James, you are going above and beyond to do this video while sick. Thank you for your devotion. There is no missing a Fincher film, and piqued my interest mightily.
Where to begin? First, thank you for doing this review, while sick. Your reviews are always entertaining and full of energy. Plus, you always dropping some film knowledge to us newbies. Hope you get better and get some well deserved rest. Thanks again!
I saw it last night in theaters, and this is Fincher for sure doing what he does best. Fassbender is back in top form after the stinker that was "The Snowman," and this will definitely be one that will have a ton of replay value.
I watched it at home with my dad, who watched it a second time two weeks or so later - and then I one-upped him by seeing it in the cinema, final screening. 🎞️😏🎞️
At first I have found the ending suprising too. Upon second viewing I have found it more ambiguous, especially in light of his final words of narration where he changes his perspective on something he says earlier, and the lyrics of the end credits song in the context. I think the conclusion can have different interpretations. (Tried to stay spoiler free as much as possible)
I had a shock by the ending of Zodiac. I knew next to nothing about the actual case before seeing the movie when it came out. I knew the name Zodiac obviously, but no details, including the fact that he was never caught. So, when Zodiac (seemingly) suddenly ended and they had title cards saying what happened to each of the characters and the case, I was really surprised and shocked. I didn't realize that the scene in the hardware store was starting to bring things to a close. On subsequent viewings, I caught the rhythm better and it made sense, but that first time I was so under the spell of the movie that it seemed like they suddenly just ended it. I'm happy to be forwarned with this movie. I wonder if I'll feel the same way this time!
Huge Fincher fan. I was shockingly underwhelmed. Across the board. Was waiting....and waiting.....and waiting. And nothing. Couldn't help but wish / think it would be better if it wasn't a Netflix movie. Unfortunately: never need to see it again. Bummer.
James. You are the best youtube reviewer and I love listening to your voice and takes on everything - even sick. Thanks for trooping and doing this vid! Actually like the ending! It crescendos well. Also - Fight Club needs to be in convo for best Fincher.
Thanks James. I'm curious what Fincher will do next. Sometimes there are long gaps between his films (partly due to not getting projects financed or producing the Mindhunter series) but does he still have a Netflix deal after this movie. Was that an x number of movies kinda deal or does it just end at a specific date? There was some talk of a Social Network sequel, but Sorkin would only do it with Fincher as director.
i was was hoping netflix would do a wider release like knives out 2 but they didn't no amc near me is showing it, i have to wait till sunday. its sold out all weekend at the nearest Alamo draft house. thanks for reminding me about Mellville i bought Le samurai and army of shadows on bluray a couple of years ago, always meant to hunt down and watch more of his films and i totally forgot
"The Return of *Anton Chigurh* " : Ha..🤫😁 .....can't help but wonder if Netflix will follow up with a sequel _(or sequels),_ considering that the graphic novels 📖📚 absolutely provide years of content which can serve as a foundation for more *'The Killer'* based stories adapted to film. Because of Andrew Kevin Walker's writing and David Fincher's directing, plus Fassbender's novel accurate, _(detail oriented, cerebral, introverted, methodical)_ portrayal of the lead character, I was 100% engaged with the movie. Also helped that I was familiar with all of _The Smiths_ songs in the soundtrack and personal intimate/extensive life experiences in _La Republica Dominicana_ resonated with me _(same with other filming locations in the movie: Paris, NYC, Chicago, Florida...)._ *Sequel(s)* ? 🤔 The return of *Anton Chigurh* ! Ha..🤫😁
I haven't seen "The Killer" yet, but so far...i'd say that his best film is "Zodiac". Closely followed by Fight Club, Social Network, Seven... And i also freaken loved "The Game". Like, way more than Gone Girl or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I have a love/hate relationship with "The Game". one part of me absolutely loved it, but i hated the ending. It was more of a failed masterpiece imo. I don't know if i'll feel the same about "The Killer", but either way...Looking forward to it.
I started reading the French graphic novel that the movie is based on over the weekend - quite good. Huge Fincher fan, so I can't wait to see what he does with it.
I'm not a huge Fincher fan, but his filmmaking talent is beyond question. I look forward to "The Killer.". Sorry you're not feeling well, but honestly you lost me when you said you didn't like "The Game." I don't know how recently you saw it, but if it's been a while, you may want to revisit it. It's one of his best movies. I can't imagine any movie buff not liking it, Fincher fan or not. Have a better one!
I love 97 percent of "The Game", apart from the last few minutes. The main character jumping of the roof of a high building, going unscathed through a metal-glass roof below and landing right in the middle of a giant mattress is so far-fetched and unlikely to ever happen in real life that I'm like "How stupid is this ending?"
An interesting question is: how does an actor go about working with an excellent directors/writers. Seems to a bit of luck is involved. Always being professional, even in relatively minor projects is clearly important.
I gota say James I might have enjoyed this even more because I listened to your non-spoiler review first. It was one of those rare movie experiences where I felt enlivened throughout as if there was a full moon in the sky. I found myself savoring each chapter like a flight of quality whiskies. Dreading a potentially disappointing conclusion, I considered turning if off in the last 10 min and rewatching from the beginning to keep the feeling alive. Doing so would have broken an unwritten rule of film viewing so I watched till the end. Glad I did. Very fun, dark movie. If Fincher did more films like this for Netflix going forward then I would accept that as a fair trade for not finishing Mindhunter.
It's a relief to know that the latest Fincher is in top form. I have to admit that I didn't enjoy the Mank experience. When I saw the trailer for The Killer, only 1 minute 37 seconds long, it was a blessing, in such a short time it concentrated the tone, softness, texture and touch of a director who is a safe bet to have a good time . in front of a screen. It's a shame about that negative point, but as long as it's in that middle group of films, it's all good. I never get tired of watching Fincher's films, nor of listening to Trent and Atticus' phenomenal scores for Fincher's films. Long live cinema and new meat James!
Having read the original French/Belgian comic which this movie is based on, I would have to say that the story is too long and complicated to adapt into a single movie. Even the hitman's physical appearance is more ordinary in the comic. Fincher is always good. I am glad he did this story.
Apart from the ending, another disappointment is a trope Fincher used: after a harrowing, protracted fight to the death, Fassbender's character miraculously survives and shows only a couple of scratches after all he endured. He was fit as a fiddle and ready for his next hit job. Anyone else would be on life support in the hospital. C'mon, folks - are we that dumb?
Yeah, the trailer gave me Le Samurai vive which I love. Only Fincher film I really didn’t like is Benjamin Oscar bait Buttons 😂 - I’d agree his best is The Social Network, followed by Zodiac, Mank, Seven and Fight Club.
Do you think in real life a professional killer who is trying to stay under the radar would use the names of 60s sitcom stars on his credit cards and passports ?
You went all over the place with this review but no complaints here. Thanks for making this no spoilers. I'm so ready to love this movie. Feel well soon.
It's all well acted and looks great, but the story was boring. It's just a plain old revenge movie. I was expecting some kind of twist but there is none.
I didn't like it. Found it really well made as you'd expect but the story was very run of the mil IMO and underwhelming. I don't get the hype around it.
The Killer -Fincher Fassbender is terrific. Sports a nigh useless mantra/maxim/personal code stating voiceover saturated with boring clichés and the obvious - la the original (studio influenced) cut of Blade Runner. It could be just as interesting without it if Fincher just leaned into Fassbender and his actions. Nice use of The Smiths as his preferred ear candy. A shame Morrissey turned out to be SUCH a POS. Otherwise, it's a sorta interesting character study of yet another sociopath, which is about the only thing at which Fincher and Se7en scribe, Andrew Kevin Walker excel and primarily because of Fassbender. Features the usual fixtures of Fincher, such as diffused and/or ambient light ONLY (bulbs and direct light don't exist in Fincher flicks), Car and roadway lights are out of focus. Fire? Put fog in front of it. Essentially, the plot services Fincher's more often than not deployed measure of subtlety normally reserved for a gregarious virtuoso of bagpipes. Also features his usual themes (in his watchable work) addressing the banality of "evil", the often immediacy of and a visual detachment from violence, as well as the motivations behind sociopathy. Tries to add a human element through the attack of some he cares about and we don't. The voiceover is repetitive, redundant, riddled with cliche' after cliche' and tedious. Sounds like a edited out page from an 80's Batman comic It's trying to shoehorn in a revenge plot, but not very well. No stakes. The character's use of Boomer touchstones as fake Hotel check-in names is just lame. Seen it. Not only that people aren't stupid. They know who Archie Bunker is. 🙄 As a wannabe Kubrick without the originality, writing ability or variety of visionary, genre-hopping narrative talent, I bet Fincher did a hundred takes of that stationary time-jump edit, just so it matched without the camera appearing to move ... and that's prior of having it digitally processed to further clean up any mismatch. Waste of money for his usual cold, anal retentive reasons. Tilda Swinton drops in for an exposition dump. Terrific, as always. The car alarm motif is meaningless. Worthwhile for Fassbender. Otherwise, meh. It has nothing to say and will go down as a lesser Fincher work, if there is such a thing. Low bar. Not a fan. Underdeveloped, simplistic and shallow, with an amateurish script and uninspired visual narrative, this was obviously a contractual obligation to Netflix. More one-watch cinema by America's most overrated director.
Will somebody please Make a “Golgo 13” live action Movie or TV series. And make it rated R. And leave modern social politics out of it. It would be cool if it was on Netflix, Apple TV or HBO Max. Anybody but Disney+/Hulu lol
Personally I think this guy like most others have all others have missed the main difference between this film and others in the genre. No one has yet pointed of why Smiths is used as the character's music. If they would just stop licking ass and pay attention to the choices the director makes and listen, may be they would get it. Then ending was exactly what it should have been. Yeah, you are sick and that it why you didn't get it. Excuses, excuses. The video is not even a revieew of the film but about Fincher's body of work. The guy just doesn't have anything to say about the film. Just goes to show the pretentions of people who know jack about film making or its analysis
James, you are going above and beyond to do this video while sick. Thank you for your devotion. There is no missing a Fincher film, and piqued my interest mightily.
Very much looking forward to the Netflix release. Glad to hear Fassbender shined again.
Where to begin? First, thank you for doing this review, while sick. Your reviews are always entertaining and full of energy. Plus, you always dropping some film knowledge to us newbies. Hope you get better and get some well deserved rest. Thanks again!
I saw it last night in theaters, and this is Fincher for sure doing what he does best. Fassbender is back in top form after the stinker that was "The Snowman," and this will definitely be one that will have a ton of replay value.
I watched it at home with my dad, who watched it a second time two weeks or so later - and then I one-upped him by seeing it in the cinema, final screening.
🎞️😏🎞️
Great recap. Totally agree about the end. Thanks for being committed to the channel even being sick.
At first I have found the ending suprising too. Upon second viewing I have found it more ambiguous, especially in light of his final words of narration where he changes his perspective on something he says earlier, and the lyrics of the end credits song in the context. I think the conclusion can have different interpretations. (Tried to stay spoiler free as much as possible)
I thought the same. I wonder how I'll understand it watching it a 3rd time
I had a shock by the ending of Zodiac. I knew next to nothing about the actual case before seeing the movie when it came out. I knew the name Zodiac obviously, but no details, including the fact that he was never caught. So, when Zodiac (seemingly) suddenly ended and they had title cards saying what happened to each of the characters and the case, I was really surprised and shocked. I didn't realize that the scene in the hardware store was starting to bring things to a close. On subsequent viewings, I caught the rhythm better and it made sense, but that first time I was so under the spell of the movie that it seemed like they suddenly just ended it. I'm happy to be forwarned with this movie. I wonder if I'll feel the same way this time!
Huge Fincher fan. I was shockingly underwhelmed. Across the board. Was waiting....and waiting.....and waiting. And nothing.
Couldn't help but wish / think it would be better if it wasn't a Netflix movie.
Unfortunately: never need to see it again. Bummer.
I was just about to write the same. This, for me, was "meh" at best.
The focus of the camera work and the colours are so defining of his work.
Excellent summary. Get well soon!
James. You are the best youtube reviewer and I love listening to your voice and takes on everything - even sick. Thanks for trooping and doing this vid! Actually like the ending! It crescendos well. Also - Fight Club needs to be in convo for best Fincher.
Thanks James. I'm curious what Fincher will do next. Sometimes there are long gaps between his films (partly due to not getting projects financed or producing the Mindhunter series) but does he still have a Netflix deal after this movie. Was that an x number of movies kinda deal or does it just end at a specific date? There was some talk of a Social Network sequel, but Sorkin would only do it with Fincher as director.
i was was hoping netflix would do a wider release like knives out 2 but they didn't no amc near me is showing it, i have to wait till sunday. its sold out all weekend at the nearest Alamo draft house. thanks for reminding me about Mellville i bought Le samurai and army of shadows on bluray a couple of years ago, always meant to hunt down and watch more of his films and i totally forgot
Hope your feeling better mate!
"The Return of *Anton Chigurh* " : Ha..🤫😁
.....can't help but wonder if Netflix will follow up with a sequel _(or sequels),_ considering that the graphic novels 📖📚 absolutely provide years of content which can serve as a foundation for more *'The Killer'* based stories adapted to film.
Because of Andrew Kevin Walker's writing and David Fincher's directing, plus Fassbender's novel accurate, _(detail oriented, cerebral, introverted, methodical)_ portrayal of the lead character, I was 100% engaged with the movie. Also helped that I was familiar with all of _The Smiths_ songs in the soundtrack and personal intimate/extensive life experiences in _La Republica Dominicana_ resonated with me _(same with other filming locations in the movie: Paris, NYC, Chicago, Florida...)._
*Sequel(s)* ? 🤔
The return of *Anton Chigurh* ! Ha..🤫😁
a prequel
Thanks, James. Get well soon!
Great review James. Sorry to hear about your food poisoning. I really enjoyed the dark comedy sprinkled through out the film.
This film sounds a lot like NWR's FEAR X with John Turturro meets Limits of Control by Jarmusch
I haven't seen "The Killer" yet, but so far...i'd say that his best film is "Zodiac". Closely followed by Fight Club, Social Network, Seven... And i also freaken loved "The Game". Like, way more than Gone Girl or The Curious Case of Benjamin Button. I have a love/hate relationship with "The Game". one part of me absolutely loved it, but i hated the ending. It was more of a failed masterpiece imo. I don't know if i'll feel the same about "The Killer", but either way...Looking forward to it.
Gone Girl is his best movie only masterpice with Fight Club maybe even 7
I think it's generic and boring )))
7 is all round better movie
Se7en is a Masterpiece
@@CRM-114 that's why we are all different ☺️
I would love to see a Fincher top 10 video!
Hey James, ARe there any good books on movie history, film making you recommend.
Too many to mention but I would start with any books featuring interviews with your favorite directors.
Thanks @@geekinwithJamesHancock
I hope u can come around to that ending.
Saw it earlier and thought it was great. In my head it’s an adaptation of the video game series Hitman. lol
This is strange but I loved Reznor & Ross’ score for the TMNT Mutant Mayhem movie
I started reading the French graphic novel that the movie is based on over the weekend - quite good. Huge Fincher fan, so I can't wait to see what he does with it.
Thanks for the review James, i saw the movie last night and 100% agree with you about ending.
YES! You hit the nail on the head by comparing it to a Cormac McCarthy adaptation.
I'm not a huge Fincher fan, but his filmmaking talent is beyond question. I look forward to "The Killer.". Sorry you're not feeling well, but honestly you lost me when you said you didn't like "The Game." I don't know how recently you saw it, but if it's been a while, you may want to revisit it. It's one of his best movies. I can't imagine any movie buff not liking it, Fincher fan or not. Have a better one!
I love 97 percent of "The Game", apart from the last few minutes. The main character jumping of the roof of a high building, going unscathed through a metal-glass roof below and landing right in the middle of a giant mattress is so far-fetched and unlikely to ever happen in real life that I'm like "How stupid is this ending?"
An interesting question is: how does an actor go about working with an excellent directors/writers. Seems to a bit of luck is involved. Always being professional, even in relatively minor projects is clearly important.
I gota say James I might have enjoyed this even more because I listened to your non-spoiler review first. It was one of those rare movie experiences where I felt enlivened throughout as if there was a full moon in the sky. I found myself savoring each chapter like a flight of quality whiskies. Dreading a potentially disappointing conclusion, I considered turning if off in the last 10 min and rewatching from the beginning to keep the feeling alive. Doing so would have broken an unwritten rule of film viewing so I watched till the end. Glad I did. Very fun, dark movie. If Fincher did more films like this for Netflix going forward then I would accept that as a fair trade for not finishing Mindhunter.
It's a relief to know that the latest Fincher is in top form. I have to admit that I didn't enjoy the Mank experience. When I saw the trailer for The Killer, only 1 minute 37 seconds long, it was a blessing, in such a short time it concentrated the tone, softness, texture and touch of a director who is a safe bet to have a good time . in front of a screen. It's a shame about that negative point, but as long as it's in that middle group of films, it's all good. I never get tired of watching Fincher's films, nor of listening to Trent and Atticus' phenomenal scores for Fincher's films. Long live cinema and new meat James!
Having read the original French/Belgian comic which this movie is based on, I would have to say that the story is too long and complicated to adapt into a single movie. Even the hitman's physical appearance is more ordinary in the comic. Fincher is always good. I am glad he did this story.
Although I loved the Swedish trilogy, I really liked Fincher's The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo.
Apart from the ending, another disappointment is a trope Fincher used: after a harrowing, protracted fight to the death, Fassbender's character miraculously survives and shows only a couple of scratches after all he endured. He was fit as a fiddle and ready for his next hit job. Anyone else would be on life support in the hospital. C'mon, folks - are we that dumb?
Get better soon, James, and watch it again. I found this film to be freaking amazing and so so so rewatchable.
Yeah, the trailer gave me Le Samurai vive which I love. Only Fincher film I really didn’t like is Benjamin Oscar bait Buttons 😂 - I’d agree his best is The Social Network, followed by Zodiac, Mank, Seven and Fight Club.
I always liked Fincher's Aliens 3...but I think the original theatrical release was a disservice...the director's cut helped explain things.
I prefer the theatrical cut
Feel better, buddy.
I would put The Game is Finchers top 5 best films.
Along with The Social Network, Seven, Gone Girl, and Fight Club
Better than Mank?
Much better
I'm ready for this one. Fincher doesn't miss.
Jeeeez….he barely mentioned fightclub
“The Killer” is also reminiscent of “Day of the Jackal.” I love watching an assassin work.
Do you think in real life a professional killer who is trying to stay under the radar would use the names of 60s sitcom stars on his credit cards and passports ?
@@billboggs6641Idk. Don’t know any professional killers in real life. Do you?
that movie had zero substance, quite disappointed by it, a very minor Fincher film, by comparison the Mindhunter episodes are so much better
You went all over the place with this review but no complaints here. Thanks for making this no spoilers. I'm so ready to love this movie. Feel well soon.
The first two acts were fantastic. Then the 3rd act was awful.. Awful...
Bravo!
So agree with you on the ending. It's a total writing fail.
Anyone else feel like this is agent 47 reviewing an assassination movie
It's all well acted and looks great, but the story was boring. It's just a plain old revenge movie. I was expecting some kind of twist but there is none.
If you compare this to Melville, that's all I need to hear.
I am disappointed with the ending too. The movie ended with a whimper instead of a bang.
I didn't like it. Found it really well made as you'd expect but the story was very run of the mil IMO and underwhelming. I don't get the hype around it.
“Don’t like ‘The Game’”!?!?! 😮
The ending was fine
The Killer -Fincher
Fassbender is terrific. Sports a nigh useless mantra/maxim/personal code stating voiceover saturated with boring clichés and the obvious - la the original (studio influenced) cut of Blade Runner. It could be just as interesting without it if Fincher just leaned into Fassbender and his actions.
Nice use of The Smiths as his preferred ear candy. A shame Morrissey turned out to be SUCH a POS.
Otherwise, it's a sorta interesting character study of yet another sociopath, which is about the only thing at which Fincher and Se7en scribe, Andrew Kevin Walker excel and primarily because of Fassbender.
Features the usual fixtures of Fincher, such as diffused and/or ambient light ONLY (bulbs and direct light don't exist in Fincher flicks), Car and roadway lights are out of focus. Fire? Put fog in front of it.
Essentially, the plot services Fincher's more often than not deployed measure of subtlety normally reserved for a gregarious virtuoso of bagpipes. Also features his usual themes (in his watchable work) addressing the banality of "evil", the often immediacy of and a visual detachment from violence, as well as the motivations behind sociopathy.
Tries to add a human element through the attack of some he cares about and we don't.
The voiceover is repetitive, redundant, riddled with cliche' after cliche' and tedious. Sounds like a edited out page from an 80's Batman comic
It's trying to shoehorn in a revenge plot, but not very well. No stakes.
The character's use of Boomer touchstones as fake Hotel check-in names is just lame. Seen it. Not only that people aren't stupid. They know who Archie Bunker is. 🙄
As a wannabe Kubrick without the originality, writing ability or variety of visionary, genre-hopping narrative talent, I bet Fincher did a hundred takes of that stationary time-jump edit, just so it matched without the camera appearing to move ... and that's prior of having it digitally processed to further clean up any mismatch. Waste of money for his usual cold, anal retentive reasons.
Tilda Swinton drops in for an exposition dump. Terrific, as always.
The car alarm motif is meaningless.
Worthwhile for Fassbender. Otherwise, meh. It has nothing to say and will go down as a lesser Fincher work, if there is such a thing. Low bar. Not a fan.
Underdeveloped, simplistic and shallow, with an amateurish script and uninspired visual narrative, this was obviously a contractual obligation to Netflix. More one-watch cinema by America's most overrated director.
Will somebody please Make a “Golgo 13” live action Movie or TV series. And make it rated R. And leave modern social politics out of it. It would be cool if it was on Netflix, Apple TV or HBO Max. Anybody but Disney+/Hulu lol
Zodiac eats The Social Network alive.
lol false 😂
dude movie i guess
Fincher has never made a bad movie
Excellent video review James! You should get explosive diarrhea more often! BTW, Alien is a horrible film on almost all accounts.
Personally I think this guy like most others have all others have missed the main difference between this film and others in the genre.
No one has yet pointed of why Smiths is used as the character's music.
If they would just stop licking ass and pay attention to the choices the director makes and listen, may be they would get it.
Then ending was exactly what it should have been.
Yeah, you are sick and that it why you didn't get it. Excuses, excuses.
The video is not even a revieew of the film but about Fincher's body of work.
The guy just doesn't have anything to say about the film.
Just goes to show the pretentions of people who know jack about film making or its analysis
It’s his best film in 9 yrs. Mank was awful
It was thin and boring. Nothing new there.
Finchers best in my opinion. Hands down " The girl with the dragon tattoo" .. My favorite Fincher film.
This movie was a bore with characters I have zero feelings for.............. another sign of cinema's decline.