MARKED MOVIES

Director: David Fincher.

Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker

Starring: Michael Fassbender, Tilda Swinton, Arliss Howard, Charles Parnell, Kerry O’Malley, Sophie Charlotte, Sala Baker, Emiliano Pernia, Gabriel Polanco.

“Of those who like to put their faith in the inherent goodness of mankind, I have to ask, Based on what, exactly?”

It’s been nearly 30 years since David Fincher and writer Andrew Kevin Walker collaborated on the visceral and deeply affecting serial-killer thriller Se7en in 1995 and to this day it remains one of the absolute best of the genre. Since then, Walker has managed to keep his hand in among some interesting projects but it was Fincher who became a director that amassed a genuine following such was the consistent quality he was producing. With the arrival of The Killer, that interest certainly hasn’t waned and it’s perhaps gained even more traction due to it bringing the two of them back together again.

Plot: When a hit goes wrong for killer-for-hire (Michael Fassbender) it has ramifications from his employers. This, in turn, forces him to utilise his patience and deadly skills as he takes revenge on them one by one.

As The Killer opens we are introduced to Michael Fassbender’s nameless hitman in the midst of a contract job in Paris. There’s a patience to his approach and a meticulous attention to how he operates and we almost become complicit with his internal monologue talking us through the self-imposed rules he applies while conducting his nefarious deeds. This particular opening lasts for a gripping 20 minutes but it’s within these minutes that it also feels like it’s a direct wink from Fincher himself such is the calculated manner in which he crafts his films. This methodical approach from character and filmmaker is also maintained for the rest of the films events – which are told in a series of chapters (six in all with an added epilogue). Throughout these chapters we follow Fassbender on his travels where we’re slowly given more information on the fallout from the opening’s events. That said though, anyone expecting a fast-paced, John Wick style thriller may be sorely disappointed. This isn’t that type of film.

Instead, it’s a somewhat philosophical, slow-burn journey as Fassbender’s killer ruminates further on the rules he lives by with even more internal monologues. These monologues (which often feel like narration) are actually very important in understanding the grip, or lack thereof, that he has on his mental state. For all the rules and principles he espouses, he slowly but surely begins to contradict them and that’s where problems are created and a surprising element of deadpan humour courses throughout the film.

As for Fassbender, he hadn’t actually appeared in a film for four years prior this and it’s a welcome return from him. He’s too good an actor to have been off our screens for so long and his minimalist performance is perfectly suited to the monastic nature of the character. It’s also a welcome return to the genre for Fincher; he brings his desaturated, digital crispness to the proceedings (with excellent support by Oscar winning cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt) as well as exploring the consumerist themes that he captured so provocatively with Fight Club in 1999. Granted, this is not as sensationalist as the aforementioned film and a lot more nuanced and subtle. Perhaps it’s this very subtlety, however, that may leave some viewers underwhelmed especially with the seemingly elusive ending (which is actually quite fitting if you’ve paid attention) while others will appreciate the clever, existential nihilism on display.

Verdict: Certainly not for everyone as some may be put off by the pace of the film but the decision to split it into chapters should make it more palatable. The humour is a welcome touch without ever questioning Fassbender’s capabilities as a deadly assassin while Fincher and Andrew Kevin Walker have a firm grip on the minutiae and the absurdity.

Mark Walker

Trivia: Based on the graphic novel “The Killer” (written by Alexis Nolent, illustrated by Luc Jacamon) which has been a passion project for David Fincher for nearly 20 years.

This entry was posted on November 18, 2023 at 3:52 pm and is filed under Crime, Drama, thriller with tags 2023. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.