David Fincher is one of the most technically proficient directors in the game today, and even if The Killer isn't his best work, it is nice to look at, expertly edited, and sounds great. There are some really great moments in this movie, especially a fight towards the end that ranks as probably the best in years. This fight alone would be worth watching, even if the movie it's a part of is quite lacking.
The Killer is based on a comic book and for another thing I liked about it, the film reflects that in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways. The aformentioned fight, Tilda Swinton's character, the narration (which, can get somewhat grating at times)...this film feels quite different Fincher's other movies.
Unfortunately, it's also amongst his worst. When you really boil this film down, its a pretty standard assassin revenge flick where the hero is a bit more self aware about his sociopathy. It works on that level for a bit, but gets quite tired and outside of that, really offers nothing of interest. It's a fairly conventional action movie that's a bit darkly humorous at times.
Fassbender gives his most middle of the road performance in a while. Perfectly serviceable, and nothing more. I think I would've preferred the movie have him speak to the camera and cut down on the narration, as it constantly took me out of the movie and naturally, as the plot develops, we get less of it.
Another thing I have to mention about this film, and it's weird to even say this, is the INCESSANT product placement. My God. You can't go a few scenes without an appearance from a car brand, a random company like Starbucks, McDonalds, or Amazon (the latter being EASILY the most obnoxious) or even dialog mentioning a company. Netflix isn't a Disney or Universal, I get it. But shoving ads down our throats in movies where they just don't fit will never give them the legitimacy they crave.
Overall, the Killer is fine. It's not the worst movie ever, yet, for David Fincher, it sticks out as one of his most paint-by-numbers films yet.
The Killer is based on a comic book and for another thing I liked about it, the film reflects that in subtle (and not-so-subtle) ways. The aformentioned fight, Tilda Swinton's character, the narration (which, can get somewhat grating at times)...this film feels quite different Fincher's other movies.
Unfortunately, it's also amongst his worst. When you really boil this film down, its a pretty standard assassin revenge flick where the hero is a bit more self aware about his sociopathy. It works on that level for a bit, but gets quite tired and outside of that, really offers nothing of interest. It's a fairly conventional action movie that's a bit darkly humorous at times.
Fassbender gives his most middle of the road performance in a while. Perfectly serviceable, and nothing more. I think I would've preferred the movie have him speak to the camera and cut down on the narration, as it constantly took me out of the movie and naturally, as the plot develops, we get less of it.
Another thing I have to mention about this film, and it's weird to even say this, is the INCESSANT product placement. My God. You can't go a few scenes without an appearance from a car brand, a random company like Starbucks, McDonalds, or Amazon (the latter being EASILY the most obnoxious) or even dialog mentioning a company. Netflix isn't a Disney or Universal, I get it. But shoving ads down our throats in movies where they just don't fit will never give them the legitimacy they crave.
Overall, the Killer is fine. It's not the worst movie ever, yet, for David Fincher, it sticks out as one of his most paint-by-numbers films yet.