Whenever I go into a highly anticipated movie, especially if it’s from one of my favorite directors, I never expect going into it thinking that it will be a perfect movie. That’s why I am thrilled to announce that David Fincher’s The Killer is a return to form for the director and is an entertaining thrill ride that makes every single moment worth it.

The Killer is the latest film from director David Finch. The plot follows a nameless killer played by Michael Fassbender who has to right the wrongs of his own mistakes. This is perhaps the best way to explain the plot without spoiling it. The film gives a considerable amount of time to this nameless killer as we immediately see him starting his preparation from the beginning. He narrates his thoughts as he prepares to deliver what he was sent to do. Just as he thinks he has the job finished, we, the audience, begin to ask the question: Can we trust this guy who is telling us what to believe? It sets the tone for what’s to come as we journey through his arc of redemption.

I am not really bothered by slow moments at all. I guess if you go into a film with certain expectations, it can be a bit of a letdown. Perhaps that may be the downfall of the film between its title and marketing. It reminds me of the film Drive – another masterpiece about a nameless driver. This films reminds me a lot of the example mentioned, but I recall that movie even getting criticisms because of certain expectations that were not meant. Personally, I love films that let the audience explore characters in the slower moments before delivering on the action. If you feel the same way, I am sure you will enjoy this.

As a longtime fan of the Hitman video game franchise, I was thrilled to see the film be probably the closest adaptation of what that should be. I don’t want to compare the two as David Fincher perfectly makes this film its own thing. If anything, it shows how the inspiration of video games can actually resonant with viewers through film. Maybe it was my love for that franchise, but I saw hints of that in this film that made me appreciate it even more.

It’s been a while since I have felt like David Fincher delivered a bad movie. The exception with this though is that it has been a while since Fincher has delivered a film with the same tone. The last time I felt this way was with his work on The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo. He brings the same amount of entry & tone with The Killer. Fincher understands how to slow down the story to give the main character enough time to feel like a real person. He spends enough time with actor Michael Fassbender to convey the idea that this is a real killer. We are thrown into the killer as he is at the beginning of how process. He starts off by studying his area and become accustomed with his surroundings. During this process, we see how keeps his brain active at the same time by doing stretches, exercises, and treats it like his new home. Between that and his own surveillance, you get the idea that this guy knows what he is doing. When the time the assassination is about occur, everything goes wrong within a millisecond and just then do we begin to really ask if this character is one that we can even depend on.

From here, you get the sense that he is a flawed character. One particular aspect I really appreciated here with the character is the narration, which is something I don’t normally like. The narration doesn’t feel like the main character is talking down to the audience. As he has to be mostly isolated, he talks to himself and luckily, we just get the chance to hear what he has to say. There is a film where there is no narration, which may be interesting within itself; however, the addition of the narration gives the audience the chance to connect with him. So, when the inciting incident occurs, he is a flawed character, yet he becomes one that is grounded to Earth. As he travels the world for various reasons, he blends in with the crowd not because of his disguises, but because of how the writing portrays him as. It’s a brilliant way to get the audience to connect with a character they typically wouldn’t want to.

Between the action & cinematography, this is close to The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, but as for themes, the film is at its closest to Fincher’s Fight Club. As mentioned, the writing brings the audience in on the ground floor and connect with the main character. The same thing can be said with Fight Club as we follow a character who is not a good person. Fight Club tackles its plot through the subject mental health, a theme that most can relate to. The Killer tackles it through showing mistakes caused by things that are out of control. We may be accustomed to our routines until certain variables cause mistakes out of our control. In the end, the overall theme gives the killer a journey of having to accept his mistakes, be at peace with it, and finally, live the best life he can afterwards. The viewer truly gets the chance to see these incredible themes through stellar action set pieces, well-written characters, and slowing the film down enough to cover important aspects.

Michael Fassbender is terrific as the nameless killer. It is really exciting to see him make a comeback of sorts after taking quite the hiatus between this & Next Goal Wins. It’s difficult to see what lies ahead for him though. Perhaps this film is a hyperbole of Fassbender’s career. Fassbender, as great as he is in nearly everything, has made subject to movies that did so poorly because of one video game adaptation, one film that forgot to film a significant amount of its scenes, and several other box-office bombs. It is no way his fault for what happen. With such a hiatus, maybe he will become more appreciated for his work and can begin again to be in roles that are deserving for him.

As for the other key aspects that worked, the cinematography. score, and side characters round up the quality of the film. The cinematography mimics Fincher’s earlier work as the camera focuses on unique objects to enhance the story. The score from Trent Reznor & Atticus Ross is another hit for the duo. As a longtime Nine Inch Nails fan, I am so glad to see Reznor showing his ability to compose scores for him. Lastly, the side characters are going to be big talking pieces. The side characters have minimal screen time, but have such grave importance to the story and highlight their own acting abilities. One aspect that I may have changed is the placement of the opening credits, which gives the impression that you are going to be thrown into a non-stop action film. Instead, placing that after the first chapter, where it would be titled prologue instead, may have helped other viewers manage their expectations.

Overall, The Killer is everything I needed it to be. David Fincher perfectly goes back to what makes his filmography work between the tone, cinematography, and script. I was not at all expecting to see this as a perfect masterpiece, but it managed to get better and better the more I thought about it. I can’t wait to see this again in the near future.

VERDICT: Perfect