Chris Stuckmann reviews The Killer, starring Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Arliss Howard, Kerry O'Malley. Directed by David Fincher.
@@daveodavis4911 All films you mentioned actually good assassin films, the problem because Hitman is a big IP it's direction mostly likely be a high-octane action film to sell tickets. Rather than procedural thriller with elements of action. The Killer character is most amoral and apathetic assassin even kills innocent people. I actually liked that.
The contrast with not being emotional and his whole mission being done out of emotion is highlighting how the main character is lying to himself. He keeps trying to be something that he's not. The moment when you realize this, is when he kills the lady in her house and pushes her down the stairs. Someone without empathy wouldn't leave the body but he did so her children could get the life insurance money.
This is the sixth time we had movies from those two directors in the same year. 1995, Fincher released Se7en and Scorsese released Casino. Then 1997 Fincher released The Game and Scorsese released Kundun. Then 1999, Fincher released ***** **** and Scorsese released Bringing Out The Dead. Then 2002, Fincher released Panic Room and Scorsese released Gangs of New York. Then in 2011, Fincher released The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Scorsese released Hugo. And now 2023, Fincher released The Killer and Scorsese released Killers of the Flower Moon
Revenge for an act of violence against a loved one is definitely a factor in The Killer's globe-trotting story, but I think Fincher's decision to limit how much we see The Killer's home life reflects how internally tormented the character is. He's really out for revenge to make up for his humiliating mistake at the beginning - essentially combusting from the inside out as the "well-oiled killing machine" he's attempted to maintain is falling apart and he refuses to accept it.
I think I agree. If we wanted to feel the Killer's urge to exact vengence, Fincher would've shown killer's love life. But the movie focuses more of an assassin trying to prove himself, mislead himself, trick himself into believing his Ideal mantras more than acknowledging his natural level of empathy. A slice of life of an assassin, on a particular timespan where we focus on his killer instincts over his humane instincts. He's at the least a Sociopath, but cares for someone enf to realize he has empathy n needs to constantly remind himself that that can't interfere in his line of work if he wants to succeed.
I think the killer sees his home life as a second life, with his “work” being the main thing for him. It’s even said in the film that at this point he has more money than he can ever spend, so why does he keep doing the work if he didn’t get something more than money out of it?
@@akhiltrc9708 This revenge was never about justice or even revenge, as the narrative slowly unravel's you realise its all about covering up own his mistake and leaving no witnesses. Even those that innocently implicated in the event. Definitely amoral and apathetic assassin with no code. Enjoyable movie.
I don’t understand how two professional assassins didn’t know he wasn’t home. Seemed very sloppy, they even used a local taxi? How would they not know the driver wouldn’t know who he was and possibly tip him off. Plus, they didn’t complete the mission but got a pass ? Wouldn’t the client be worried he didn’t get what he paid for and there would be repercussions?
Having David Fincher (a perfectionist) to direct an action film, is nothing short of amazing! The action scenes reminds me of Sicario... Tense, precise, swift, short, stylish and masterfully crafted!
@@greggibson33 It was so good. I did not want to watch it at first because I thought it was going to be a standard action movie but it constantly subverted what I expected
@@greggibson33 no, it doesn't, at least on screen, most of its runtime you just watch Emily Blunt being bored to death and doing nothing until the ending.
This kind of aligns with how I felt about the movie. With any Fincher project you know you're going to see some beautiful shots with some great acting but this was very meh for me. I understand that this was intentional but in the same hand also doesn't mean I'm required to enjoy it. Plus I've been bummed out ever since they cancelled Mindhunter so that he could do Mank and The Killer. Terrible trade off.
@@ML-kx9gzyeah, it feels that this movie has more life outside of it than in the movie itself. sure, it’s autobiographical and shit if you dig into it, but essentially I’m not supposed to do that nor do I have to watch any other Fincher film to get why this movie was even made in the first place
That sound design you talked about with the headphones and cars and everything else is so subtle yet can make so much of the movie for people when it comes to immersion love it
*David Fincher and Guillermo Del Toro* are directors who have gone down a path I didn’t see them going… who would’ve thought the maker of Se7en and Gone Girl would go onto directing (and producing) an episode of LDR about a giant space crab - before then adapting a French comic book? And Guillermo Del Toro is trynna change animation and how it’s perceived by the public.. two directors I didn’t see changing this drastically in their careers. And I’m here for it.
Del Toro is a weird pervert and annoying activist though. He watched Paddington, thought hey this is a good movie... let me copy it, cast the same actress, and instead of a cute Peruvian bear who loves marmalade, let's have a fish monster who gratuitously has sex with the wholesome mom from Paddington.
Based on Chris' description, this film sounds like a new take on Le Samourai, the Jean-Pierre Melville film from 1967. That film is a very cold and precise look at a mostly silent assassin doing assassin stuff, and it's quite good.
"...The Killer misses his shot and immediately goes on the run in the movie. And while the assassin also messed up the hit job in Paris in the comics, he ultimately does gun down his intended Paris target. But The Killer only does so after killing several other people before returning to finish the job he started. In Fincher’s film, The Killer leaves the target behind entirely and retires to a beach in the Dominican Republic. However, should there be a sequel to The Killer, it’s possible the assassin will return to finish the job he was hired to do."
@@eachypinky118 well yeah, night time fight with no one around for miles vs sniping the dude from a car right in front of his friends. Dude would have to book it as soon as he snipes him making it look like a murder, this way it looks like a suicide.
@@FarhanMehmood no, all his films since 2007 are based on books (either fiction or non-fiction) with the exception of Mank, written by his father, but also it's about a real person... and even the original films Fincher directed, were screenwritten by other people (Seven, The Game, Panic Room)... even Mindhunter the series is based on a book as well
Yo is this based on the comic "The Killer"? I fucking love that read!! This is awesome news. And you're bang-on about the first being great... Good job and stay classy
I always love watching David Fincher movies. From Fight Club to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to Gone Girl he always seems to know how to make me think about something when I'm watching his films.
@@sds3558 What I mean by that is he never makes a film that's mindless. For example, Fight Club makes me think about how men get along and how toxic that can sometimes be if it's not properly self regulated. Gone Girl makes me think about people who appear good natured on the surface that end up being monsters behind closed doors.
A sleek well directed thriller with strong central performances. Sounds like another David Fincher film to me. Almost all of his thrillers are master classes in cinematography and film editing. Technically amazing, but can feel cold and clinical to some.
As a huge Fincher fan, I'm not sure I have ever heard someone describe his work as accurately as this. Definitely not for everyone, but definitely for me.
One criticism of his films that I understand, but that doesn't bother me in the least, is his use of protagonists that are essentially impossible to root for. The Killer, Gone Girl, Fight Club, The Game, and quite a few others... The protagonists range from cold and nihilistic to downright psychotic. I think Fincher sees it as a challenge to make movies that will entertain the hell out of you without -in his mind at least- the crutch of likable and relatable characters. Personally, I think he succeeds admirably.
Yes he'd great in 12 years a slave I really like that film it seems so accurate in relation to the ignorance of white folk back then and the irony of the fact that the slaves were more intelligent than the slave masters and overseers a lot of thd time, even though they were treated like they were stupid. The banality of evil on show, what awful terrible times! And it still goes on today underground.
I discovered Fassbender in Frank. I loved the film, and I love his acting. I try and watch any movie he's in, and Tilda too. The Killer was thought provoking and clever for me, I was thoroughly engrossed. ..Thank goodness for a good flick, and thank you so much David Fincher.
I'm glad you noticed and specifically mentioned the sound design in this movie. It's certainly not as bombastic, but I think, for me personally, the last time I was this impressed with the aural experience delivered in a movie was when I watched Saving Private Ryan's Normandy sequence in a theater.
Interestingly, I don’t think his ability to turn his empathy on or off at will is unrealistic at all. I’m intrigued. I really enjoyed Collateral and if this movie has a similar vibe it sounds like the type of film I’d enjoy. Thanks for the review. :)
@@ghosface353 That in itself is a very interesting premise, because it is extremely hard for the audience to engage or sympathise with a fundamentally evil protagonist. By definition it goes against the grain of traditional storytelling (I'm talking full-blown evil protagonist here, not anti -hero fare). I can see why writers shy away from it though.
It's not exactly that he's capable of turning off empathy. He doesn't go into non-empathy mode immediately. The thing is, he struggles with that empathy intrudes when it shldnt, i.e. if he wants to succeed. That is why he keeps chanting those mantras, bcs inspit of him trying hard, he keeps feeling empathy and the need to deviate from plans.
Quite right. I watched an interview with a former SAS soldier and he said the only difference between a psychopath and him was he could turn it on and off.
I'm getting the feeling Stuckmann kinda misunderstood this one. Fassbender's character spending the 2nd and 3rd act contradicting his own mantra from the 1st act narration is the point. This is by no means a deep or dense film, but it is subversive in a great way. Him contradicting himself after the embarrassment of a botched job is a pretty intriguing character study and also paves the way for some great dark comedy. Hearing him quote aspects of his own mantra to himself via narration throughout the film while his literally behaving in direct opposition to said mantra is actually pretty funny. Again, by no means groundbreaking. Just a solid, well directed, fun, gripping and darkly comedic Fincher outing. I like it the more i think about it and look forward to a 2nd viewing.
One thing I love about Chris’s reviews now is he is one of the few movie reviewers that truly discusses all aspects of a film in depth and he sings praises and critiques for every part of the film making on display
He never meaningfully critiques anything, he only gives glowing reviews. In this video he even puts down any perceived flaw as just being a subjective opinion. “Some may say the plot is thin cuz we don’t see him do anything other than going around killing people, but I was invested” lol so the only negative Is that the film might not be for you. Check out any other movie reviewer on TH-cam they’re much better than Chris. He used to give great reviews that were balanced but now he only gives positive reviews because he wants to be a filmmaker himself.
I liked it. The ending was a bit underwhelming but the directing, acting, sound design were on point and I was engaged throughout.@@nomoresunforever3695
On topic of killers for hire, could people please check out the Australian short series Mr Inbetween? It has a BIG focus on the killers home life, which is utterly unique and well played - he has a daughter as well as a disabled brother. It's a beautiful show that is at the same time badass and very touching. Highly recommended - especially for you Chris!
My only complaint with this movie is that Fassbender's girlfriend meant nothing to me. She's just a bruised yet very much alive and breathing woman that I never bought him being in love with in the first place. I felt 1000x more empathy for John Wick's dog than I did for her.
As a Fincher fanboy, and a professional filmmaker, I have to call you out on this review. You can't possibly think this is a good movie. Se7en is also my fave moving picture of all time and this felt like someone trying to do Fincher. For starters, there were several TERRIBLE actors in it. Which is absolutely bizarre for one of his films. There were also several really bad FX shots. Also super strange for him. There was also some incredibly bad ADR. A couple of the strangest things that jumped out at me were the first several shots, which here handheld with (not particularly good) post stabilization. All of that, along with the incredibly weak story, just had me scratching my head. Several flirtations with greatness, but overall it was aggressively mediocre. Very odd.
Maybe Im losing it. But I keep seeing people give credit to bad movies. Thought it was me. Big fan, but maybe I expected too much. Very boring. I turned it off after the hit. Friend told me to go back to it. It was like watching paint dry.
Thank you for calling this out….the dialogue for many scenes was atrocious and the actors didn’t help in any way. The entire plot of the movie was very basic. It was a well crafted movie but nothing stood out as compelling
The beginning & ending of this movie are really low, boring to a fault. It gets interesting every now & then, only to go down in energy again. Glad I didn't waste my money seeing this in theatres. This is ultimately a disappointment from Fincher
Really liked this film. Then the fight scene happened and I thought to myself “wow, this is actually really really good!” At the time I also didn’t realize it got a theatre release and was even more impressed because I thought it was a Netflix release… regardless I give this a STRONG B+. Awesome watch!
That fight scene was okay but overall the movie was incredibly boring and soulless. There's nothing in the movie that made you want to care about what was actually happening in the movie or any of the characters. There was zero proper character development. You're just watching some soulless stoic hitman go from killing one person to the next... it didn't feel like a Fincher film to me at all. His films always usually have a lot of meaning and leave you with a sense of awe after watching them, I felt nothing from this movie.
I love in the film Nobody when he tracks down the bad guy and tells him that he attacked him and his family which is something you don't do, as if it is some rule that criminals and assassins all know and follow.
Its a film-lover's dream to have the privilege to watch the movies of two legendary filmmakers in a single month! Going for Killers of the Flower Moon this weekend!
I don’t think they overlooked what you’re talking about. I thought it was an expose’ of the thought process of a programmed assassin and how real life relationships can override that programming. Good video. Can’t wait to watch more.
@@AscensionINC-zi1jzyep sounded like basic foundations to late era NIN that they couldn’t use for anything else. Very minimal, but I guess that suited the film which was minimal in its own way
It may be type-casting, but Fassbender would be a terrific Mr. Freeze. I'm sure he'd rather not do comic book roles again. So I'm happy to see Next Goal Wins
Watched it yesterday in theatre too. I feel like The Killer is more of a satire especially on the literally me character norm. Very tongue in cheek in certain scenes.
I just watched it last night! I felt like it should’ve been a TV series. The graphic novel is amazing and it had good characters and locations that could've been used. Fincher definitely brought the character to life but just needed to explore his world more, in my opinion.
Maybe you're right. Although I think you'd get frustrated watching such an inhuman protagonist. Even comparing him to tv sociopaths like Tony Soprano -- Tony was extremely complex and felt things like empathy and remorse, and was a charming guy. The character in this is almost repulsive in how inhuman he is.
@@xxczerxx In the graphic novel he slowly opens up more in terms of morale. I strongly recommend reading the graphic novel to get a better understanding of his character but I was invited to the Q&A here in NYC and I asked David and Andrew when it comes to the original plot and characters in the graphic novel, they told me “Hopefully we’ll get to explore this more in the future” 🤯😳 so what I understood from this comment this movie is just the beginning
I didn’t know anything about the director but I loved the movie, it was a pleasant surprise! I watched it on Netflix, wasn’t sure if there was a theatrical release in my country. I love your review too 👍 Note: I don’t think his character is a heartless killer, in fact he did show empathy, and lots of care in his heart. He et had no choice but to kill that empathy because of the line of work he chose.
the looks of the character and scenes seems familiar, until i realized it because is an adaptation of a french comic with the same name, now i need to watch it. as always great review. on the point.
I'm fairly sure that the contradiction and dissonance between his "empathetic end" and "apathetic means", so to speak, is the whole point of the story.
I like how they don't show his home life. Every other movie does that. We already know how we would feel if someone close to us was hurt. They don't need to tell us how that feels
This comic book series is *DENSE* like 13 volumes . The writer and artists are machines , deserve a lot of notice . And its very well written , philosophical , makes you think . And beautiful to look at . If the films any good , I hope fincher makes a series . He needs one .
I took his mission not as revenge but as insurance for his (and his girlfriend's) future. Every kill in the film can be explained in terms of the Killer attempting to wipe out any individual that might have a reason to go after him (or connect him to a murder.)
This movie was sooooo good and I often don't like these kinds of movies (revenge thriller flicks can be very predictable and lame) but the cinematography, simplicity, visual flair, and perfect performance by Fassbender really made me appreciate this film.
Was he really taking revenge? He had a bad day at work, he came home, more trouble for him. He just vent out his frustration and killed 5 people. Given how perfect and methodical he is he couldn't take his failure. He didn't killed the person who hired the assassins' in first place to go after him, because for him he is a client who will hire him for next job. He just made sure that it was not personal.
[Spoilers] The biggest problem I had with the character is early on when he messed up "the shot". Especially when he kept repeating the mantra "Don't improvise. Anticipate". The way he missed the shot should be one of those things that happens a lot in his line of work. But he's supposed to be the elite of WORLD CLASS assassins. How could he not have anticipated the movement of that lady, obscuring his target?
I think that’s the point. He’s a perfectionist who’s never made a mistake like this before, and everything that happens in this movie is a result of that one mistake.
@@logans8286 I just don't buy that an assassin at his level cannot anticipate correctly if/when someone would walk into his shot. Yes it happened and he had to deal with it. But it SHOULDN'T have happened at all, is my point.
SPOILERS: Just finished it. I thought this was a good film. I know some will say that for his motto in the film to be “show no empathy” he does actions that shows that he cares to punish the people that wronged him. Empathy by definition is the ability to understand the feelings of others. I feel like he really didn’t show that except for maybe Delores. He still wanted her to go but he did her the one curtsey she asked which was to make it look like an accident. Other then her he really didn’t care about the feelings of others. He showed no compassion to any of his victims. Compassion would be sympathizing with the victims. At the end when he meets with the client at the penthouse. He lets him go because he is perceptive and knows he wasn’t lying when he said it he just paid to have it cleaned up and didn’t ask questions. Just how he knew his employer. was lying about physical records and knowing “nothing”. Excellent film but it starts slow.
@@478Johnnyboy My whole point since he extremely wealthy and have connections including being public figure killing him was never an option. The police would work much harder and put all their resources find out the person who killed him. Its pretty simple your overcomplicate than needs to be
@@supoa9489 I just didn’t get your initial point. I still feel like he let him go because he didn’t know anything and he could tell. The billionaire seemed like a tech mogul. The initial guy he fails to kill also seemed high profile….so I doubt he went well the police will work hard to find out who did it. Even though he missed the first guy that guy seemed like he was in politics or something high enough to have better security than the billionaire…not over complicating it just using the clues we were given.
@@478Johnnyboy True I'm pointing out one of reasons it wouldn't be in his best interest to kill the billionaire tech mogul. His employer already let him know he had cover up the trail didn't expect to go back home. Meaning The Killer knew already employer was responsible. The killer just wanted reaffirm what he already knew.
Just went to see this in a theatre in Toronto. It's fantastic. Not too long. Meticulous. Calculating. Tense. Exciting. It's kind of immoressive to see Fassbender carry the ENTIRE film.
Completely agree with the homelife aspect, that was the one thing that I questioned after seeing the movie, but besides that the character's "Zero fucks given" attitude throughout almost the entire movie is incredible and I really admire Fincher for taking that approach mostly with the character. Great movie, great central performance by Fassbender(who I'm glad to finally see in a great role again), one of my favourites of the year for sure.
We don’t spend much time with his home life because he’s not looking for revenge because of what happened to his home life. The sub text is he’s ashamed about how he failed at something he’s good at and spends the rest of the movie proving to himself that he can do it properly.
@@zanebryant9317I agree that the killer isn’t trying to get revenge. I don’t think he’s trying to prove his skills either though. His meticulousness doesn’t work actually. Mailman in beginning, nailgun scene, Tilda swinton scene. Lot of dark humor in showing that despite all his planning something unexpected happens. Plus he literally says at the end “only path is the one behind” or something like that.
@@zanebryant9317Not only that he knows penalty for failing an assassination, but couldn't accept that reality. Proceeds kill anyone implicated in the event, even innocent taxi driver. Good film.
@@shinycheeto5779 I agree that it is not about revenge or proving himself. Here's how I interpret the main character's journey: in repeating his idealism and mantras to himself he has tricked himself into a false sense of security that his work like will not threaten his home. The event at home immediately jolts him out of this delusion, and he is on a journey to essentially get rid of the consequences of his mistake at work and ensure that it will pose no further threat to his home. This I think is the point of the conversation with the man in the hospital (trying to save from spoilers as much as possible), and I think it's essentially what resolves the difficultly for the audience trying to understand the logic behind whom he chooses to kill.
Missed the mark, the entire movie wasn't about revenge. It was about ensuring people don't continue to come after him, and effect his life/work, it was definetly meant to appear that way though, the ending is the twist, where it proves it wasnt about revenge at all. If it were about revenge, he would have killed the guy responsible.
I love that we didn't spend any time with the girlfriend because when I saw the scene at the hospital I didn't know if he was faking empathy or if he actually cared, so for me it was engaging. And because of the structure of Michael Fassbender picking them off one by one, the movie felt like it had some slasher influences that I loved and didn't expect.
Disappointed that Chris didn't take the time to do some research and mention in the beginning that this is an adaptation of a comic book written by Matz and drawn by Luc Jacamon, which is worth your time. It's weird that he's saying you should seek it in theaters before it goes to streaming, but doesn't give credit to the original source material. Not saying this about him specifically, but people are always brushing comic book writers and artists under the rug.
I think he just decided to kill everyone that knew where he lived because he didn’t want to move. The last guy didn’t know much about anything so he left him. Simple as that.
I loved this movie! It was slower paced, but I think that was intentional, showing the more mundane side of being an assassin. Like waiting 3 days with a sniper rifle for the target to show up. It's good to see David Fincher and Michel Fassbender back.
This film was very captivating from the start, for me. I haven’t seen a hitman movie this good in forever. Michael was perfect for this role. Maybe he could be the next Agent 47? Because damn, he comes off as a walking weapon. So many times in the film where it just feels tense, and nothing is happening. It’s just his presence alone, is dangerous. And also good music as well.
Loved the review, not so much the movie to be honest. I'm definitely one of those you mentioned, I found myself put off by the main character, as there really was not enough motivation to feel compelled and transported by his actions. I almost found myself waiting for a detective of some sort to start investigating and follow his trails to try and catch him. I wanted him to fail! I compare this movie to Kill Bill a lot, another killer on a revenge path against the employer and other killers, but we can clearly see how in that case that revenge path feels earned, after establishing (and most importantly , experiencing) how the bride got treated. We root for her, we want her to find closure, and that creates a hard contradiction with the fact that she's a killer and we know we shouldn't root for her after all. In this movie I can safely say I felt nothing like this, I didn't root for the protagonist for one minute, and felt like I was watching The Jackal but without Richard Gere. It may be valid from a directing and technical standpoint, but nothing more.
I have a completely different problem with this movie. 1. Why did he take that shot with the dominatrix in the shotline? 2. Why did Hodges send two completely mismatched assassins to a place where he was not expected to be? Regardless, I enjoyed watching.
No, it's not revenge. It's a calculated strategy to kill anyone who knows where his hideout is. He knows that he has no choice but to kill his employer, meaning it's the end of his career, only pausing when he meets people that are closer to who he really is. That last one being a statement on the ruthless nature of who they are.
I get what some might worry about in comparing an unempathetic character like Joaquin Phoenix portrayed in Joker, and now Fassbender's nameless killer in this film. There are always going to be a few weirdos that just come away with the wrong message, but I don't think we should stop making great character studies because someone who was going to be triggered negatively no matter what might have it happen during this film or that documentary.
I don't agree that his mission was revenge. He was under threat and he eliminated the threat. He even let the original client go because he didn't see him as a continuing threat.
I wanted to love this movie. I found it kind of simple and anti climatic. The character arc with Fassbender was great, and the acting was fantastic. I was just waiting for it to grab me up until the end when I realized it wasn't going to.
Agreed.. i love finchers stuff so much.. i could cry at how disappointing this movie was.. i also loved the graphic novel and think Fassbender was cast perfectly.. yet still, this movie fell completely flat.. so fucking disappointed
@@bruhlol2744 this film did not live up to the standard of a typical Fincher film.. lacked character development.. lacked plot.. even the score was lackluster
I saw this in theaters. All the positives you mentioned is in Chapter 1, but after that it's nothing original or compelling. Seemed like one of those projects Soderbergh shoots in a week.
I have watched like 4 times... I recommend it to watch with earpods or headphones... Has so much sound details, yhe color palette is just beautiful and soundtrack just delightful. Recommended
I’ve always loved Fassbender. However he seems to pick some projects that just don’t hit the mark. I feel he’s talented enough to have s few Oscar’s on his mantle, and a ton of nominations. I was hoping with Fincher this would be a great opportunity for him to show off his acting chops.
I can easily imagine this film becoming a cult hit based on the premise alone. I'll have to wait until I see it....but I disagree with your analysis of revenge only being sought by those with empathy. Psychopaths still feel emotions like anger and often have inflated egos, and so are very likely to engage in acts of revenge. Again, I would need to see the film to understand exactly the setup but I am intrigued to see if there's any depth to the character. Curious about this character, whether he is purely cold-blooded. That does make a film hard to digest, having a completely unsympathetic, evil protagonist.... it's actually very rare in major release movies. Patrick Bateman gets away with it because he is basically a parody.
It wasn’t a revenge plot at all. Him being personally attacked was par for the course in his case. It was a clean up job after he messed up. If he didn’t he’d certainly be dead.
Chris, love your reviews. I am from one town over in Hudson, and I am just a few years old than you. Discovered your stuff recently as I have greatly increased my theater movie intake. Hope to get tickets to Shelby Oaks when it comes to NYC.
The killer seemingly contradicting himself by wanting revenge when he is supposed to be cold and detached is a very human characteristic. Also, the fact he has to repeat a mantra to himself about not having empathy means it's not a natural trait of his, but rather a conditioning.
I just watched it for the first time last night with my wife. We loved it. Absolutely love the director's body of work. All of the things you pointed out I caught when watching the film and loved every moment of it. I understand why it was all playing out the way it did. I think I'll watch the film again because I really loved the Killers narration.
![HIWWHEE | OHM [Official MV]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/OJJLtTLqLag/mqdefault.jpg)
This is how a Hitman movie adaptation should look and be paced like
Indeed. In fact, I think this cast/set piece design could have been repurposed into a Hitman film.
Thats Exactly what i thought while watching it.
@@daveodavis4911 All films you mentioned actually good assassin films, the problem because Hitman is a big IP it's direction mostly likely be a high-octane action film to sell tickets. Rather than procedural thriller with elements of action.
The Killer character is most amoral and apathetic assassin even kills innocent people. I actually liked that.
Couldnt stop thinking that the whole time
Honestly, I can’t great more
The contrast with not being emotional and his whole mission being done out of emotion is highlighting how the main character is lying to himself. He keeps trying to be something that he's not. The moment when you realize this, is when he kills the lady in her house and pushes her down the stairs. Someone without empathy wouldn't leave the body but he did so her children could get the life insurance money.
This ranges from reading too much into it at worst to a narrative failure because very few people noticed it at best.
Having a Scorsese AND a Fincher movie around the same time is just a magnificent event
This is the sixth time we had movies from those two directors in the same year. 1995, Fincher released Se7en and Scorsese released Casino. Then 1997 Fincher released The Game and Scorsese released Kundun. Then 1999, Fincher released ***** **** and Scorsese released Bringing Out The Dead. Then 2002, Fincher released Panic Room and Scorsese released Gangs of New York. Then in 2011, Fincher released The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo and Scorsese released Hugo. And now 2023, Fincher released The Killer and Scorsese released Killers of the Flower Moon
I heard the new Martin Scorsese movie wasn't as great as his previous ones
@@ompatel5570idk who told you that, it definitely is one of his best. Top 5-8
@@ompatel5570I completely agree with you.
no lol killers of the flower moon is so boring and too long
In my opinion, Michael Fassbender would make for a great Bond! Ian Fleming’s own depiction of James Bond even looks like him!
I think he would!!
I concur! However, I think Tom Hardy would bring a different taste to the character, with his more rugged charm. Fassbender is a more obvious choice.
Think he’d be too old to get the volume of movies out of him.
I’ve kind of nailed my colours to the Jack O’Connell mast.
i heard that Fassbender kind of abandoned acting in the last several years and is now focused on racing
He's a little too old imo
Revenge for an act of violence against a loved one is definitely a factor in The Killer's globe-trotting story, but I think Fincher's decision to limit how much we see The Killer's home life reflects how internally tormented the character is. He's really out for revenge to make up for his humiliating mistake at the beginning - essentially combusting from the inside out as the "well-oiled killing machine" he's attempted to maintain is falling apart and he refuses to accept it.
I think I agree. If we wanted to feel the Killer's urge to exact vengence, Fincher would've shown killer's love life. But the movie focuses more of an assassin trying to prove himself, mislead himself, trick himself into believing his Ideal mantras more than acknowledging his natural level of empathy. A slice of life of an assassin, on a particular timespan where we focus on his killer instincts over his humane instincts.
He's at the least a Sociopath, but cares for someone enf to realize he has empathy n needs to constantly remind himself that that can't interfere in his line of work if he wants to succeed.
I think the killer sees his home life as a second life, with his “work” being the main thing for him. It’s even said in the film that at this point he has more money than he can ever spend, so why does he keep doing the work if he didn’t get something more than money out of it?
@@akhiltrc9708 This revenge was never about justice or even revenge, as the narrative slowly unravel's you realise its all about covering up own his mistake and leaving no witnesses. Even those that innocently implicated in the event.
Definitely amoral and apathetic assassin with no code. Enjoyable movie.
Perfectly said! 👍🏼 You said what was in my head in a very Fincher style !
I don’t understand how two professional assassins didn’t know he wasn’t home. Seemed very sloppy, they even used a local taxi? How would they not know the driver wouldn’t know who he was and possibly tip him off. Plus, they didn’t complete the mission but got a pass ? Wouldn’t the client be worried he didn’t get what he paid for and there would be repercussions?
Having David Fincher (a perfectionist) to direct an action film, is nothing short of amazing!
The action scenes reminds me of Sicario... Tense, precise, swift, short, stylish and masterfully crafted!
Is it an action film? The comic was more of a thriller / noir story.
Sicario is a far superior film. At least it has a story.
@@greggibson33 It was so good. I did not want to watch it at first because I thought it was going to be a standard action movie but it constantly subverted what I expected
@@firstlast9846yeah it is also slow burn I guess
@@greggibson33 no, it doesn't, at least on screen, most of its runtime you just watch Emily Blunt being bored to death and doing nothing until the ending.
its about a guy who has a bad day at work. and its also about the contradictory nature of humans in general. love it
This kind of aligns with how I felt about the movie. With any Fincher project you know you're going to see some beautiful shots with some great acting but this was very meh for me. I understand that this was intentional but in the same hand also doesn't mean I'm required to enjoy it. Plus I've been bummed out ever since they cancelled Mindhunter so that he could do Mank and The Killer. Terrible trade off.
@@ML-kx9gzyeah, it feels that this movie has more life outside of it than in the movie itself. sure, it’s autobiographical and shit if you dig into it, but essentially I’m not supposed to do that nor do I have to watch any other Fincher film to get why this movie was even made in the first place
Biggest 💩 movie I have seen in 2023.
Yea the whole movie I’m like this guys a pretentious hypocrite. Then the ending happened😂.
Just finished watch for this,perfect explanation exactly what I was thinking
"Fassbender in 'Drive' if it was directed by David Fincher"
Im in.
That sound design you talked about with the headphones and cars and everything else is so subtle yet can make so much of the movie for people when it comes to immersion love it
*David Fincher and Guillermo Del Toro* are directors who have gone down a path I didn’t see them going… who would’ve thought the maker of Se7en and Gone Girl would go onto directing (and producing) an episode of LDR about a giant space crab - before then adapting a French comic book? And Guillermo Del Toro is trynna change animation and how it’s perceived by the public.. two directors I didn’t see changing this drastically in their careers. And I’m here for it.
Del Toro is a weird pervert and annoying activist though.
He watched Paddington, thought hey this is a good movie... let me copy it, cast the same actress, and instead of a cute Peruvian bear who loves marmalade, let's have a fish monster who gratuitously has sex with the wholesome mom from Paddington.
@g.e.o.r.g.e... - We don’t accept Guillermo slander on this side.
@@g.e.o.r.g.e... Ha.... funny.... oh, wait.... You're serious? 😆
Fincher is a producer of LDR but he also produced House of Cards and Mindhunter
@@greggibson33 have you seen Paddington?
*It's David Fincher. My guy never disappoints.*
Apart from Fight Club…
Alien 3
@@lukerota1547 huh?
A Scorsese and Fincher film in back to back weeks? I’m in! 🤙
Too bad it's C+ for Scorsese and a generous B- for Fincher.
Same
@@greggibson33 Yeah? Well that’s like your opinion, man.
@@BEASTxMODE You get an A. 😆
We had Nolan as well this year, truly one of the years of all time
So basically Fincher has made a proper Hitman movie. I can dig it.
Based on Chris' description, this film sounds like a new take on Le Samourai, the Jean-Pierre Melville film from 1967. That film is a very cold and precise look at a mostly silent assassin doing assassin stuff, and it's quite good.
Read the comic it's based on. It's as if Camus wrote a comic about a contract killer.
wouldn't catch me watching stuff from 1967
Yeah Le Samouraï was awesome 👌 , that said I can't wait to see this as well
@@derekhatake Wouldn't catch me bragging about that.
@@derekhatakedamn that sucks for you.but it does suck to suck
I thought Michael Fassbender retired from acting. I am glad he is still going. He was the only good part in the latest Xmen movies.
He took a brake to become a race car driver (no joke)
If Fincher calls, you answer.
@@davidsantacarlaI came to say who ignores a call from David Fincher
Fassbender took a break because he has a kid and he's a racer
professor x !!
The build up to when he missed that shot was sublime. Had me jump out of my seat and yell. loved the movie.
"...The Killer misses his shot and immediately goes on the run in the movie. And while the assassin also messed up the hit job in Paris in the comics, he ultimately does gun down his intended Paris target. But The Killer only does so after killing several other people before returning to finish the job he started. In Fincher’s film, The Killer leaves the target behind entirely and retires to a beach in the Dominican Republic. However, should there be a sequel to The Killer, it’s possible the assassin will return to finish the job he was hired to do."
I don’t understand why he didn’t snipe the assassin with the dangerous PitBull on the property? Dude had a weight set outside
@@TrevyTrev-andTheFunkyPetsthink he didn’t want to draw attention, plus not sure how he’d snipe him from his car.
@@brick245-x9full blown fight definitely draws less attention 💀
@@eachypinky118 well yeah, night time fight with no one around for miles vs sniping the dude from a car right in front of his friends. Dude would have to book it as soon as he snipes him making it look like a murder, this way it looks like a suicide.
This will probably be one of my top 5 favorite comic book movies of this year.
its based on comic?
@@FarhanMehmood graphic novels, yep, they're pretty damn good.. at least vol. 1 is
@@bennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn
i honestly didnt know that! i thought it was a david fincher original
@@FarhanMehmood no, all his films since 2007 are based on books (either fiction or non-fiction) with the exception of Mank, written by his father, but also it's about a real person... and even the original films Fincher directed, were screenwritten by other people (Seven, The Game, Panic Room)... even Mindhunter the series is based on a book as well
Yo is this based on the comic "The Killer"? I fucking love that read!! This is awesome news. And you're bang-on about the first being great... Good job and stay classy
I always love watching David Fincher movies. From Fight Club to The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo to Gone Girl he always seems to know how to make me think about something when I'm watching his films.
Benjamin button and The Game are too underrated
@@Wade_Fucking_Wilson and panic room
His movies make you think about something ? That's a pretty deep analysis right there.
@@sds3558 What I mean by that is he never makes a film that's mindless. For example, Fight Club makes me think about how men get along and how toxic that can sometimes be if it's not properly self regulated. Gone Girl makes me think about people who appear good natured on the surface that end up being monsters behind closed doors.
mate se7en and zodiak are waaaay better than those films....
A sleek well directed thriller with strong central performances. Sounds like another David Fincher film to me. Almost all of his thrillers are master classes in cinematography and film editing. Technically amazing, but can feel cold and clinical to some.
As a huge Fincher fan, I'm not sure I have ever heard someone describe his work as accurately as this. Definitely not for everyone, but definitely for me.
One criticism of his films that I understand, but that doesn't bother me in the least, is his use of protagonists that are essentially impossible to root for. The Killer, Gone Girl, Fight Club, The Game, and quite a few others...
The protagonists range from cold and nihilistic to downright psychotic.
I think Fincher sees it as a challenge to make movies that will entertain the hell out of you without -in his mind at least- the crutch of likable and relatable characters.
Personally, I think he succeeds admirably.
Se7en is definitely one of my favorite films, also Fight Club. Michael Fassbender is outstanding in films like Shame and 12 Years A Slave
Yes he'd great in 12 years a slave I really like that film it seems so accurate in relation to the ignorance of white folk back then and the irony of the fact that the slaves were more intelligent than the slave masters and overseers a lot of thd time, even though they were treated like they were stupid. The banality of evil on show, what awful terrible times! And it still goes on today underground.
whats in the box ! ..and RIP richard roundtree
I discovered Fassbender in Frank. I loved the film, and I love his acting. I try and watch any movie he's in, and Tilda too. The Killer was thought provoking and clever for me, I was thoroughly engrossed. ..Thank goodness for a good flick, and thank you so much David Fincher.
I'm glad you noticed and specifically mentioned the sound design in this movie.
It's certainly not as bombastic, but I think, for me personally, the last time I was this impressed with the aural experience delivered in a movie was when I watched Saving Private Ryan's Normandy sequence in a theater.
Scorsese, Nolan, and Fincher in one year? It’s like Wolf of Wall Street, Interetellar, and Gone Girl back in 2014 all over again ❤️
Wolf of Wall Street was 2013
@@TypeLproductions You’re right I forgot. I’m pretty sure it was Christmas when it came out so I guess I just lumped it in
2010 they all had the same film. Shutter Island inception and social network all came out that year
Forgot Ridley
Yeah, except that Fincher and Scorsese fumbled this time...
I'm watching the anime, Monster, and I'd love if Fincher adapted it.
I get a Gone Girl/GwtDT vibe from it.
Ooh gonna watch it soon
Interestingly, I don’t think his ability to turn his empathy on or off at will is unrealistic at all. I’m intrigued.
I really enjoyed Collateral and if this movie has a similar vibe it sounds like the type of film I’d enjoy. Thanks for the review. :)
It's like if Collateral was only following Vincet, and didn't have Jamie Foxx in it.
@@ghosface353 That in itself is a very interesting premise, because it is extremely hard for the audience to engage or sympathise with a fundamentally evil protagonist. By definition it goes against the grain of traditional storytelling (I'm talking full-blown evil protagonist here, not anti -hero fare).
I can see why writers shy away from it though.
It's not exactly that he's capable of turning off empathy. He doesn't go into non-empathy mode immediately.
The thing is, he struggles with that empathy intrudes when it shldnt, i.e. if he wants to succeed. That is why he keeps chanting those mantras, bcs inspit of him trying hard, he keeps feeling empathy and the need to deviate from plans.
Quite right. I watched an interview with a former SAS soldier and he said the only difference between a psychopath and him was he could turn it on and off.
This is nothing like collateral... What the fuck are you even talking about?
I'm getting the feeling Stuckmann kinda misunderstood this one. Fassbender's character spending the 2nd and 3rd act contradicting his own mantra from the 1st act narration is the point. This is by no means a deep or dense film, but it is subversive in a great way. Him contradicting himself after the embarrassment of a botched job is a pretty intriguing character study and also paves the way for some great dark comedy. Hearing him quote aspects of his own mantra to himself via narration throughout the film while his literally behaving in direct opposition to said mantra is actually pretty funny.
Again, by no means groundbreaking. Just a solid, well directed, fun, gripping and darkly comedic Fincher outing. I like it the more i think about it and look forward to a 2nd viewing.
Just finished reading the graphic novel and I'm excited about watching this film
One thing I love about Chris’s reviews now is he is one of the few movie reviewers that truly discusses all aspects of a film in depth and he sings praises and critiques for every part of the film making on display
Yeah but what about the review score ? Has Chris ever mentioned why he stopped scoring films ?
@@Bluegreen123 because he doesn’t need one lmao
thats just not true
@@kevinrudy Lmaoo if he spends an entire review saying a film is good or bad why does it matter if he has a score at the end?
He never meaningfully critiques anything, he only gives glowing reviews. In this video he even puts down any perceived flaw as just being a subjective opinion. “Some may say the plot is thin cuz we don’t see him do anything other than going around killing people, but I was invested” lol so the only negative Is that the film might not be for you. Check out any other movie reviewer on TH-cam they’re much better than Chris. He used to give great reviews that were balanced but now he only gives positive reviews because he wants to be a filmmaker himself.
WE WANT MIND HUNTER SEASON 3!!!
What a year for film. Scorsese and Fincher plus some gems like "John Wick Chapter 4" and "Talk to Me".
Can't wait to see this film! Fincher is by far my favourite director
He's mine too, I saw the film today and loved it! Hope you do too
It will disappoint.
I liked it. The ending was a bit underwhelming but the directing, acting, sound design were on point and I was engaged throughout.@@nomoresunforever3695
On topic of killers for hire, could people please check out the Australian short series Mr Inbetween? It has a BIG focus on the killers home life, which is utterly unique and well played - he has a daughter as well as a disabled brother. It's a beautiful show that is at the same time badass and very touching.
Highly recommended - especially for you Chris!
Awesome show. Short but very sweet
Indeed, beautiful and incredible show.
Is it on Netflix?
Vajankle
My only complaint with this movie is that Fassbender's girlfriend meant nothing to me. She's just a bruised yet very much alive and breathing woman that I never bought him being in love with in the first place. I felt 1000x more empathy for John Wick's dog than I did for her.
Sounds like the first good Agent 47 movie to me
I didn't know this was in theaters. I'll be seeing it this weekend. Thanks Chris.
As a Fincher fanboy, and a professional filmmaker, I have to call you out on this review. You can't possibly think this is a good movie. Se7en is also my fave moving picture of all time and this felt like someone trying to do Fincher. For starters, there were several TERRIBLE actors in it. Which is absolutely bizarre for one of his films. There were also several really bad FX shots. Also super strange for him. There was also some incredibly bad ADR. A couple of the strangest things that jumped out at me were the first several shots, which here handheld with (not particularly good) post stabilization. All of that, along with the incredibly weak story, just had me scratching my head. Several flirtations with greatness, but overall it was aggressively mediocre. Very odd.
Maybe Im losing it. But I keep seeing people give credit to bad movies. Thought it was me. Big fan, but maybe I expected too much. Very boring. I turned it off after the hit. Friend told me to go back to it. It was like watching paint dry.
Thank you for calling this out….the dialogue for many scenes was atrocious and the actors didn’t help in any way. The entire plot of the movie was very basic. It was a well crafted movie but nothing stood out as compelling
🎉.... i just wish fincher would do a 3rd season of the Netflix show Mindhunters!! Oh, yes.
I loved how every victim of the killer just talked a lot and tried to explain a lot and the guy was just silent most of the time
The beginning & ending of this movie are really low, boring to a fault. It gets interesting every now & then, only to go down in energy again. Glad I didn't waste my money seeing this in theatres. This is ultimately a disappointment from Fincher
Really liked this film. Then the fight scene happened and I thought to myself “wow, this is actually really really good!” At the time I also didn’t realize it got a theatre release and was even more impressed because I thought it was a Netflix release… regardless I give this a STRONG B+. Awesome watch!
That fight scene was okay but overall the movie was incredibly boring and soulless. There's nothing in the movie that made you want to care about what was actually happening in the movie or any of the characters. There was zero proper character development. You're just watching some soulless stoic hitman go from killing one person to the next... it didn't feel like a Fincher film to me at all. His films always usually have a lot of meaning and leave you with a sense of awe after watching them, I felt nothing from this movie.
Why would it playing in theatres impress anyone? 🤔
@@ChrisM-bn5vrI disagree
I didn't even know about the existence of this movie and now I'm really looking forward to it. Hopefully I can catch it at a theater
I love in the film Nobody when he tracks down the bad guy and tells him that he attacked him and his family which is something you don't do, as if it is some rule that criminals and assassins all know and follow.
Its a film-lover's dream to have the privilege to watch the movies of two legendary filmmakers in a single month! Going for Killers of the Flower Moon this weekend!
I don’t think they overlooked what you’re talking about. I thought it was an expose’ of the thought process of a programmed assassin and how real life relationships can override that programming. Good video. Can’t wait to watch more.
So excited for this. Can’t wait to hear what Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross cooked up as well.
Great stuff, as always.
Tbh I thought the soundtrack could have been better expected a bit more from Reznor and Ross.
@@AscensionINC-zi1jzyep sounded like basic foundations to late era NIN that they couldn’t use for anything else. Very minimal, but I guess that suited the film which was minimal in its own way
It may be type-casting, but Fassbender would be a terrific Mr. Freeze.
I'm sure he'd rather not do comic book roles again. So I'm happy to see Next Goal Wins
Watched it yesterday in theatre too. I feel like The Killer is more of a satire especially on the literally me character norm. Very tongue in cheek in certain scenes.
I really enjoyed Fassbender in the Alien Prequels-he was fantastic for all the faults of those movies.
I just watched it last night! I felt like it should’ve been a TV series. The graphic novel is amazing and it had good characters and locations that could've been used. Fincher definitely brought the character to life but just needed to explore his world more, in my opinion.
Maybe you're right. Although I think you'd get frustrated watching such an inhuman protagonist.
Even comparing him to tv sociopaths like Tony Soprano -- Tony was extremely complex and felt things like empathy and remorse, and was a charming guy. The character in this is almost repulsive in how inhuman he is.
@@xxczerxx In the graphic novel he slowly opens up more in terms of morale. I strongly recommend reading the graphic novel to get a better understanding of his character but I was invited to the Q&A here in NYC and I asked David and Andrew when it comes to the original plot and characters in the graphic novel, they told me “Hopefully we’ll get to explore this more in the future” 🤯😳 so what I understood from this comment this movie is just the beginning
@@thekidfromqueens93 If that's the case it could be great because I felt myself REALLY wanting to know more about the character.
@@xxczerxx Again I can’t stress this enough please buy the graphic novel, trust me you’ll enjoy it. I stand behind it lol
@@thekidfromqueens93 I will get it. Did you get individual volumes or the "complete Killer"? Not sure which version to go for
I didn’t know anything about the director but I loved the movie, it was a pleasant surprise! I watched it on Netflix, wasn’t sure if there was a theatrical release in my country. I love your review too 👍 Note: I don’t think his character is a heartless killer, in fact he did show empathy, and lots of care in his heart. He et had no choice but to kill that empathy because of the line of work he chose.
The scen with Tilda and Michel at the restaurant, perfection, just amazing 🥰
the looks of the character and scenes seems familiar, until i realized it because is an adaptation of a french comic with the same name, now i need to watch it. as always great review. on the point.
I'm fairly sure that the contradiction and dissonance between his "empathetic end" and "apathetic means", so to speak, is the whole point of the story.
I like how they don't show his home life. Every other movie does that. We already know how we would feel if someone close to us was hurt. They don't need to tell us how that feels
Glad to have been a part working on this film and hearing a good review coming from you!
This comic book series is *DENSE* like 13 volumes . The writer and artists are machines , deserve a lot of notice . And its very well written , philosophical , makes you think . And beautiful to look at . If the films any good , I hope fincher makes a series . He needs one .
"Directed by David Fincher starring Michael Fassbender"
Say no more. I'm in.
I took his mission not as revenge but as insurance for his (and his girlfriend's) future. Every kill in the film can be explained in terms of the Killer attempting to wipe out any individual that might have a reason to go after him (or connect him to a murder.)
This movie was sooooo good and I often don't like these kinds of movies (revenge thriller flicks can be very predictable and lame) but the cinematography, simplicity, visual flair, and perfect performance by Fassbender really made me appreciate this film.
I love David Fincher and I definitely will watch this movie
Was he really taking revenge? He had a bad day at work, he came home, more trouble for him. He just vent out his frustration and killed 5 people. Given how perfect and methodical he is he couldn't take his failure. He didn't killed the person who hired the assassins' in first place to go after him, because for him he is a client who will hire him for next job. He just made sure that it was not personal.
[Spoilers]
The biggest problem I had with the character is early on when he messed up "the shot". Especially when he kept repeating the mantra "Don't improvise. Anticipate". The way he missed the shot should be one of those things that happens a lot in his line of work. But he's supposed to be the elite of WORLD CLASS assassins. How could he not have anticipated the movement of that lady, obscuring his target?
I think that’s the point. He’s a perfectionist who’s never made a mistake like this before, and everything that happens in this movie is a result of that one mistake.
@@logans8286 I just don't buy that an assassin at his level cannot anticipate correctly if/when someone would walk into his shot. Yes it happened and he had to deal with it. But it SHOULDN'T have happened at all, is my point.
Or at least shoots the a second shoot right after without flinching .
And the second thing is that he left the last guy alive??!
SPOILERS:
Just finished it. I thought this was a good film. I know some will say that for his motto in the film to be “show no empathy” he does actions that shows that he cares to punish the people that wronged him.
Empathy by definition is the ability to understand the feelings of others. I feel like he really didn’t show that except for maybe Delores. He still wanted her to go but he did her the one curtsey she asked which was to make it look like an accident.
Other then her he really didn’t care about the feelings of others. He showed no compassion to any of his victims. Compassion would be sympathizing with the victims.
At the end when he meets with the client at the penthouse. He lets him go because he is perceptive and knows he wasn’t lying when he said it he just paid to have it cleaned up and didn’t ask questions. Just how he knew his employer. was lying about physical records and knowing “nothing”.
Excellent film but it starts slow.
True plus he's billionaire most likely well known.
@@supoa9489 I don’t know what that really has to do with anything tbh.
@@478Johnnyboy My whole point since he extremely wealthy and have connections including being public figure killing him was never an option. The police would work much harder and put all their resources find out the person who killed him. Its pretty simple your overcomplicate than needs to be
@@supoa9489 I just didn’t get your initial point. I still feel like he let him go because he didn’t know anything and he could tell. The billionaire seemed like a tech mogul. The initial guy he fails to kill also seemed high profile….so I doubt he went well the police will work hard to find out who did it. Even though he missed the first guy that guy seemed like he was in politics or something high enough to have better security than the billionaire…not over complicating it just using the clues we were given.
@@478Johnnyboy True I'm pointing out one of reasons it wouldn't be in his best interest to kill the billionaire tech mogul. His employer already let him know he had cover up the trail didn't expect to go back home. Meaning The Killer knew already employer was responsible. The killer just wanted reaffirm what he already knew.
The Killer is my most anticipated film of the year.
Just went to see this in a theatre in Toronto. It's fantastic. Not too long. Meticulous. Calculating. Tense. Exciting. It's kind of immoressive to see Fassbender carry the ENTIRE film.
Completely agree with the homelife aspect, that was the one thing that I questioned after seeing the movie, but besides that the character's "Zero fucks given" attitude throughout almost the entire movie is incredible and I really admire Fincher for taking that approach mostly with the character.
Great movie, great central performance by Fassbender(who I'm glad to finally see in a great role again), one of my favourites of the year for sure.
We don’t spend much time with his home life because he’s not looking for revenge because of what happened to his home life. The sub text is he’s ashamed about how he failed at something he’s good at and spends the rest of the movie proving to himself that he can do it properly.
@@zanebryant9317I agree that the killer isn’t trying to get revenge. I don’t think he’s trying to prove his skills either though. His meticulousness doesn’t work actually.
Mailman in beginning, nailgun scene, Tilda swinton scene. Lot of dark humor in showing that despite all his planning something unexpected happens. Plus he literally says at the end “only path is the one behind” or something like that.
@@shinycheeto5779 good point!
@@zanebryant9317Not only that he knows penalty for failing an assassination, but couldn't accept that reality. Proceeds kill anyone implicated in the event, even innocent taxi driver. Good film.
@@shinycheeto5779 I agree that it is not about revenge or proving himself. Here's how I interpret the main character's journey: in repeating his idealism and mantras to himself he has tricked himself into a false sense of security that his work like will not threaten his home. The event at home immediately jolts him out of this delusion, and he is on a journey to essentially get rid of the consequences of his mistake at work and ensure that it will pose no further threat to his home. This I think is the point of the conversation with the man in the hospital (trying to save from spoilers as much as possible), and I think it's essentially what resolves the difficultly for the audience trying to understand the logic behind whom he chooses to kill.
Missed the mark, the entire movie wasn't about revenge. It was about ensuring people don't continue to come after him, and effect his life/work, it was definetly meant to appear that way though, the ending is the twist, where it proves it wasnt about revenge at all. If it were about revenge, he would have killed the guy responsible.
Netflix and fincher thought this film would be better than a third season of mindhunter.
I love that we didn't spend any time with the girlfriend because when I saw the scene at the hospital I didn't know if he was faking empathy or if he actually cared, so for me it was engaging. And because of the structure of Michael Fassbender picking them off one by one, the movie felt like it had some slasher influences that I loved and didn't expect.
If you want a complimentary movie to this film, check out Richard Linklater’s Hit Man when it drops. Easily one of my favorite films this year.
What did you think about it? I heard it got rave reviews
@@spn2240 It’s really funny and surprisingly really sexy in the romance department. Which isn’t something you’d expect from Richard Linklater.
Just so good to see Fassbender back in a top tier role. INCREDIBLE Actor
Disappointed that Chris didn't take the time to do some research and mention in the beginning that this is an adaptation of a comic book written by Matz and drawn by Luc Jacamon, which is worth your time.
It's weird that he's saying you should seek it in theaters before it goes to streaming, but doesn't give credit to the original source material.
Not saying this about him specifically, but people are always brushing comic book writers and artists under the rug.
He doesn’t usually though. I think the fact that this is a David Fincher movie does make this a bit more of a talking point.
I think he just decided to kill everyone that knew where he lived because he didn’t want to move. The last guy didn’t know much about anything so he left him. Simple as that.
I loved this movie! It was slower paced, but I think that was intentional, showing the more mundane side of being an assassin. Like waiting 3 days with a sniper rifle for the target to show up. It's good to see David Fincher and Michel Fassbender back.
For him being a good hitman, I was surprised by how many mistakes he did. It was an OK movie. I was hoping it would be better.
Massive idiot plot going on. Always a sign of a bad movie.
This sound exactly like what a good Hitman 47 movie should have been. Can't wait!
This film was very captivating from the start, for me.
I haven’t seen a hitman movie this good in forever. Michael was perfect for this role.
Maybe he could be the next Agent 47? Because damn, he comes off as a walking weapon. So many times in the film where it just feels tense, and nothing is happening.
It’s just his presence alone, is dangerous. And also good music as well.
Loved the review, not so much the movie to be honest. I'm definitely one of those you mentioned, I found myself put off by the main character, as there really was not enough motivation to feel compelled and transported by his actions.
I almost found myself waiting for a detective of some sort to start investigating and follow his trails to try and catch him. I wanted him to fail!
I compare this movie to Kill Bill a lot, another killer on a revenge path against the employer and other killers, but we can clearly see how in that case that revenge path feels earned, after establishing (and most importantly , experiencing) how the bride got treated. We root for her, we want her to find closure, and that creates a hard contradiction with the fact that she's a killer and we know we shouldn't root for her after all.
In this movie I can safely say I felt nothing like this, I didn't root for the protagonist for one minute, and felt like I was watching The Jackal but without Richard Gere.
It may be valid from a directing and technical standpoint, but nothing more.
Not having connection to his wife works because the film treats her as just another casualty of his line of work
I'm getting Le Samouraï vibes! I can't wait!
I have a completely different problem with this movie.
1. Why did he take that shot with the dominatrix in the shotline?
2. Why did Hodges send two completely mismatched assassins to a place where he was not expected to be?
Regardless, I enjoyed watching.
Fight Club is David Fincher's magnum opus but damn! this film looks great and I will watch this on weekends.
No, it's not revenge. It's a calculated strategy to kill anyone who knows where his hideout is. He knows that he has no choice but to kill his employer, meaning it's the end of his career, only pausing when he meets people that are closer to who he really is. That last one being a statement on the ruthless nature of who they are.
I get what some might worry about in comparing an unempathetic character like Joaquin Phoenix portrayed in Joker, and now Fassbender's nameless killer in this film. There are always going to be a few weirdos that just come away with the wrong message, but I don't think we should stop making great character studies because someone who was going to be triggered negatively no matter what might have it happen during this film or that documentary.
I don't agree that his mission was revenge. He was under threat and he eliminated the threat. He even let the original client go because he didn't see him as a continuing threat.
You didn’t think the ending was anticlimactic af? Me and my girl looked at each other like wait wth
One my fave directors of all time! Love Fassbender too so I cant wait to see this
I wanted to love this movie. I found it kind of simple and anti climatic. The character arc with Fassbender was great, and the acting was fantastic. I was just waiting for it to grab me up until the end when I realized it wasn't going to.
Agreed.. i love finchers stuff so much.. i could cry at how disappointing this movie was.. i also loved the graphic novel and think Fassbender was cast perfectly.. yet still, this movie fell completely flat.. so fucking disappointed
@@bennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn no
@@bruhlol2744 I didn't ask a question, so whyd you reply 'no'
@@bennnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn I disagreed
@@bruhlol2744 this film did not live up to the standard of a typical Fincher film.. lacked character development.. lacked plot.. even the score was lackluster
I saw this in theaters. All the positives you mentioned is in Chapter 1, but after that it's nothing original or compelling. Seemed like one of those projects Soderbergh shoots in a week.
saw it in theaters alone. walked out with a 65 bpm heart rate
Nice! 👌🏾
I have watched like 4 times... I recommend it to watch with earpods or headphones... Has so much sound details, yhe color palette is just beautiful and soundtrack just delightful. Recommended
Guess you can say this is another *HIT* for Fincher
HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA
I’ve always loved Fassbender. However he seems to pick some projects that just don’t hit the mark. I feel he’s talented enough to have s few Oscar’s on his mantle, and a ton of nominations. I was hoping with Fincher this would be a great opportunity for him to show off his acting chops.
I can easily imagine this film becoming a cult hit based on the premise alone.
I'll have to wait until I see it....but I disagree with your analysis of revenge only being sought by those with empathy. Psychopaths still feel emotions like anger and often have inflated egos, and so are very likely to engage in acts of revenge. Again, I would need to see the film to understand exactly the setup but I am intrigued to see if there's any depth to the character.
Curious about this character, whether he is purely cold-blooded. That does make a film hard to digest, having a completely unsympathetic, evil protagonist.... it's actually very rare in major release movies. Patrick Bateman gets away with it because he is basically a parody.
It wasn’t a revenge plot at all. Him being personally attacked was par for the course in his case. It was a clean up job after he messed up. If he didn’t he’d certainly be dead.
Chris, love your reviews. I am from one town over in Hudson, and I am just a few years old than you.
Discovered your stuff recently as I have greatly increased my theater movie intake.
Hope to get tickets to Shelby Oaks when it comes to NYC.
The killer seemingly contradicting himself by wanting revenge when he is supposed to be cold and detached is a very human characteristic. Also, the fact he has to repeat a mantra to himself about not having empathy means it's not a natural trait of his, but rather a conditioning.
I just watched it for the first time last night with my wife. We loved it. Absolutely love the director's body of work. All of the things you pointed out I caught when watching the film and loved every moment of it. I understand why it was all playing out the way it did. I think I'll watch the film again because I really loved the Killers narration.
I think Fassbender did the best any actor could do with that role. He's a better actor than this film provided him.
loved this film
You just mentioned one of the most underrated Kevin Bacon movie, Death Sentence. NICE!
Facts..that movie was so brutal and very good