There is absolutely no arguing that David Fincher is one of the greatest filmmakers ever. Se7en is an all-time murder-mystery thriller, Gone Girl is an adaptation that captures the brilliance of its source material and then some, and Zodiac might just be the definitive serial killer movie. Yes, Fincher is flying high and has become a master of the Hollywood thriller. But when you’re flying that high, so are expectations. The Killer, his second production with Netflix, is easily one of the most anticipated films of the year. This is in some part due to its A-list lead, audience-pleasing plot, and promise of action and violence (you know, universally beloved things to see on the big screen). But there is only one thing you really need to say to get someone interested: “It’s the new Fincher.” If The Killer teaches us anything, it’s that any director, no matter how legendary they are, can fall victim to a bad script. While Fincher’s iconic style permeates the two-hour runtime, the hollow plot and uninspired writing are impossible to ignore.
What Is 'The Killer' About?
Right from the start, we are drawn into the very detailed and neurotic stream of consciousness of Michael Fassbender's assassin. We watch him sleep sitting upright on the construction site of a Paris WeWork. As he laments on all topics from philosophy to politics to morality, we see his very tight, meticulous routine. He depends on his smartwatch to monitor his heart rate. He only wears clothes that will make him look like every other tourist. He eats a McDonald's breakfast but not the bread. Everything is completely intentional, and nothing is left to chance. This makes the kicker of the plot all that more shocking. When he misses his target and accidentally kills a civilian, he races against the clock to clean up the mess he has just made. However, there is a protocol for things like this. It results in the Killer’s partner being assaulted to within an inch of her life. This is where the plot takes a very Taken-esque turn. The Killer must go down the pecking order of all those involved in his partner’s attack, and make sure every last one of them violently pays the price.
Yeah, it really is as simple and derivative as the title would have you think. Avenging the attack of a loved one? Isn't that the basis for 90% of action movies? It’s John Wick but if the woman lived. It’s Taken without the daughter or kidnapping. Based on the book by French author Alexis “Matz” Nolent, The Killer is a reminder that not all books are rife for a movie adaptation. Reading the inner workings of an assassin may serve as an enthralling insight into a world most of us will never come into contact with. But watching it play out is a whole other story.
'The Killer' Has a Hollow Plot
The Killer flies all over the world to find those responsible; from the two people who executed the attack to the lawyer who gave the order to the client who started this mess in the first place. The Killer is always on the move, leaving no trace. He has a new name and ID every time he flies or hires a car. It is entertaining to see how a whole other world can operate amongst all of us normies. The Killer flies coach, he gets coffee from Starbucks, but he also has absolutely no issue in taking down innocent civilians. “Empathy is weakness,” Fassbender’s narration tells us as the Killer breaks necks and shoots right for the head. “I serve no God or country.” The Killer is not one we can see any part of ourselves in. Just when we think he’ll spare a witness or break his promise of no empathy, he reiterates again and again that there is no room for an ounce of morality. “What would John Wilkes Booth Do?” he asks himself as he goes on the run.
Fincher’s style is apparent throughout, and that does offer some semblance of a decent thriller. The sound design is brilliant, mixing uncomfortable diegetic noise with The Smiths’ greatest hits. We are completely drawn into the psyche of a sociopath, and we are not given any break until the credits roll. But is that psyche all that interesting? The novelty wears off after half an hour and we’re left with a character whose motivations we can’t understand or identify with. While he declares he has no empathy, he’s going to all these great lengths for the woman he loves. Yet, we see none of this relationship, we’re given no way to care about his actions. At least Taken did some work to establish the loving and protective relationship Liam Neeson’s protagonist has with his daughter, so we understand his actions (even though they are in no way justified). Fassbender’s killer is the blank slate for all assassin characters. There are no intimate details or characterizations that set him apart from the thousands of others just like him.
'The Killer' Doesn't Compare to David Fincher's Other Movies
There are a few links to other Fincher movies that fans will enjoy. Fincher’s interest in humanity’s obsession with commercialism is very much present. Your favorite brands pop up here and there and we see a few nods to how capitalism has destroyed our society, leaving room for people like the Killer to swoop in and take charge. An everyday office worker begs for her death to be staged as an accident so her children can benefit from her life insurance. These work to somewhat familiarize the world of the Killer, reinforcing the fear that monsters like these walk among us.
The cast works well despite the material not helping them all that much. Fassbender puts on an empty, dead-inside facade and it works perfectly for a man who has to become invisible at a moment’s notice. Tilda Swinton, to no one’s surprise, makes the absolute most of her one sequence. But it also teases what a better film this could have been if we were allowed more time with other characters. Yes, this is the Killer’s world but he is not a character that can carry a two-hour movie. Though Fincher is not known for his action sequences, there is one fight scene that takes place in a Florida home that is electrifying from start to finish. Again, a little look inside a parallel world where this movie could have been so much more.
David Fincher will probably never make an out-and-out “bad” movie. His style is just too iconic, too intentional, and too well-crafted. However, style only goes so far and it requires a decent story to latch itself onto so it can be carried all the way home. Because Fincher has lent it to stories from Gillian Flynn, a real-life serial killer who shook the world, and the founding of a company that changed society as we know it today, The Killer falls miles behind in the legacy of one of cinema’s greatest minds.
Rating: C
The Big Picture
- The Killer, David Fincher's highly anticipated film, falls short due to a hollow plot and uninspired writing, reminding us that even legendary directors can fall prey to a bad script.
- The plot of The Killer, centered around an assassin seeking revenge, is nothing new or original, resembling other action movies like John Wick or Taken.
- While Fincher's signature style is apparent and the cast delivers solid performances, the lack of character development and an engaging story make The Killer a disappointment compared to Fincher's previous works.
The Killer screened at the 2023 BFI London Film Festival.