The Killer - Di>>onance
Thoughts On: The K_.ller (2023)
An international assassin retaliates against his employers after being crossed having flubbed a mission.
Initially slow and unmotivated, The Killer develops into a slightly explosive indulgence in the life of an assassin. In a way, I believe this film exemplifies the reality of the brooding psychopathic protagonists the thriller genre is often focused on. Inasmuch as 'the inner thoughts of an international multi-millionaire assassin' appear interesting on paper, their manifestation in the cinematic space is rather banal. Our main character is insipid; demonstrating an awareness of this fact, Fincher and Fassbender present a reserved and monotonous mind with some attempts toward humour. But what is there to learn from his story? Not much. And there is little to follow or feel as well in The Killer with the majority of the action appearing pointless and unmotivated; the main unresolved juxtaposition composing our character being that he is loveless but in love - or at least in a passionate relationship whilst leading a life bereft of compassion. Though comparable to John Wick in a way, Wick's unspoken love for his dog as a primary motivator is far more fatalistic, symbolic and interesting than what we get here. The main issue of The Killer then concerns the distance we are held to the main character. We watch him quietly scheme for long periods but can hear his mind churn, and he hasn't anything particularly interesting to say; the film is hinged upon the VO, but I would be far more interested in seeing a version of this without, or with a lot of the VO, cut out.
This is essentially a Hollywood, John Wick inspired, manifestation of Melville's Le Samourai. As you'd expect from the Americans, they are impatient and in need of explosions and explanations when it comes to thrillers, which explains enough of The Killer. The presentation of ego through the constant voice over is classic, peak-form Fincher. But where a film like Fight Club has momentum behind the divulgence of its protagonists' psychopathy, The Killer is slow and then savagely violent for short brutal moments. The brutality and main battle of the film is scintillating; and such pacing, indeed, evokes the character of the protagonist's dispassionate life of death dealing. Unfortunately, however, this character and his life are largely disinteresting. We only feel stakes and attachment to our killer when he is entrenched in violence; we hear his mind around this but gain no insight into much greater than the thinking of a clinical professional murderer. In all else, his objectivity is in dissonance with closeness we are brought to his mind with voice over. I would have preferred to simply observe such a character, but can see reasoning and sentiment behind his grinding and constant thinking as the narrative lulls as to express the mire of a life of murder itself.
In short, it put me to sleep. But I picked it up the next day and it is a pretty good movie.
