The Killer

A Review

There is a glimmer of hope for streaming blockbusters in David Fincher's latest film, The Killer. The Netflix production, which had a very brief and very limited theatrical release, dropped today on the subscription service, and the anticipation was met with thrilling results.

Michael Fassbender is spellbinding as The Killer, a mysterious assassin coping with an unknown future after things don't go as planned on a job - a hit - in Paris. During the long opening sequence (and beyond) his essentially solo performance is heightened by a running voice over that is part inner monologue, part diary entry, and it works extremely well. The voice is clear and the writing is concise, letting the viewer into The Killer's mind and thought process without becoming unlikable or overly cliche in terms of exotic neuroses.

Fassbender plays the role with a steady confidence, only occasionally allowing necessary surprise, defeat, or nerves to break through the clinical sensibilities of his deadly and precise persona. It is a strong display that at first may seem too easy for an actor of his stature. But Fassbender being in almost every damn shot carries a certain heft to the job; it has to be difficult carrying the mood of an entire film in such singular fashion.

The story itself is pretty good. Not mind blowing, but solid and engaging. Without giving too much away, it turns the hunter-becomes-the-hunted around a bit in a satisfying way. Things go bad, employers want retribution, and The Killer is on the run. Cat and mouse games ensue and there is a love-based revenge angle, of course. This is the weakest part of the film. It is completely unnecessary and feels a bit forced, but it humanizes The Killer, I suppose, and introduces Tilda Swinton as a rival assassin.

The Killer winds up engaging her in what I consider the climax of the film. In a swanky bedroom-community lounge outside New York City, the two confront what they are and what they do openly. Swinton is so good in the brief role that I wanted the film rewritten and reshot to make her character more prominent to the story in some way.

In any case, we get to see Fassbender work his magic around the world with fake identities and safe houses and hidden guns for two solid hours as he unravels the plot against him. It's fun, dark, and violent, but not overly gory on screen, which keeps it light enough to both enjoy in the moment and rewatch again and again.

The only drawbacks I noted on initial viewing aside from story elements were some special effects that were obviously done in post production and lend themselves to 21st century small screen display; digital lens flares from LED car headlights, fake airplanes flying in unnatural ways during airport scenes, and the bizarre introductory credits. Classic Netflix stuff. All in all they are small gripes and probably made for swift and budget-friendly production.

If The Killer is what big-name filmmakers are going to offer up during this streaming-release adolescence, things for cinephiles could be (and have been) a lot worse. I would have watched the film on the big screen but it was not released in Boise. This is annoying, but understandable in a way. Netflix is an online streaming company, why allow your product to be seen outside of your service? Give subscribers what they pay for, after all.

The benefit of streaming production companies is their massive trove of data; they know (or ought to) exactly what people want, they know exactly when viewers stop watching, and they have the money to pay the very best artists to do their very best work. The Killer is a great addition to Fincher's resume, maybe not his best, but certainly one of Netflix's.

Is The Killer to die for? Maybe, maybe not. But I know I will be watching him again, and soon.