The Killer review: David Fincher's revenge thriller is stylish and slight
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The Killer sees David Fincher back on Netflix and on more familiar territory than his 2020 biopic Mank, which was a personal project for the filmmaker. He's even teamed up again with Seven writer Andrew Kevin Walker to make it feel even more like classic Fincher.
And classic Fincher is exactly what you get from The Killer. It's not a stretch to say he saw a bit of himself in the lead character, an unnamed assassin who meticulously plans every detail and sticks to his plan, no matter what happens.
Where The Killer (Michael Fassbender) is using this mantra to carry out his latest hit, Fincher carefully plans every aspect of his movies for ultimate cinematic thrills. Everything is in its right place and the result is a stylish and slick revenge thriller, but you will be wishing there was a bit more to it.
Based on the graphic novel series of the same name, The Killer sees an assassin head on an international manhunt against his employers after a hit goes wrong, leading to consequences for those close to him.
If you're expecting a twisty and surprising revenge thriller, this isn't that movie. The Killer is split into six chapters, with the majority of them seeing the unnamed assassin go up against somebody who wronged him, including The Brute (Sala Baker), The Expert (Tilda Swinton) and The Lawyer (Charles Parnell).
The Killer is so good at what he does that you feel there's never any danger to him and it's telling that the standout chapter is the one with actual peril. Fincher stages an incredible fight scene between The Killer and The Brute that's brutal, funny and painful to watch. It even has an Antiques Roadshow connection.
Every other chapter is superbly crafted and there's also something to admire, such as Tilda Swinton's delivery of the 'hunter and the bear' joke. It's all quite formulaic and unsurprising though, so it's engaging in the moment but not likely to linger as some other Fincher movies have.
What The Killer always has in its favour though, aside from Fincher's impeccable craft, is the lead performance of Michael Fassbender. In his first movie role in four years, he's a perfect fit for the icy and detached assassin who battles a contradiction between his inner thoughts and real-life actions.
If the opening chapter – a long stretch of Fassbender looking out of a window and endless voiceover – could test viewers' patience, it sets up the more playful side of Fincher on show here. The Killer might think he's flawless, but it's apparent that those days are passed and Fassbender's dry delivery leads to several morbidly funny moments.
It's an unexpected element in a movie that arguably could do with more surprise. However, even mid-tier David Fincher is well worth your time, and The Killer is a stylish and gripping revenge thriller.
The Killer is available to watch now on Netflix.
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