, and after the cool Florida fight, everything else seems kind of anti-climactic (especially the "final boss"). Fincher is extremely good at putting various pieces together (as in his detective thrillers), but here, the story is just too slim for his particular talents to shine. It's just "one thing after another".baraka92
#notallsmithsfanszheller667
Loved it because I'm a massive Fincher fan, but this one felt a little different than his other work. Definitely a lot of French and other foreign film influence, in that it isn't focused on satisfying the audience with whiz bang explosions. Its pacing is one of its strongest aspects. Having read the work it is adapted from, I wonder if it would have worked better as a series, but I've always preferred Fincher when he is making movies. Could have been a bit longer, maybe, but I think it will grow even more on me over time.boulderman
Decent but not greatFine story and the different-ish angle of modern films with a Bresson homage
royalspikey77
It’s a well made, good quality film - without really saying or doing anything.Really only standouts are Fassbender’s performance and the trippy sped up fight scene
eighthgoonie
It is ok but pretty generic which is a same as the comic/graphic novel series it is based on takes a far more interesting approach. Apart from the inner monologue he hardly took anything from the source and even that was better in the original.Earring72
Ok thriller drama that's high on style but low on story and builds up to a climax that isn't coming. Movie is fine, just like Fassbender but it could be a lot stronger.ucuruju
Michael Fassbender is amazing as an assassin who goes by many names. The edgelord narration assures us that he cares about nothing-- since everything is meaningless-- but he betrays his own philosophy by going on a personal revenge trip that will probably end very badly. People have been calling it a metaphor for Fincher's own cold, detached perfectionism, but to me it makes more sense as the story of a nihilist who finds there are some things worth caring about in this godforsaken world. Funny and tense. It keeps getting better and better. Highly recommended, which surprised me, given how I've reacted to most of his post-Zodiac work.palefire
Netflix seems to have a hardon for psychopaths, whether it is in the many true crime docs, or this. Having a psychopath as a protagonist doesn't work. It's a bit like watching No Country For Old Men from the perspective of Javier Bardem's character. There's nothing likeable, or even human, about Fassbender's character. The violence and sadism is senseless, and gives a creepy, crawly sense throughout the film that some anti-social teenager, somewhere in the world, is going to find this cool, try to emulate it all and kill a whole bunch of people just as senselessly.That said, the style and pacing of the film was slick. Fassbender is magnetic, despite the major problems with his character.
kausikdatta
Gawd, seldom have I seen a more boring movie! Too little action, too long and interminable inner monologues that droned on and on and on, not to mention a weak plot line that went nowhere fast. I’ve seen some terrible movies in my day, but seldom have those been so terribly “Meh” as this one.Pete Concrete
Netflix Originals: Bringing you the meh since 2015.Cold-hearted killer murders lots people, but god forbid you kill a stupid dog. The degenerated thinking of today.
The self-serious assassin thinks himself to be a top-notch professional, but constantly fails. Could have made for a decent comedy, but this is a mediocre neo-noir instead.