the killer 2022 movie review

The Killer (2024)

John Woo ’s “ The Killer ” was a true gamechanger, at least for this critic. The one-two punch of Woo’s 1989 action masterpiece with his equally magnificent “Hard Boiled” changed the way I looked at the genre in my teens, and truly inspired hundreds of imitators. For anyone in my age range who can remember watching “The Killer” (likely on VHS) decades ago, the thought of remaking a flawless film feels cinematically heretical. And yet Hollywood has been circling such a project for decades with  Richard Gere  and  Nicolas Cage  once attached in the ‘90s. After years of false starts, a remake finally emerges, limping onto Peacock with almost no fanfare or promotion. Directed by Woo himself, the 2024 version of “The Killer” is obviously competently made–the Hong Kong director still knows how to stage an action sequence, well into his seventies—but the truth is that this version of the film does absolutely nothing better than the original. It’s a movie that’s generally watchable but almost instantly forgettable, which the best of Woo never is.

Nathalie Emmanuel  (Ramsey from the later “Fast and the Furious” movies) plays the mysterious Zee, a stealthy assassin for a powerful organization run by the vicious Finn ( Sam Worthington ). The “ Avatar ” actor nails a certain kind of slimy power figure, the one who will pretend to have your best interests in mind but only as far as it suits him personally. When Zee gets a job that requires an assassination via samurai sword in a Parisian nightclub, the assignment goes sideways with the blinding of a singer named Jenn ( Diana Silvers ). Despite the fact that she can’t exactly point the finger at the killer, Finn insists that Zee take out the witness, leading to moral crisis for the murderer for hire. While Zee tries to keep Jenn alive, a Paris cop named Sey ( Omar Sy  of “Lupin”) gets this incredible case and crosses paths with Zee, giving “The Killer” most of its narrative thrust in that it’s a story of a criminal and a cop who may not be as different as they first believe.

Clearly, a lot of the narrative beats of the original remain, although the gender swap naturally makes a pretty big difference both in the Zee/Jenn relationship and the dynamic between Zee & Sey. The sort of dance between a killer and a cop, which many over the years even read as homoerotic in the original, has been shifted by the change but hardly anything has been done with that shift. Changing race, gender, and location should give “The Killer” a different flavor, but the truth is that there’s just no seasoning. It’s as if the writers ( Brian Helgeland ,  Josh Campbell  & Martin Stuecken) figured the swaps alone would be interesting enough that they didn’t have to do anything more. It also just reeks of a script that has been in development for so long that all of the passion has been drained from it with rewrites, producer’s notes, and focus groups. The original hums with energy in not just its ace filmmaking but its narrative structure, and there’s just nothing to care about here in terms of plotting, while additions, like a few flashbacks to Zee’s origin story, feel half-hearted and cheap.

Part of the problem here is that Emmanuel just isn’t an interesting enough performer to sell the strong, silent cipher that Zee needs to be. I’m not usually a critic who likes to judge the movie that isn’t there but knowing that Lupita Nyong’o was once attached to this before COVID shut down production reveals even more flaws in Emmanuel’s work. Nyong’o can do so much with body language and her amazing eyes that it feels “The Killer” needed to work, and Emmanuel simply doesn’t have the same skill set. Sy makes out much better, reminding viewers how charming he can be, but Silvers is a non-character, used almost entirely as a device.

Of course, most people aren’t here for performance, and they just want to know about the Woo of it all. He once again leans into his clichés—there will be churches, candles, birds, and slo-mo—but there are some undeniably nifty stunt sequences in the film, especially in the final act’s graveyard shootout. It’s nice to see real stuntpeople showing off what they do best under the direction of a genre master, even if it does feel like he’s lost a beat in terms of pacing, both in action scenes and overall. There’s huge mid-film sag in this too-long movie in which people banter about how to finish jobs during which it will be hard for Peacock viewers at home to put down their phones.

And that makes me a little sad. John Woo movies used to strap you into your seat, making the rest of the world fall away as you appreciated their action artistry. That’s just not the case here. And my biggest concern comes in the overall sunsetting of physical media and lack of curation on streaming. Want to watch the original “The Killer”? It’s not streaming for rental anywhere and costs about $50 on Blu-ray. And that means that this faded copy is now easily the most accessible, and there will certainly be people who don’t even know about the first film when they watch it. In that sense, it’s not just a remake but a replacement. And that kills me.

Brian Tallerico

Brian Tallerico is the Managing Editor of RogerEbert.com, and also covers television, film, Blu-ray, and video games. He is also a writer for Vulture, The Playlist, The New York Times, and GQ, and the President of the Chicago Film Critics Association.

• Nathalie Emmanuel as Zee
• Omar Sy as Sey
• Sam Worthington as Finn
• Diana Silvers as Jenn
• Éric Cantona as Jules Gobert
• Saïd Taghmaoui as Prince Majeb Bin Faheem
• Brian Helgeland
• Josh Campbell
• Matthew Stuecken

Leave a comment

Now playing.

You Gotta Believe

The Becomers

The Supremes at Earl’s All-You-Can-Eat

Between the Temples

Blink Twice

Strange Darling

Close Your Eyes

Latest articles.

Venice Film Festival 2024: Prepping for the Biennale

Locarno Film Festival 2024: Wrap-Up of a Special Event

Albert Brooks Enriches Criterion Collection with “Real Life” and “Mother”

The Ambition of “Star Wars Outlaws” Overwhelms Its Flaws

The best movie reviews, in your inbox.

‘The Killer’ Review: David Fincher’s Hitman Thriller Is a Portrait of a Coldly Methodical Assassin Played by Michael Fassbender

It's all homicidal procedure: gripping at times, more conventional than Fincher thinks at others.

By Owen Gleiberman

Owen Gleiberman

Chief Film Critic

• ‘Blink Twice’ Review: Zoë Kravitz Proves She’s a Total Filmmaker in a #MeToo-Meets-‘Midsommar’ Thriller Starring a Sinister Channing Tatum 1 week ago
• Will the People Who Say They Love Cinema the Most Come Back to the Movies? 1 week ago
• ‘The Deliverance’ Review: Lee Daniels Directs a Demonic-Possession Movie in Which the Real Demons Are Personal (and Flamboyant) 2 weeks ago

In the bravura opening sequence of David Fincher ’s “ The Killer ,” we watch the title character, a cold-as-dry-ice professional hitman who is never named, as he prepares to assassinate his latest victim. The hit is taking place in Paris, and the target is some sort of powerful corporate tycoon who we, like the killer, know nothing about. His home occupies the entire penthouse floor of one of those ornate block-long Parisian apartment buildings. The killer, who is played by Michael Fassbender , has set up his sniper’s nest in an empty, darkened WeWork space across the street.

Related Stories

How Much Should AI Giants Pay Hollywood? What Insiders Say Has Stalled Any Licensing Deals

‘House of the Dragon’ Star Phia Saban Explains Helaena and Daemon’s Vision: 'Maybe It's Not That Literal'

Popular on variety.

The posters and ads for “The Killer,” a Netflix movie that’s premiering at the Venice Film festival, feature a terrific tagline: “Execution is everything.” The pun is crystal clear in its cleverness, yet there’s a third layer of meaning to it. For just as the killer’s execution of his job depends on coldly calibrating every moment (no empathy, no mistakes), Fincher has made “The Killer” with more or less the same attitude. The film is based on a French graphic novel, written by Alexis “Matz” Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, that was published in 12 volumes starting in 1998. And as staged by Fincher, from a meticulous bare-bones script by Andrew Kevin Walker (who wrote Fincher’s “Se7en”), the film is all about its own execution. It’s a minimalist nihilist action opera of procedure .

In that opening sequence, it works brilliantly, never more so than when the control-freak precision suddenly falls apart. For the killing does not go as planned. The target has a visitor, a statuesque woman done up in designer S&M regalia, and let’s just say that her presence gets in the way. When the hit fails to come off, it’s a major mess-up, and Fassbender, toting his lethal equipment and hopping on a motorbike, is as diligent and detail-oriented escaping from the crime scene as he was in setting it up.

But his cool façade starts to melt away after he takes a plane to the Dominican Republic, where he has a large house, which has been invaded. He rushes to the hospital, where his live-in partner (Sophie Charlotte) is laying in bed on a respirator. She has been attacked by goons who were hunting for Fassbender. As we learn, she told them nothing. But these are the stakes: You don’t screw up a hit like the one in the opening sequence without consequences. The forces of execution are now after him.

I don’t want to give away much more of “The Killer,” because the movie is all about discovering Fassbender’s journey of vengeance and self-defense right along with him. But I will say this: As carefully made and, at moments, ingenious as it is, the film never matches that opening sequence for sheer screw-tightening excitement. What the Fassbender character goes on to do, while it certainly holds our attention, starts to seem more and more like heightened but conventional variations on the actions of a whole lot of characters we’ve seen in a lot of other thrillers.

Fassbender learns that there were two executioners who came after him at his Dominican Republic home, and he’s got to confront both of him. He also has to find out who the original client was, and he does that, in one of the film’s more gripping sequences, by dressing as a delivery man with an oversize plastic waste bin and sneaking into the office of Hodges (Charles Parnell), the lawyer who recruited him into this business.

But watching the heroes of thrillers act with brutal efficiency (and a total lack of empathy for their victims) is not exactly novel. It’s there in every Jason Statham movie, in the Bond films, you name it. “The Killer” is trying to be something different, something more “real,” as if Fassbender were playing not just another genre character but an actual hitman. That’s why he has to use a pulse monitor to make sure his heartbeat is down to 72 before he pulls the trigger. It’s why he’s hooked on the Smiths, with their languid romantic anti-romanticism — though as catchy a motif as that is, you may start to think: If he’s such a real person, doesn’t he ever listen to music that’s not the Smiths? In “The Killer,” David Fincher is hooked on his own obsession with technique, his mystique of filmmaking-as-virtuoso-procedure. It’s not that he’s anything less than great at it, but he may think there’s more shading, more revelation in how he has staged “The Killer” than there actually is.

Fassbender, with his morose anonymity, is the perfect actor to inhabit this role, his sullen snake-like glare emitting silent notes of rage and fear. Yet it’s not like we ever feel close to this dude. And there’s one key episode that, for me, didn’t parse at all. Fassbender faces off against another killer, played by Tilda Swinton, and whatever excitement one feels at the casting is undermined by the decision to have Swinton play the character as a kind of abashed and typical British gentlewoman. Why does Fassbender get to go all cold-crazy-socio while Swinton doesn’t have the chance to create her own fatal stone freak? It feels like a lost opportunity, a stacked deck, and a case of a movie devoted to procedure suddenly winging its own rules.

Reviewed at Venice Film Festival, Sept. 3, 2023. MPA Rating: R. Running time: 118 MIN.

• Production: A Netflix release of a Plan B Entertainment, Boom! Studios, Panic Pictures (II) production. Producer: Ceán Chaffin.
• Crew: Director: David Fincher. Screenplay: Andrew Kevin Walker. Camera: Erik Messerschmidt. Editor: Kirk Baxter. Music: Trent Reznor, Atticus Ross.
• With: Michael Fassbender, Arliss Howard, Tilda Swinton, Charles Parnell, Sophie Charlotte, Kerrey O’Malley, Sala Baker, Sophie Charlotte.

More from Variety

Kino Lorber, Zeitgeist Buy Cannes’ Movie ‘Holy Cow,’ Winner of Un Certain Regard’s Youth Prize (EXCLUSIVE)

Content Owner Lawsuits Against AI Companies: Complete Updated Index

‘The Artist’ Director Michel Hazanavicius Says ‘People Have an Issue Addressing the Genocide Against Jews’

Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Toronto-Bound Icelandic Movie ‘When the Light Breaks’ Set for Theatrical Distribution Nearly Worldwide (EXCLUSIVE)

High-Resolution 8K Has Its Places, but TV Might Not Be One of Them

More from our brands, concert venues accuse yelp of pushing fake tickets.

Prima Ballerina Margot Fonteyn’s Sprawling London Mansion Hits the Market for $86 Million

Wells Fargo Hires Sports Banking Exec Peter Dorfman From Truist

The Best Loofahs and Body Scrubbers, According to Dermatologists

Lioness Season 2 Adds The Umbrella Academy’s Genesis Rodriguez

By providing your information, you agree to our Terms of Use and our Privacy Policy . We use vendors that may also process your information to help provide our services. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA Enterprise and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.

‘The Killer’ Review: John Woo’s Straight-to-Peacock Remake of His Own Action Classic Is Shockingly Good

David ehrlich.

• Share on Facebook
• Share to Flipboard
• Share on LinkedIn
• Show more sharing options
• Submit to Reddit
• Post to Tumblr
• Print This Page
• Share on WhatsApp

Needless to say, I wasn’t exactly filled with confidence when it was first announced that Woo intended to direct a Universal Pictures remake of “ The Killer ” (arguably the most famous of his Hong Kong films), and the pit at the bottom of my stomach only grew bigger at the news that it would premiere directly on Peacock. The project seemed destined to illustrate Woo’s fall-off on the saddest and most damning of terms; an all-too-fitting deathblow for a director who’s been chasing his own shadow for decades. 

By the time I sat down to stream this thing, I was barely holding out hope that it would be watchable , let alone represent a creative renaissance that delivered on the stray promise of 2017’s “Manhunt.” I had no reason to imagine that it would be Woo’s most satisfying movie of this millennium, or that repeating himself would be what finally inspired him to make something fresh. But that’s the beauty of being alive, isn’t it? Sometimes there’s God so quickly — even in the most deconsecrated of churches.

And they’ll have to if they want to enjoy how screenwriters Josh Campbell, Brian Helgeland, and Matt Stuecken have reimagined Woo’s story about a disillusioned hitman who develops romantic feelings for the lounge singer he accidentally blinds during his last job — and bromantic feelings for the detective who’s hot on his heels. Trading honorbound tragedy for action-comedy breeziness and the neon buzz of British Hong Kong for the radiant gloss of Olympic-ready Paris, this new version of “The Killer” often seems less indebted to “Le Samouraï” and Scorsese than it does to “Amélie” and Luc Besson. Purists might shudder at the change in tone, but it perfectly dovetails (and pigeon-tails) with the spirit of a director who’s less interested in recapturing the glory of his best work than he is in rediscovering the joy of a job well done. 

The decision to keep Jenn safe eventually makes Zee a target herself. On the one hand, her boss is determined to tie up loose ends (there’s some largely irrelevant context involving $350 million worth of stolen heroin). On the other hand, local detective Sey (charming French superstar Omar Sy) is equally determined to catch the killer behind the nightclub massacre, in the hopes that doing so might lead him to the people who ordered it. John Woo fans will be shocked to discover that it all comes to a head in the semi-abandoned church where Zee always hangs out — you know, the one that’s full of birds who always fly in slow-motion.

But this isn’t really a movie about, how do you say in French… ídeas. This is a movie about the way Emmanuel struts in slow-motion outside of Jenn’s nightclub as smoke billows off of the streets behind her, and how cool it is when she gets through a pat-down by hiding a deconstructed sword in her dress. This is a movie about posing Zee and Sey in a Mexican standoff with Jenn perfectly framed in a wheelchair between them. It’s a movie about the frisky split-screen that Woo introduces into scenes with the improvisational delight of free jazz (all the better to de-emphasize the story with), and the horny saxophone that Marco Beltrami’s score uses to inject actual jazz into the middle of an exuberantly staged hospital shootout (all the better to celebrate the fun of playing). 

“The Killer” is now streaming on Peacock.

Most Popular

You may also like.

• Skip to main content
• Keyboard shortcuts for audio player

Movie Reviews

• LISTEN & FOLLOW
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music

Your support helps make our show possible and unlocks access to our sponsor-free feed.

What happens when a hit man misses his mark? 'The Killer' is about to find out

Justin Chang

Michael Fassbender plays an assassin on the run in The Killer. Netflix hide caption

Michael Fassbender plays an assassin on the run in The Killer.

David Fincher has had murder on his mind for so long, in thrillers like Se7en , Zodiac and The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, that you almost have to laugh at his new movie's no-nonsense title: The Killer . It's adapted from a French graphic novel series by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and Luc Jacamon, about a hit man played here with cool precision by Michael Fassbender .

We never learn the killer's name; he has countless aliases and fake passports, which he uses to travel the globe, killing rich, powerful people at the behest of other rich, powerful people. He isn't troubled by questions of motive, let alone morality. For him, killing is just a job, one that demands the utmost commitment, patience and discipline, as he tells us in the acidly funny voiceover narration that runs through the movie.

The movie begins in Paris, where the killer has been hiding out for days in an empty WeWork space, waiting for his target, who lives in a swanky apartment across the street. We follow every detail of the killer's routine: the carefully scheduled naps, the fast-food runs, the yoga stretches he does to stay limber. He listens to The Smiths , his favorite band. And he uses a watch to monitor his pulse; his heart rate needs to be below 60 beats per minute when the time finally comes to pull the trigger.

Movie Interviews

Michael fassbender: portraying an addict's 'shame'.

But in a rare moment of bad luck for him, this particular job goes horribly awry, and he misses his mark. Amid the bloody fallout, he somehow manages a clean getaway: There's a beautifully edited sequence of Fassbender speeding through Paris at night on his motorcycle, discarding pieces of his rifle in different trash bins while Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross ' haunting electronic score surges in the background.

But the consequences of his mistake are immediate and devastating. Arriving back at his hideaway in the Dominican Republic, he finds that assailants have broken in and attacked his girlfriend, who barely managed to survive and is now hospitalized. The killer's employers, trying to mollify their disgruntled client, have clearly turned the tables on him — and he decides to repay them in kind. Killing, something that's so impersonal for him, has suddenly become deeply personal.

Pop Culture Happy Hour

'mank' leads oscar nominations in a year when it's easy to judge for yourself.

The plot, as laid out in Andrew Kevin Walker's perfectly paced script, is fairly standard revenge-thriller business. The killer's mission takes him to cities including New Orleans, New York and Chicago, where he breaks into his employers' office, gathers information and leaves a trail of bodies in his wake.

But the beauty of Fincher's filmmaking, as always, is in the ultra-meticulous details; this is a process movie in which the mundane becomes mesmerizing. The violence is startling but relatively brief. We spend a lot more time watching the killer make supply runs to hardware stores, Amazon delivery lockers and his own personal storage units around the country.

As in Fincher's 1999 classic, Fight Club , there's a whiff of late-capitalist satire here: After all, what is the killer but just another participant in the gig economy, only with above-average pay and especially lethal occupational hazards?

Who's Worth Your Trust In Fincher's Moody, Atmospheric 'Gone Girl'?

As he goes about his mission, the killer keeps repeating the same mantras: "Stick to the plan. Forbid empathy." The viewer, however, may feel sorry for some of the unlucky few who find themselves in the killer's sights — OK, maybe not the Brute, a hulking adversary who gets taken down in one bone-crunching, furniture-smashing action setpiece. But you can't help but feel for a rival assassin, played to perfection by Tilda Swinton in one exquisitely written and directed scene.

Spacey And Fincher Make A 'House Of Cards'

Fassbender's performance is also a thing of chilled beauty; like Alain Delon in Jean-Pierre Melville's 1967 hit-man classic, Le Samouraï , he gives a cipher-like man of action an undeniable glimmer of soul. Even as he dispenses his glib aphorisms and spills his trade secrets in his running commentary, Fassbender's killer retains a crucial air of mystery. No matter how carefully he plots his every move, he still proves capable of surprising himself and us.

I'm not suggesting his story cries out for a sequel, but by the time this very dark comedy reaches its strangely sunny ending, you're curious to see what job this killer — and Fincher himself — might take on next.

• Trending on RT

David Fincher's The Killer First Reviews: A Gritty, Straightforward, and Surprisingly Funny Thriller

Critics at the venice film festival say fincher's latest echoes some of his past work — and other similar thrillers — but it's more accessible and narrowly focused, and michael fassbender is captivating in the title role..

TAGGED AS: festivals , First Reviews , movies

Here’s what critics are saying about David Fincher’s The Killer :

What can fans expect from The Killer ?

“A return to form for Fincher… A welcomed reminder that when it comes to gritty investigations of violent circumstances, few people can do it better.” – Josh Parham, Next Best Picture

“An accomplished and entertaining thriller.” – Jo-Ann Titmarsh, London Evening Standard

“A thriller of pure surface and style and managed with terrific flair.” – Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

“If you ever wondered what Fincher’s Bond might have looked like, this could be it.” – Jane Crowther, Total Film

“ The Killer is an anti-Bond, anti-super-cool-assassin film, an exercise in subverting expectations.” – Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter

“ The Killer is almost a B-movie, committing to the trappings of its genre and embracing schlockiness like previous Fincher films Panic Room and The Game .” – Adam Solomons, Awards Watch

“The Jeanne Dielman of assassin movies.” – Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire

(Photo by ©Netflix)

How does it compare to other Fincher movies?

“This is Fincher at his most accessible.” – Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire

“Though it doesn’t have the complexity of Zodiac or the resonance of The Social Network , this may be Fincher’s sleekest and most uncomplicatedly entertaining film of the current century.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

“It’s one of the filmmaker’s more commercial movies [with] a layer of added nuance.” – Jane Crowther, Total Film

“It’s the smallest-scale and most intimately focused movie of Fincher’s career.” – Adam Solomons, Awards Watch

“ The Killer is the simplest, most straightforward, and superficial narrative of his filmography.” – Manuel São Bento, FandomWire

“It is genuinely startling that this chilly hit-man drama feels most like a sideways follow-up to The Social Network than anything else.” – Ben Croll, The Wrap

“It’s a lurid crime thriller that, to some degree, chimes with Fincher’s 1995 masterpiece Se7en .” – James Mottram, South China Morning Post

“While this isn’t the brilliant Zodiac , it isn’t the paltry Mank , either.” – Rafaela Sales Ross, The Playlist

But haven’t we seen this kind of movie before?

“While it certainly holds our attention, [it] starts to seem more and more like heightened but conventional variations on the actions of a whole lot of characters we’ve seen in a lot of other thrillers.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

“There’s nothing about this hit man (seemingly emotionless but fragile on the inside) that’s particularly different from thousands of other big-screen hit men.” – Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict

What makes The Killer better?

“What elevates The Killer are its loftier ideas about the rules for life we impose on ourselves, and what it means to be, sometimes, unexceptional like everyone else.” – Adam Solomons, Awards Watch

“What it has to offer that’s any different from countless similar tales lies in the minutiae rather than the mayhem.” – Alonso Duralde, The Film Verdict

“Watching a master filmmaker and a masterful actor quietly go to work on a by-the-numbers revenge rampage story is never a bad thing.” – Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire

“Instead of overloading his story with fussy layers, Fincher pares everything back to the genre’s essence… In Fincher’s hands, that narrowed focus expands the genre’s possibilities rather than shrinking them.” – Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine

How is Michael Fassbender’s performance?

“Fassbender is hauntingly mesmerizing.” – Manuel São Bento, FandomWire

“Fassbender is consistently a captivating force… an appropriate vessel.” – Josh Parham, Next Best Picture

“Fassbender is eerily effective in his embodiment of utter emotionlessness.” – Rafaela Sales Ross, The Playlist

“He hasn’t sat with such intensity since Hunger .” – Rory O’Connor, The Film Stage

“His performance here most resembles his work in X-Men: First Class .” – Adam Solomons, Awards Watch

Is it worth watching for the action?

“There’s some nifty hand-to-hand combat, shot in tasteful low light — the sight of two silhouettes beating the crap out of one another becomes a kind of shadow-puppetry.” – Stephanie Zacharek, TIME Magazine

“A stand-out fight scene is chaotic enough that it really looks like two men kicking the ever-loving Christ out of each other, instead of like a choreographed dance.” – Hannah Strong, Little White Lies

“The off-the-rails violence is as balletic and beautiful as Amazing Amy Dunne slashing open Neil Patrick Harris’ throat in Gone Girl .” – Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire

“As carefully made and, at moments, ingenious as it is, the film never matches that opening sequence for sheer screw-tightening excitement.” – Owen Gleiberman, Variety

Is the film funny as well?

“Absolutely hilarious.” – Serena Seghedoni, Loud and Clear Reviews

“The filmmakers wring an awful lot of wit from this frigid world. Andrew Kevin Walker’s screenplay is chock-full of delicious lines delivered by Fassbender in a deadpan VoiceOver.” – Ben Croll, The Wrap

“The gags are plentiful – whether that’s Tilda Swinton telling a bear joke, a close-to-the-bone comment about a wheelie bin, or the comedic appearance of a parmesan grater during a terrific house brawl.” – Jane Crowther, Total Film

“For all its grimness, The Killer is, indeed, something of a big joke throughout.” – Donald Clarke, Irish Times

The Killer premiered at the Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2023. It opens in theaters in limited release on October 27, 2023 before hitting Netflix on November 10, 2023.

Thumbnail image by Netflix

On an Apple device? Follow Rotten Tomatoes on Apple News.

Related News

2024 Fall Horror Preview

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

Weekend Box Office: Deadpool & Wolverine Is Back on Top

Poll: Vote for Your Most Anticipated TV or Streaming Show of September

Movie & TV News

Featured on rt.

Disney: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies

August 27, 2024

August 26, 2024

Top Headlines

• Disney: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies –
• Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch –
• 30 Most Popular Movies Right Now: What to Watch In Theaters and Streaming –
• 25 Most Popular TV Shows Right Now: What to Watch on Streaming –
• 100 Best Musical Movies of All Time –
• Box Office 2024: Top 10 Movies of the Year –

Log in or sign up for Rotten Tomatoes

Trouble logging in?

By continuing, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes and to receive email from the Fandango Media Brands .

By creating an account, you agree to the Privacy Policy and the Terms and Policies , and to receive email from Rotten Tomatoes.

Email not verified

Let's keep in touch.

Sign up for the Rotten Tomatoes newsletter to get weekly updates on:

• Upcoming Movies and TV shows
• Rotten Tomatoes Podcast
• Media News + More

By clicking "Sign Me Up," you are agreeing to receive occasional emails and communications from Fandango Media (Fandango, Vudu, and Rotten Tomatoes) and consenting to Fandango's Privacy Policy and Terms and Policies . Please allow 10 business days for your account to reflect your preferences.

OK, got it!

• About Rotten Tomatoes®
• Login/signup

Movies in theaters

• Opening this week
• Top box office
• Coming soon to theaters
• Certified fresh movies

Movies at home

• Fandango at Home
• Prime Video
• Most Popular Streaming Movies
• Certified Fresh Movies
• What to Watch New

Certified fresh picks

• 74% Blink Twice Link to Blink Twice
• 96% Strange Darling Link to Strange Darling
• 86% Between the Temples Link to Between the Temples

New TV Tonight

• 98% Only Murders in the Building: Season 4
• 80% City of God: The Fight Rages On: Season 1
• -- The Lord of the Rings: The Rings of Power: Season 2
• -- Kaos: Season 1
• -- Here Come the Irish: Season 1
• -- Terminator Zero: Season 1
• -- Horror's Greatest: Season 1
• -- After Baywatch: Moment in the Sun: Season 1

Most Popular TV on RT

• 100% Dark Winds: Season 2
• 92% Bad Monkey: Season 1
• 100% Pachinko: Season 2
• 96% Industry: Season 3
• 33% The Accident: Season 1
• 78% Star Wars: The Acolyte: Season 1
• Best TV Shows
• Most Popular TV
• TV & Streaming News

Certified fresh pick

• 98% Only Murders in the Building: Season 4 Link to Only Murders in the Building: Season 4
• All-Time Lists
• Binge Guide
• Comics on TV
• Five Favorite Films
• Video Interviews
• Weekend Box Office
• Weekly Ketchup
• What to Watch

Disney: 100 Years, 100 Essential Movies

Best Horror Movies of 2024 Ranked – New Scary Movies to Watch

What to Watch: In Theaters and On Streaming

Awards Tour

2024 Fall Horror Preview

The Most Anticipated Movies of 2024

• Trending on RT
• Re-Release Calendar
• Sonic 3 Trailer
• Venice Film Festival
• Verified Hot Movies

The Killer Reviews

If the plot is a little sketchy, the action, conversely, is drum tight.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/5 | Apr 25, 2023

Boasting superbly choreographed fight scenes, The Killer is John Wick on steroids. Slickly filmed, it motors along at a breakneck pace and oozes cool like only Asian cinema can.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Apr 25, 2023

The Killer is brilliant, no-nonsense entertainment from start to finish, the pace never lagging as bullets fly and faces explode, right up to the equally fat-free final scene, the movie ending exactly as it should.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Mar 29, 2023

"The Killer: A Girl Who Deserves To Die" is one of the best action movies of the year and a return to a cinematic past of Korean movies that I feel many have missed significantly.

Full Review | Original Score: 7.5 | Jan 4, 2023

The action choreography in The Killer belies its modest budget and makes a believable action star out of Jang Hyuk who perfectly treads the line between sociopathic assassin and husband with a heart of gold.

Full Review | Aug 15, 2022

It is in large part Jang Hyuk's acting which makes this film work.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 5, 2022

A frenetic action movie about a tired-of-life assassin that begins with a hatchet fight? From the director and star of The Swordsman? Uh, that’s a big old hell yes.

Full Review | Original Score: B+ | Aug 4, 2022

Truthfully, for fans of the humor and action of John Wick, The Killer is right up their alley. A recipe for a great film that ticks every box on my action fan checklist.

Full Review | Original Score: 8/10 | Aug 3, 2022

In a word, "The Killer" slays. It balances heart and emotion with a cold calculation that delivers the body count action fans want in a myriad of ways.

Full Review | Original Score: 4/5 | Aug 3, 2022

But The Killer, like its predecessor, doesn’t warrant generosity. It’s a shallow retread of already shallow ground, a contemporary setting update to a historical version of the same bad movie.

Full Review | Jul 21, 2022

If you just want action, The Killer is for you.

Full Review | Original Score: 8.5/10 | Jul 18, 2022

The Killer has John Wick style and exhilarating fights. While a hard-hitting look at South Korea’s underworld of sex trafficking, it’s too focused on its titular killer that the film forgets about the victim he’s protecting.

Full Review | Jul 16, 2022

While it hardly breaks new ground as an action-thriller, I’m still happy to see it on the big screen and think about the better Korean films that are surely coming behind it.

Full Review | Jul 14, 2022

Choi Jae-hoon’s film has action and mood to spare, more than enough to compensate for the shallow and hollow plot that ties its set pieces together.

While the tightly choreographed action scenes in “The Killer” take their cue from “John Wick” and “The Man From Nowhere,” the film lacks heart.

Full Review | Jul 13, 2022

The Killer works as a slight variation on familiar material, thanks in large part to Jang's performance, and a dependable vehicle for vibrant action.

Full Review | Original Score: 3/4 | Jul 13, 2022

Jang is famous for choreographing his own fight scenes, and indeed, with any other star at the helm, “The Killer” would feel rote, if not far less lively.

Full Review | Jul 12, 2022

The Killer Review

27 Oct 2023

The Killer (2023)

David Fincher is back on familiar terrain. His last film, 2020’s  Mank , felt like an unusual left-turn: a deeply personal period passion project, co-written with his late father, it was as sweepingly romantic as it was slyly cynical — but, with such a narrow focus and such niche preoccupations, it held less mainstream appeal than his usual fare. With  The Killer  (adapted from the French graphic novel  Le Tueur , by writer Matz and artist Luc Jacamon), the director returns to the kind of material that cemented his status as one of Hollywood’s most singular, incisive, ingenious genre filmmakers: bringing his unique artistic rigour to familiar blockbuster components.

It’s thrilling to see him back in the thriller world. A sweatily suspenseful opening sequence (the film comprises six chapters, plus prologue and epilogue; even the structure is neat) establishes the universe with ferocious clarity. As that prosaic title suggests, our focus is almost entirely on one assassin, a hitman-for-hire never named, and played with unblinking, icy intensity by Michael Fassbender — his first screen role in four years . When we meet him, he’s in the midst of a job: to take out a wealthy target in a luxury Paris hotel.

Through Fassbender’s coolly delivered, dry-as-dust voiceover, which falls somewhere between first-person novelistic narration and the character’s own internal monologue, we learn a little of what it takes to do what he does. He is pure efficiency, methodical to the nth degree; every scenario gamed, every outcome foreseen. He practises yoga and repeats meditative mantras (“Stick to the plan... Weakness is vulnerability”), which would sound like new-agey corporate motivation techniques, if they weren’t in service of murder. He listens to The Smiths to slow his resting heart rate, Morrissey’s morose warbling penetrating the film’s soundtrack throughout (and now, hilariously, forever associated with sociopaths). He is, in short, a well-oiled machine.

It is pure pleasure to luxuriate in imagery made with such obvious, deliberate care.

And then... something goes wrong. His Parisian hit — a simple “Annie Oakley” job, as The Killer puts it — goes awry, seemingly down to a very human distraction, sowing the first shred of doubt that this cold, heartless man is as robotically detached as he claims. It sets in motion a series of events that sees his stock- in-trade violence seep into his private life, initiating a jet-setting revenge yarn that recalls everything from  Death Wish  to  Kill Bill .

Though nothing quite matches that opening salvo for pure cut-glass tension, some brilliantly staged sequences soon follow. Particular shout-outs must go to a staggeringly well- choreographed fight with another man known only as ‘The Brute’, played by Sala Baker (aka Sauron from Peter Jackson’s  The Lord Of The Rings ), which could jostle  John Wick: Chapter 4  for best fight scene of the year; and a more cerebral stand-off with a fellow assassin, played with typical intrigue by Tilda Swinton .

Throughout it all, as you might well expect, Fincher’s filmmaking is immaculate. It is pure pleasure to luxuriate in imagery made with such obvious, deliberate care. You feel his precise framing, his careful composition, his notorious multiple takes. It seems, too, like Fincher is drawing on his past strengths: you can recognise the patient procedural plotting of  Seven  or  Zodiac , the nihilistic themes and sardonic narration of  Fight Club , the ruthless, unsettling violence of  The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo , the outlandish moral relativism of  Gone Girl .

But what does it all amount to? To the very end, The Killer remains something of a cipher, a blank canvas of a human. We are welcomed inside the head of this unthinkable perspective, without ever truly learning the whys or the wherefores. Is Fincher pondering the soul-cost that such a vocation might bring, a theme even the most recent Bond films have toyed with? Is it another angry screed on capitalism and masculinity? Should we even draw parallels between The Killer’s diligent approach to work and Fincher’s own fastidiousness (a lazy comparison, perhaps, but one the director seems to invite)? Or should we just take it all at face value — simply a slickly made genre exercise, enough on its own merits?

After such a strong build-up, the film’s ultimate arm’s-length aloofness might feel frustrating, especially in its muted finale. For a director who crafted two of the best endings in cinema history ( Fight Club  and  Seven ),  The Killer ’s climax, ultimately, proves to be curiously anticlimactic. David Fincher is unarguably a master filmmaker, so with every new film of his, fairly or not, you expect a masterpiece.  The Killer  doesn’t quite reach that level — but even then, most filmmakers would kill to make something this good.

Related Articles

Movies | 29 04 2022

Movies | 29 09 2023

Movies | 27 09 2023

Movies | 25 09 2023

Movies | 22 09 2023

‘The Killer’ Film Review: Korean Thriller Can’t Escape Tired Action-Movie Tropes

The plot wavers between the familiar and the baffling, but the action delivers

Choi Jae-Hoon’s “The Killer” has it all: a missing young girl, a man in over his head and a conspiracy that goes all the way up to the top. If that sounds familiar, it’s because Choi’s film, though full of slick action, relies on familiar tropes from gritty thrillers of the past to make too much of a name for itself.

“The Killer” stars Jang Hyuk (Choi’s “The Swordsman”) as the titular killer, Bang Ui-gang, a semi-retired assassin-for-hire, eager to settle down with his wife (Lee Chae-young) and get into the home renovation business. She leaves him to go on an all-too-normal girls’ weekend, entrusting him with the responsibility of her friend’s stepdaughter, Kim Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young), a 17-year-old girl with a wayward streak.

Ui-gang and Seo-young make for an odd pair: He’s a childless man in his 40s, with a stern, abiding sense of law and order, and she’s a teenager looking for a good time. But Seo-young’s wild streak lands her in trouble, and before he knows it, Ui-gang is searching all over town to get her back from meddlesome gangsters.

If the set-up sounds somewhat convoluted (how many people are tasked with taking care of their significant other’s friend’s nearly-adult child they’ve never met before?), then the plot that follows will feel equally hare-brained, if not entertaining, full of twists and turns that add plenty of suspense, assuming you don’t think too hard about them. Based on the popular 2018 novel by Bang Jin-Ho (initially titled “The Girl Deserves To Die”), “The Killer” keeps a steady focus on Ui-gang who is just as baffled, if not determined, to get through the events of the film as the audience.

Luckily, and perhaps where it counts the most, the action in “The Killer” is, well, pretty killer. Jang is a confident, competent leading man, slick and entertaining to watch, as gruff as he may come off to his peers and adversaries. Choi stages the action as an unforgiving and bloody melee, never quite letting the viewer forget that what’s happening is violent, with a very human cost. The neon interiors and narrow hallways make for a killer’s playground, and everything from guns to axes counts as a weapon. Jang is famous for choreographing his own fight scenes, and indeed, with any other star at the helm, “The Killer” would feel rote, if not far less lively.

Here too the cinematography feels surprising, the camera swooping and bouncing with a type of choreography of its own. More importantly, the action sequences are fun, full of personality and creative (if not a little gruesome) kills. Though “The Killer” is intended to contextualize itself in a genre, it’s often at its best when it’s bucking those tropes in lieu of sleek, dramatic action.

There have been a slew of revenge-centric action thrillers over the past few years, many (if not most) of which revolve around a missing girl. Whether she’s the protagonist’s wife, daughter, or wife’s friend’s daughter, the trope hovers around exhaustion. It would be one thing if Yoon-ji felt more distinctive in the film, but she’s tricky to nail down, inconsistent in wants and present on-screen only when convenient.

Indeed, “The Killer” slows when it addresses the problem of Yoon-ji. Ui-gang isn’t too keen on getting to know her, and in turn, the audience doesn’t get to either. Most of the women in the film are either helpless saints or cruel deviants, none of whom have extended screen time or legitimate development.

If only “The Killer” consisted of more action, then, because otherwise Choi’s film feels caught up in the who-what-when-where of it all. The first act of “The Killer” is so intent on stating and restating its premise that by the time the action kicks in, it’s been easy to forget what type of film it’s supposed to be. But as Jang kicks and punches and shoots his way through mansions and warehouses full of gangsters, there’s an unparalleled liveliness that makes it hard not to long for a sharper script, or at least a less complicated one. When it comes to a story we know well — the damsel in distress, her knight in bloody armor — cut the mythology and get to the slaying.

“The Killer” opens in U.S. theaters July 13.

Advertisement

Supported by

‘The Killer’ Review: Stylistic Action Without the Heart

In this South Korean film, a teenage girl kidnapped by human traffickers brings an assassin out of retirement to save her.

• Share full article

By Robert Daniels

It was only days ago that the retired assassin Ui-gang (Jang Hyuk) was enjoying a happy life with his wife (Bang Eun-jung). Now, after the kidnapping of a girl in the director Choi Jae-hoon’s muscular action flick “The Killer,” Ui-gang is facing down a barrage of goons in a narrow hallway to rescue her. He doesn’t flinch when an ax whizzes past his ear. Instead, with unblinking precision, he tears through two would-be killers while a shocked group of tough guys watch in fear from an elevator.

Choi spends the first half of the film building back to this moment: Ui-Gang’s wife wants to take a trip with her friend, who has a teenage daughter, Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young). An unamused Ui-gang is charged with babysitting the girl while the pair go on vacation. Soon after they leave, the 17-year-old is kidnapped by a sex-trafficking ring with Russian ties. Whoever is pulling the strings specifically wants Yoon-ji and Ui-gang needs to kill that person to save the girl.

While the tightly choreographed action scenes in “The Killer” take their cue from “John Wick” and “The Man From Nowhere,” the film lacks heart.

Adapted from the novel “The Girl Who Deserves to Die” by Bang Jin-ho, the screenwriter Nam Ji-woong’s undercooked script leaves the interpersonal dynamics between Ui-gang and his wife underwritten. While the nimble Jang holds together the robust action sequences — bloody freakouts often captured in slow motion — no one else grounds any of the scenes with any emotion. Consequently, “The Killer” fails to land a real knockout blow.

The Killer Not rated. In Korean, with subtitles. Running time: 1 hour 35 minutes. In theaters.

• COMING SOON
• OUT NOW - US
• COMING SOON - US

• COMPETITIONS

Eye For Film >> Movies >> The Killer (2022) Film Review

Reviewed by: Jennie Kermode

At first glance, Choi Jae-hoon’s latest thriller, which screened at the 2022 Fantasia International Film Festival , may look like something you’ve seen several times before. A retired hitman asked to protect a teenage girl who then gets kidnapped, forcing him out of retirement? It’s not the most original premise – yet in Choi’s hands it manages to be both innovative and respectful, and very thrilling indeed.

The hitman of the title is Bang Ui-gang, played by Jang Hyuk, an actor whose CV is considerably more diverse than that of most who might handle the physical demands of this role. That’s important, because it is in large part his acting which makes this film work. Although it’s never stated directly, it becomes clear over time that Ui-gang could live the life he did because he doesn’t have empathy. He does, however, have a sense of morality, and he’s capable of feeling affection, especially towards his wife – indeed, the way he safeguards her emotional well-being suggests that he treasures their bond all the more because that experience has been difficult for him to find. He’s haunted by the memory of a lonely girl who once hired him as a form of suicide. He couldn’t understand why she was so unhappy, and it seems that he has been searching for the answer ever since, fascinated by the strangeness of other people.

There are echoes here of Steven Yeun’s performance in Burning – Ui-gang is not the same kind of villainous character, but he is also somebody whose emotional landscape is significantly different from the norm, and like Yeun, Jang understands that this shouldn’t be confused with blankness. Ui-gang is always an engaging character even if he sometimes seems alien, and the journey of discovery which he makes over the course of the film adds a whole extra dimension to it, keeping it intellectual interesting as we are entertained by the action.

This experience of learning parallels that of the film’s other main character, Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young), who, at 17, is just beginning to explore the possibilities of an independent life but still needs an adult around to look out for her. This is the role which Ui-gang is asked to fill so that his wife can enjoy a short break on Jeju island in the company of Yoon-ji’s mother. He’s resentful about it, but casual observations of the ugly way that other men treat young women persuades him that it’s necessary, even in Yoon-ji thinks she can do everything on her own. This is proven to be the case when she’s targeted by a trafficking ring, prompting a quick demonstration of just what he’s capable of. When other teenager who were present during this incident subsequently turn up dead, however, Ui-gang becomes a suspect and decides to investigate the matter himself. He wonders why Yoon-ji in particular has captured the gang’s interest, and, as she remains in peril, goes in search of answers.

As you would expect, this quest involves a lot of fighting, much of it bloody. The fight choreography is impressive, with a focus on short sequences which allow for the camera to be close to the action, rather than long, roaming set pieces. Occasional comedy moments in the fight scenes don’t always hit the mark, but additional stunt work is woven in very effectively, and Choi knows how to use this to build tension. Here, the fighting is designed to provide excitement but is never allowed to distract from the story, nor to allow respite from the sense of urgency which accompanies much of what Ui-gang has to do. Jang’s fighting style is minimalist, focused on efficiency, whilst some of the other performers use a more showy approach consistent with their characters’ motives. This allows Ui-gang to come across as cooler and more focused, befitting a man who once did this on a professional basis.

There are twists and turns, of course – some more convincing than others – and the sort of plot contrivances which you would expect from this kind of fare. Through it all, Choi evidences a preoccupation with misogyny (which comes from women as well as men), and though the female characters are not positioned as helpless or lacking in agebcy, they are shown to be systematically disadvantaged. Ui-gang’s distance allows him to observe this as a systemic issue rather than being distracted by the specific behaviour of individuals, but over time it clearly influences where his sympathies lie, and is a contributing factor in the bond he develops with Yoon-ji, which feels nothing like the usual cheesy pseudo-parental relationship found in similar action films.

A stylish, energetic piece of action cinema, The Killer will keep you on the edge of your seat, but it will also give you something to think about afterwards.

Director: Choi Jae-hun

Writer: Nam Ji-Woong

Starring: Jang Hyuk, Lee Seo-young, Bang Eun-Jung

Runtime: 95 minutes

Country: South Korea

Search database:

• News & Features

Common Sense Media

Movie & TV reviews for parents

• For Parents
• For Educators
• Our Work and Impact

Or browse by category:

• Movie Reviews
• Best Movie Lists
• Best Movies on Netflix, Disney+, and More

Common Sense Selections for Movies

50 Modern Movies All Kids Should Watch Before They're 12

• Best TV Lists
• Best TV Shows on Netflix, Disney+, and More
• Common Sense Selections for TV
• Video Reviews of TV Shows

Best Kids' Shows on Disney+

Best Kids' TV Shows on Netflix

• Book Reviews
• Best Book Lists
• Common Sense Selections for Books

8 Tips for Getting Kids Hooked on Books

50 Books All Kids Should Read Before They're 12

• Game Reviews
• Best Game Lists

Common Sense Selections for Games

• Video Reviews of Games

Nintendo Switch Games for Family Fun

• Podcast Reviews
• Best Podcast Lists

Common Sense Selections for Podcasts

Parents' Guide to Podcasts

• App Reviews
• Best App Lists

Social Networking for Teens

Gun-Free Action Game Apps

Reviews for AI Apps and Tools

• YouTube Channel Reviews
• YouTube Kids Channels by Topic

Parents' Ultimate Guide to YouTube Kids

YouTube Kids Channels for Gamers

• Preschoolers (2-4)
• Little Kids (5-7)
• Big Kids (8-9)
• Pre-Teens (10-12)
• Teens (13+)
• Screen Time
• Social Media
• Online Safety
• Identity and Community

How to Help Kids Build Character Strengths with Quality Media

• Family Tech Planners
• Digital Skills
• All Articles
• Latino Culture
• Black Voices
• Asian Stories
• Native Narratives
• LGBTQ+ Pride
• Best of Diverse Representation List

Multicultural Books

YouTube Channels with Diverse Representations

Podcasts with Diverse Characters and Stories

• Common Sense Says
• Parents Say 4 Reviews
• Kids Say 3 Reviews

Common Sense Media Review

Violent, stylish hitman story is shallow but never boring.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that The Killer is director David Fincher's crime thriller about a professional assassin (Michael Fassbender) who botches a job and must deal with the fallout. Violence is intense: Characters are shot and killed, blood spatters, a woman's neck is snapped, a house is set on fire, and there…

Why Age 16+?

People are shot and killed; lots of blood spray. A character shot in chest three

Sporadic use of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "Jesus f---ing Christ," "Christ"

Couple briefly seen having sex from a distance through a window; a naked bottom

Character buys and eats food from McDonald's, talks about the benefits of gettin

Secondary character orders and gulps down several shots of expensive Scotch. Bac

Any Positive Content?

Virtually all of the movie's focus is on the White male main character. Several

No clear positive messages. The frequent narration is largely about the meaningl

Aside from his skills and discipline as a murderer and criminal, the killer is c

Violence & Scariness

People are shot and killed; lots of blood spray. A character shot in chest three times with a nail gun dies slowly, making choking, gurgling sounds. A woman's neck is snapped; her body tumbles down stairs. A character slips on ice and falls and gets shot in head; a knife is in her hand. Brutal fight between two people includes punching, pounding, slamming, destruction of furniture and property, hitting with a fireplace poker, stabbing in leg, lots of blood. Lots and lots of guns. House set on fire with Molotov cocktail. Beaten woman in hospital with swollen face and eyes, stitches in forehead. She's said to have internal bleeding. Ransacked house with blood smears all over walls. Spoken story about a bear repeatedly sodomizing a hunter.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sporadic use of "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," "Jesus f---ing Christ," "Christ" as an exclamation, and "oh my God."

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Couple briefly seen having sex from a distance through a window; a naked bottom is seen as a man lies between a woman's legs. A sex worker wears a leather outfit and pulls out a club of some kind, preparing to go to work on her client, but is interrupted. Main character undresses; chest and buttocks briefly seen.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Character buys and eats food from McDonald's, talks about the benefits of getting "protein" easily and cheaply. Starbucks coffee, Ensure nutrition drink. Character picks up an Amazon package from an Amazon drop-off station. Character rents a WeWork space. Mention of Google. FedEx truck shown. Hertz car rental facility and logo shown. Several vehicle brands shown, including Ford Transit, Kia, etc. Postmates mentioned.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Secondary character orders and gulps down several shots of expensive Scotch. Background characters drink whiskey. Character feeds sleeping pills to a dog. Character uses bottle of alcohol as a Molotov cocktail, setting a house on fire. Bodybuilders mention creatine.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Diverse Representations

Virtually all of the movie's focus is on the White male main character. Several minor characters are seen in just one or two scenes each and are almost all victims. The killer's handler, a lawyer, is Black (Charles Parnell), and a female administrator (Kerry O'Malley) works with him. The killer's secret hideout is in the Dominican Republic, and his girlfriend is played by Sophie Charlotte, who has German and Brazilian parents. Her brother is played by Colombian actor Emiliano Pernía. Other characters of color in small or background roles.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Positive Messages

No clear positive messages. The frequent narration is largely about the meaninglessness of life and people's lack of goodness, and the plot is mainly about revenge.

Positive Role Models

Aside from his skills and discipline as a murderer and criminal, the killer is completely lacking in admirable qualities. His main goal is vengeance, and he faces few consequences for his actions.

Parents need to know that The Killer is director David Fincher 's crime thriller about a professional assassin ( Michael Fassbender ) who botches a job and must deal with the fallout. Violence is intense: Characters are shot and killed, blood spatters, a woman's neck is snapped, a house is set on fire, and there's a brutal fight with punching, bashing, slamming, bleeding wounds, and general destruction. Many guns are seen. A man's bare buttocks are visible as he lies between a woman's legs, and the main character is shown partly naked in another scene, his bare buttocks visible. A sex worker prepares to entertain a male customer. Sporadic language includes "f--k," "motherf----r," "s--t," exclamatory use of "Jesus Christ," and more. Many brands are shown and mentioned, including McDonald's, Amazon, Starbucks, etc. A character drinks several shots of whiskey, and a man feeds sleeping pills to a dog. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Parent and Kid Reviews

• Parents say (4)
• Kids say (3)

Based on 4 parent reviews

too much violence

What's the story.

In THE KILLER, the titular killer ( Michael Fassbender ) is an assassin for hire who's on his latest job in Paris. He narrates the minutiae of his work, his preferred mental state, his methods for avoiding evidence, etc. But after prepping and waiting for several days, he squeezes the trigger -- and misses his target. The fallout begins almost immediately. He returns to his hideout in the Dominican Republic and finds it ransacked and his companion (Sophie Charlotte) brutally injured. He begins an intricate plan of revenge, which means tracking down every single person involved, no matter how powerful or how well-protected they are. But can he stick to his regimented principles, or will passion take over?

Is It Any Good?

This story of a lone contract killer is shallow, familiar, and based on pessimistic and narrow philosophies of life, but it's rich with craft and style. The Killer moves beautifully and is never boring. After a career spent exploring violence and hubris in twisty, complex ways, filmmaker David Fincher offers perhaps his simplest work yet in this stripped-down thriller. It's based on a French graphic novel by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and Luc Jacamon (whose work also provided the basis for Walter Hill's Bullet to the Head ), and it borrows from movies like Grosse Pointe Blank , The American , and Gemini Man , stories of lone wolves and their meticulous methods.

The Killer is broken up into neat chapters that are set in various locations and peopled with characters that don't even have names. At some point, many viewers may find themselves wondering what it all means and coming up empty. But watching the title killer execute his intricate plans, an ace up his sleeve at every turn, is positively mesmerizing. Fincher's crisp editing and visual storytelling are as taut and lean and muscular as Fassbender himself. Ultimately, The Killer may not offer any lingering deep thoughts or solutions to the mysteries of life, but it certainly hits its target.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about The Killer 's violence . How did it make you feel? Was it exciting? Shocking? What did the movie show or not show to achieve this effect? Why is that important?

What is the nature of revenge? Can it be satisfying? Why? Can it ever truly solve a problem?

What is the killer character trying to teach viewers with his narration? What, if anything, does he learn in the end?

How is drinking depicted? Is it glamorized? Are there consequences? Why does that matter?

Movie Details

• In theaters : October 27, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : November 10, 2023
• Cast : Michael Fassbender , Charles Parnell , Tilda Swinton
• Director : David Fincher
• Inclusion Information : Female actors
• Studio : Netflix
• Genre : Thriller
• Topics : Book Characters
• Run time : 118 minutes
• MPAA rating : R
• MPAA explanation : strong violence, language and brief sexuality
• Last updated : January 12, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

What to watch next.

The American

Grosse Pointe Blank

The Accountant

Thriller Movies

True crime tv for teens, related topics.

• Book Characters

Want suggestions based on your streaming services? Get personalized recommendations

Common Sense Media's unbiased ratings are created by expert reviewers and aren't influenced by the product's creators or by any of our funders, affiliates, or partners.

The Killer (2022)

• User Reviews

Awards | FAQ | User Ratings | External Reviews | Metacritic Reviews

• User Ratings
• External Reviews
• Metacritic Reviews
• Full Cast and Crew
• Release Dates
• Official Sites
• Company Credits
• Filming & Production
• Technical Specs
• Plot Summary
• Plot Keywords
• Parents Guide

Did You Know?

• Crazy Credits
• Alternate Versions
• Connections
• Soundtracks

Photo & Video

• Photo Gallery
• Trailers and Videos

Related Items

• External Sites

Related lists from IMDb users

Recently Viewed

'The Killer': Release Date, Cast, Plot, and Everything We Know About David Fincher's Next Movie

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Netflix Film Chief Teases David Fincher's 'The Killer' as "Provocative"

'mindhunter' is dead — so stop asking david fincher about it, the 10 most rewatchable romance movies, ranked, quick links, does 'the killer' have a release date, will 'the killer' have a theatrical release, does 'the killer' have a trailer, what is 'the killer' about, who is in the cast of 'the killer', who’s behind 'the killer', when and where did 'the killer' film, more david fincher movies you can watch right now.

David Fincher has been one of the best filmmakers over the last 30 years. His psychological thrillers pushed the genre forward. With films like Zodiac , The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo , and Se7en , Fincher has cemented himself as one of the best visionaries working today. The director’s next film will be The Killer , which has been in development limbo for nearly two decades. Now, the film is finally releasing on Netflix later this year. Here is everything we know about David Fincher’s The Killer .

Editor's Note: This article was updated on October 28 with the latest trailer.

• The Killer (2023)

A professional hitman’s world spirals out of control after a mission fails, thrusting him into a deadly game of cat and mouse. Forced to confront his own vulnerabilities, he navigates a maze of betrayal and danger to stay alive.

Behold, cinema.

The Killer is set to hit Netflix on November 10, 2023 . The film joins a packed November slate, with The Marvels releasing on the same day and The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes will release the following week, November 17.

The Killer will join the growing number of Netflix films that are released in theaters. The film will receive a limited release in October but a date has not yet been revealed. Some Netflix original films have had limited theatrical releases such as The Irishman and Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery , but that’s far from the norm.

A teaser trailer for The Killer was released on August 29. There's not much to get from the teaser, but that's very much intentional. It focuses on cold and calculated narration by Michael Fassbender ( X-Men: Days of Future Past ), as he meditates over his mission.

The film had a three-minute featurette released in December last year. In the clip, Michael Fassbender details what it was like returning to work for the first time since the start of the pandemic. He also reminisces on what it was like working for David Fincher for the first time. While this is all behind-the-scenes footage, we get to see the moody lighting and atmosphere that will likely be similar in the final product. Fassbender’s narration gives us a glimpse of the film's appearance once we get an official trailer.

We finally received our first full trailer for The Killer on October 27 . The trailer is just over two minutes long and offers up a new look at the film.

The Killer is based on the Alexis Nolent and Luc Jacamon graphic novel of the same name. The film is said to be “a brutal, bloody, and stylish noir” film. Fincher has been associated with the project since 2007 when it was set up at Paramount. The first volume of the series was published in 1998. The official synopsis reads as follows:

Solitary, cold, methodical, and unencumbered by scruples or regrets, a killer waits in the shadows, watching for his next target. Yet, the longer he waits, the more he thinks he's losing his mind, if not his cool.

‘Mindhunter’ isn’t coming back for Season 3, so grieve, cope, and move on with your life.

While we don’t have the full cast list, The Killer already features some standouts. Michael Fassbender is the lead of the film and will be joined by Tilda Swinton ( The French Dispatch ), Charles Parnell ( Top Gun: Maverick ), Arliss Howard ( Full Metal Jacket ), and Sophie Charlotte ( Dark Days ).

The Killer was adapted by Fight Club screenwriter Andrew Kevin Walker and directed by Fincher. This will mark the first time Walker and Fincher have worked together since Se7en in 1995. Erik Messerschmidt ( Mank ) returns to work with Fincher as the cinematographer . Ceán Chaffin and William Doyle act as producers. Ceán Chaffin , Fincher’s wife and long-time producing partner is also contributing to the project. Production companies such as Panic Pictures, BOOM! Studios and Archaia Entertainment are also involved.

The Killer began filming in November 2021 in Paris, with additional filming taking place in New Orleans, the Dominican Republic, and St. Charles, Illinois. Filming wrapped in late March 2022.

David Fincher is one of Hollywood’s most talented visionaries and his filmography is incredible. While The Killer is still a few months away, there are still plenty of Fincher flicks you can sink your teeth into. Here are three David Fincher films you can watch right now.

Se7en (1995) - Se7en was Fincher’s second feature film, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a wonderfully crafted movie. When retiring police Detective William Somerset ( Morgan Freeman ) tackles a final case with the aid of newly transferred David Mills ( Brad Pitt ), they discover a number of elaborate and grizzly murders. They soon realize they are dealing with a serial killer who is targeting people he thinks represent one of the seven deadly sins. Somerset also befriends Mills' wife, Tracy ( Gwyneth Paltrow ), who is pregnant and afraid to raise her child in the crime-riddled city.

Se7en is a grimy thriller that will have you on the edge of your seat. Freeman and Pitt deliver strong performances and enhance the already excellent script. The film is nearly perfect.

Watch on Paramount+

Fight Club (1999) - While we’re breaking the rules by talking about Fight Club, it’s well worth it because this film is special. A depressed man ( Edward Norton ) suffering from insomnia meets a strange soap salesman named Tyler Durden ( Brad Pitt ) and soon finds himself living in his squalid house after his perfect apartment is destroyed. The two bored men form an underground club with strict rules and fight other men who are fed up with their mundane lives. Their perfect partnership frays when Marla ( Helena Bonham Carter ), a fellow support group crasher, attracts Tyler's attention.

Fight Club is a modern classic. The cast is spectacular, and Fincher’s gritty style fits the film perfectly. It’s unapologetic with its violence and that only highlights the struggle seen by Norton’s and Pitt’s characters. The film is a wild ride from start to finish.

Gone Girl (2014) - Based on a novel of the same name, Gone Girl is a psychological thriller. In Carthage, Mo., former New York-based writer Nick Dunne ( Ben Affleck ) and his glamorous wife Amy ( Rosamund Pike ) present a portrait of a blissful marriage to the public. However, when Amy goes missing on the couple's fifth wedding anniversary, Nick becomes the prime suspect in her disappearance. The resulting police pressure and media frenzy cause the Dunnes' image of a happy union to crumble, leading to tantalizing questions about who Nick and Amy truly are.

Gone Girl is a mind-bending thriller and both Affleck and Pike shine in their roles. It’s a dark depiction of marriage and that makes it all the more intriguing. The score, the lighting, and the cinematography create a sense of dread and unease. It’s a thrilling watch.

Watch on Max

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

Movie Review – The Killer (2022)

March 20, 2023 by admin

The Killer , 2022.

Directed by Jae-Hoon Choi. Starring Jang Hyuk, Bang Ui Gang, Seo-young Lee, Tae-Hyun Cha, and Chae-Young Lee.

A retired hitman is brought back into active duty when the teenager he is babysitting gets involved in a human trafficking ring.

Okay, let’s get this out of the way first – Korean action thriller The Killer is going to get compared to John Wick in near enough every review you are ever likely to see, and for obvious reasons.

There is no getting around the fact that this high-octane blast of violence about a retired assassin brought back into the game by something relatively trivial, as he kicks, stabs and shoots his way to the end-of-level boss against a backdrop of pink neon and a thumping soundtrack, does indeed share a lot of DNA with Keanu Reeves kicking, stabbing and shooting his way to… Anyway, you get the point.

The major difference between the two movies, though, is that The Killer does not have a mythology or a wider universe it is set in. There is no central hotel for our hero Bang Ui Gang (Jang Hyuk) to recover or get new weapons in, nor is there a cast of characters all there to back him up as he goes about his mission, and it is that lack of plot – which is not a criticism – that makes The Killer a slightly different experience because it allows a greater efficiency of writing; the filmmakers don’t need to tie certain events into other things, they don’t need to think too far ahead and stretch out scenarios so something makes sense further down the line – The Killer is very much a movie about experiencing the moment.

And the moments it gives you are satisfying and rewarding, as long as you have a penchant for gratuitous blood shedding. Bang Ui Gang is as laid-back as they come as far as protagonists go, and his relaxed manner is very endearing when his wife Hyeon Soo (Chae-Young Lee) is telling him that she is going away for three weeks with her best friend and that Ui Gang is babysitting her friend’s 17-year-old daughter Kim Yun Ji (Seo-young Lee). His protests have no effect and before long he has dropped off the rebellious teenager at the local university with her friend, and thinking he has some time to himself he goes home, which is when he receives a phone call from Yun Ji calling him back into the city and from there it all kicks off.

Lit in the brightest of neon lights, with fluid camera movements and an energy that contradicts Ui Gang’s lethargic manner, The Killer is brilliant, no-nonsense entertainment from start to finish, the pace never lagging as bullets fly and faces explode, right up to the equally fat-free final scene, the movie ending exactly as it should.

And, as a bonus, it clocks in at a trim 95 minutes which, for a Korean movie, makes it more-or-less a short. Perfect to slot in a few viewings before the next John Wick adventure at least.

Flickering Myth Rating  – Film: ★ ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★ ★

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Must-See Modern Horror Movies You Might Have Missed

Who is the Best Final Girl in Horror?

5 Underrated Jean-Claude Van Damme Movies

10 Essential DC Movies

The Contemporary Queens of Action Cinema

The Enviable “Worst” Films of David Fincher

Cannon Films and the Masters of the Universe

Is 2024’s Blockbuster Season Totally Uninspiring?

Great Movies Guaranteed To Creep You Out

Ranking Horror Movies Based On Video Games

• Comic Books
• Video Games
• Toys & Collectibles
• Articles and Opinions
• Flickering Myth Films
• About Flickering Myth
• Write for Flickering Myth
• Advertise on Flickering Myth
• Terms of Use
• Privacy Policy

The Killer (2022)

Is “The Killer” Korea’s answer to John Wick? In this neo-noir action film, a man is on a mission to rescue a girl he’s vowed to protect.

In a world full of hitmen, corruption and sex traffickers, this retired killer must venture into the criminal underworld to uncover the mystery behind the kidnapping, and bring the girl to safety. he’ll do so by handing the kidnappers a deadly dose of gun-fu., starring jang hyuk and directed by jae-hoon choi, this exceptional duo reunite, bringing their stroke of brilliance from their previous outing, “ the swordsman ” (2020), to deliver an undeniable showstopper., “the killer” is on digital now, and out on blu-ray and dvd on april 17 th .

Jang Hyuk stars as Bang Ui-Gang, a retired hitman living a quiet and financially secure life. He is an expert at hand-to-hand combat and marksmanship.

Despite his stoic, yet sadistic nature, his years of experience have helped nurture a casual personality. He even finds time to have a coffee during missions.

Lee Seo-young plays Kim Yun-Ji, a teenage girl under the care of Ui-Gang. She is vulnerable, yet can be quite unpredictable at times.

Bruce Khan plays Yuri, a Russian assassin and former member of Spetsnaz. Yuri serves as the main adversary to Ui-Gang.

A retired assassin, Bang Ui-Gang, is living a quiet life when his wife asks him to take care of her friend’s teenage daughter, Kim Yun-Ji.

When sex traffickers kidnap Kim, Ui-Gang must come out of retirement and use the most destructive skills at his disposal to rescue the girl.

On his journey through a morally bankrupt world involving Russian gangsters, axe-wielding thugs and corrupt officials, Ui-Gang must unravel the conspiracy behind the girl’s abduction.

Star, Jang Hyuk is a former trainee for the Korean military where he served for two years. Jang’s military background and previous portrayal of a stoic killer in “The Swordsman”  prove he’s the perfect casting choice for this modern-day merciless assassin.

In addition to Jang’s military training, as well as experience in Jeet Kune Do and taekwondo , the fight choreography incorporates judo throws and the Filipino art of Kali (also known as Arnis and Escrima), a weapons-based martial art that specializes in blades and sticks. The artist is also able to adapt his skills using improvised weapons from magazines to pens.

Gun-fu is also present in its most stylistic and unforgiving nature. Jang Hyuk’s training further adds legitimacy to the shootouts.

Bring Me the Killer Knife

When confronting the sex traffickers, Ui-Gang makes his dominance known by dispatching the bodyguard with ease.

This unrelenting anti-hero doesn’t stop there as he proceeds to deliver unsettling and unnecessary punishment to the unconscious body, freaking the hell out the kidnappers in the process.

After an ensuing gun fight, Ui-Gang enters into a dark room with purple lights filtering the space, only to be ambushed by a Russian hitman by the name of Yuri. The two warriors engage in close quarters combat for the first time.

In a claustrophobic space, there are a lot of parries, trappings and flying kicks from the walls for good measure. Even in a confined area, the choreography remains engaging in a fast-paced and grounded approach.

Even though the first one-on-one encounter was short lived and unresolved, Ui-Gang received a taste of his first potential challenger, and his main weapon, the ballistic knife, which gives him an idea as to what he’s dealing with.

Rampage at the Don’t Tell Papa Motel

In the very first scene, the movie wastes no time showcasing the protagonist’s skills in combat.

His evasive manoeuvres and deadly precision effectively sell Ui-Gang’s abilities as an efficient killer.

Ui-Gang’s terrifying demeanour is successfully illustrated thanks to Jang Hyuk as he disappears into the role of the killer with a stoic expression and complete indifference to the circumstances of being outnumbered.

Although this scene which opens the film is chronologically out of sequence, it essentially sets the tone of a neo-noir aesthetic and the gritty style of action that is to be expected from Jae-Hoon Choi.

The fight would resume with Ui-Gang fending off multiple gang members, overwhelming them with sheer strength, turning their weapons against each other, and even bringing out his own Glock into the game.

From the motel’s upper floors to elevators and hallways, Ui-Gang is constantly on the edge in a building infested with gang members. Yet, through will power and terrifyingly impressive executions, this contract killer leaves a trail of bodies in his wake, and all through a multitude of impressive long takes.

With the introduction of gun-fu, the realism amps up and is truly delivered with the perfect blend of CGI blood and practical exit wounds.

Judgement at the Mansion

Wielding a Glock and an M200 sniper rifle, Ui-Gang wastes not a single bullet in his infiltration of the mansion with a touch of Jon Woo on every impact of the shot.

When ambushed by baton-wielding guards, Ui-Gang demonstrates his ingenuity in Kali, using broken furniture legs. Just when it seems Ui-Gang is at a disadvantage, his military prowess and quick thinking always pulls him through. It just comes so naturally to him.

When Yuri confronts the killer for the final time, the gun battle resumes. Even with constant movement in the center of a bar between two hitmen and more bad guys coming from all sides, there is still a sense of geography and clarity as to where everyone is and where they’re shooting from. This is the most important thing to remember when filming a shootout scene.

When the hero and villain close the gap, their established skillsets collide at a polished and exhilarating pace, with bullets, knives and fists all in one.

The faceoff is devoid of snappy dialogue or cheesy one liners, but the intent in both warriors and their actions tells the story to the audience.

The final battle doesn’t overstay its welcome and the blows feel a lot more personal from Ui-Gang and Yuri with a goal to finish their meeting once and for all.

The collaboration between Jang Hyuk and Jae-Hoon Choi once again brings their strengths into a no holds barred endeavour in a growing demand for well-executed action films.

Jang Hyuk demonstrates his versatility as an actor, balancing his casual personality outside of his former profession with the unsettling presence of a merciless killer returning to his prime.

The Korean star also provides a necessary amount of depth to a former hitman who is now tasked with safeguarding a vulnerable girl.

This is a character who is motivated by guilt and when the girl he’s responsible for ends up in danger, it pulls him back into his violent ways, ironically in the hope of redeeming himself in some way.

The lure of the hitman world is not as well-established or glamorous as the criminal world of John Wick, in fact, it doesn’t show up until later in the story’s third act. Yet the casual nature of the anti-hero, the shooting range owner and the cleaners are enough to give an unsettling vibe.

The film may suffer from pacing issues and a lack of character development, but when the action starts, much like Jang’s anti-hero, nothing is held back. Even with an almost untouchable hero, the constant threat of danger is enough to keep viewers on the edge of their seats.

In a time where the film industry is thriving in South Korea and one man army heroes are in no short supply, this is a solid flick featuring well-orchestrated battles, conveyed by a dedicated actor in Jang Hyuk and a visionary filmmaker in Jae-Hoon Choi.

Favourite Quotes

• “I became curious about her pain. But I could never find out. Only her warmth remained on my hand.” – Ui-Gang
• “First one to talk lives.” – Ui-Gang
•   “I hate…being lonely.” – Kim
• “Whose day did I ruin?” – Ui-Gang
• “Don’t give up hope, you might just live.” – Ui-Gang
• The Killer premiered on April 23rd, 2022 at the Far East Film Festival.
• Jang Hyuk is trained in Jeet Kune Do and Taekwondo.
• Son Hyeon-ju’s character references “The Man from Nowhere”, another Korean action film from 2010.
• Jae-Hoon Choi’s first collaboration with star Jang Hyuk, was in his feature film and directorial debut, “The Swordsman” (2020).
• Jang Hyuk trained in the Korean Military and spent 2 years’ of service there.

The Killer – Out on Blu-ray – April 17 – KUNG FU KINGDOM

Film Rating: 8/10

“the killer” is now available on demand, and on blu-ray and dvd from april 17 th , excited about this one what is your favorite korean fight action film let us know in the comments below; like, share and join in the conversation on facebook and follow us on twitter & instagram , lock and load those mighty human weapons of yours and go on the hunt down in the kingdom of fu , for these top 10’s , top 5’s , deep-dive interviews , get your own kfk wear and don’t forget to subscribe for more super slick ‘n’ stylish fu on youtube .

Demetrious “Mighty Mouse” Johnson: Top 5 MMA Finishes

The Street Fighter Trilogy – Blu-ray version

Tags: Cineasia UK Eskrima fighting Gun Fu Jae-Hoon Choi Jang Hyuk judo martial arts movie review South Korea Taekwondo

James’ passion for martial arts combat originated from his love of action cinema, inspiring him to practise the arts from a young age. He is trained in Muay Thai, Boxing, Wing Chun, Kali and Jiu-Jitsu. Through these practises he has not only reaped the benefits of learning technical skills, but also studied real-world survival techniques, with each discipline enriching his mental stamina and wellbeing. James is a movie buff and an MMA fan, engaging with the tactical skills and strategies of every fight.

Kill (2023)

Fist of Legend (1994) UHD / Blu-ray version

The Miracle Fighters (1982) Blu-ray version

Life After Fighting (2024)

Leave a reply cancel reply.

Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment.

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed .

Kung-fu Kingdom (KFK) is a team of dedicated martial arts enthusiasts. We are writers, martial arts practitioners and film-makers consumed by a passion for everything connected to the martial arts, and we love sharing it! So whether it’s about movies, books, training techniques, philosophy, stunts or seminars, we hope to inspire and stimulate your inner warrior!

About Us Contact Us Privacy Cookies Terms of Use

AEW Wrestling BellatorMMA Benny the Jet Bruce Lee Cynthia Rothrock Jackie Chan Jean-Claude Van Damme One Championship Scott Adkins UFC

Privacy Overview

• Movie Reviews
• Blu-ray/DVD

Thursday, August 4, 2022

'the killer' (2022) movie review.

The premise is simple: Jang Hyuk ( Paid in Blood ) plays Bang Eui-kang, a retired assassin. His wife goes on a trip and convinces him to watch her friend’s teenage daughter, Yoon-ji (Lee Seo-young of the K-pop group GWSN), for three weeks. When Yoon-ji, as one might expect in a movie of this ilk, gets taken by human traffickers, Eui-kang must dust off his skills to save her. Nothing particularly unexpected happens, but watching the protagonist tear through wave after wave of goons, battling his way up one level after another of this criminal enterprise, will sate just about any action fan out there. 

[Related Reading: 'Special Delivery' Movie Review]

And the action is 100% the selling point of   The Killer . The rest is fine, but that’s what’s worth watching here. If you haven’t seen   The Swordsman , do yourself a favor and fix that. (It’s streaming multiple places.) But if you have, you know Choi has this on lock, and he does not disappoint. We’ve got hatchets, knives, and bullets galore. (One thing I love about action movies from countries with actual gun control is the preponderance of fights with non-firearm weapons.) There’s a sprawling, nearly-single-shot brawl that starts in a hotel lobby, moves to an elevator, up a few flights, and down multiple hallways. On the choreography front, the movie is unimpeachable.  

Eui-kang doesn’t have the driven vengeance of a  John Wick  or the protective parental ferocity of  Taken . Instead, he’s cold-blooded to the point of near disinterest. His attitude is more along the lines of, “Dammit, I have to rescue this kid or my wife will be pissed.” Seriously, dude is so mired in ennui he causally threatens to dig a teenager’s eyeball out of the socket and mows down baddies with a coffee in one hand, looking so, so bored the whole time. 

[Related Reading: 'Confession' Movie Review]

It's down to Jang that, while his character is fed up with this existence, operating with a sense of cold remove, as an actor, he remains subtly engaging. In fact, while the story rings hollow and bland at many, a sneaky bond forms between Eui-kang and Yoon-ji, and there’s a legitimate affection between the two that creeps up even as he blasts an endless parade of villains in the face with a silenced pistol.

I can’t say that  The Killer  is destined to become a new genre classic. The plot’s too standard for that, it gets overly complicated along the way as the script crams in complication after complication, and it could stand to dial back the too-cool-for-school posturing at times. Still, the slick, stylish action is top-tier, Jang and Choi continue to work at the top of their respective games, and it overflows with dynamic, intricately staged shootouts, chases, and throwdowns. Basically, it’s badass as hell and a definite must-watch for action devotees.  [Grade: B+]

Check out all our Fantasia 2022 coverage here.

No comments:

Post a Comment

After Rewatching Natural Born Killers For The First Time In Years, I Have A New Appreciation For One Specific Performance

RDJ Is the MVP

Oliver Stone ’s Natural Born Killers is one of the most extreme, bizarre, and unforgettable films of the past 30 years, for better or worse. One of the best ‘90s movies , this blood-soaked, genre-bending cult classic about a pair of psychotic lovebirds on a murderous rampage through the “lower 48” is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and I decided to go back and watch it for the first time in years.

While Woody Harrelson and Juliette Lewis’ Mickey and Mallory Knox are clearly the stars of this iconic 1994 movie , I came out of the experience with a great appreciation for one specific character: Robert Downey Jr.’s Wayne Gale. The memorable news reporter with an over-the-top Australian accent and a larger-than-life personality adds so much to the movie and creates a dynamic that makes everyone else look even better. Allow me to explain. 

Though The Performance Is Over The Top, There's Also A Certain Subtly That's Brilliant 

Next time you watch Natural Born Killers , which is currently one of the best movies on Netflix, make sure to focus on Wayne Gale whenever Robert Downey Jr .’s character is on screen. Try, please try, to not get distracted by what the TV crime reporter is saying and doing and instead focus on his facial expressions. Much like those close-ups of RDJ’s face whenever he’s inside the Iron Man suit in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there are small and subtle inflections and expressions that are just marvelous.

Yeah, this is without a doubt one of Downey’s craziest roles but it’s also one of his best performances of the ‘90s . I’ll get into the iconic Super Bowl halftime show prison interview later on, but I just have to use that scene as a way to illustrate the nuanced expressions and body language on display. Though not quite on the level of his Oppenheimer performance, RDJ is a master of his craft in Natural Born Killers . 

Wayne's Descent Into Madness Is Honestly Some Of RDJ's Best Work

Throughout his career, Downey Jr. has played multiple characters who find themselves on a descent into madness, and Wayne Gale is one of the best examples of that. Look at Wayne the first time we meet him (about 22 minutes in) and the last time we see him after escaping the prison riot with Mickey and Mallory, and then compare the two.

Early Wayne is well-dressed, presentable yet a little cagey, and seems to have a firm grip on the situation. Fast forward an hour and a half, and he’s an absolute madman running around a prison with a tie around his head like a bandana while calling things off with his wife and talking about feeling alive for the first time in his life. All of this going on while a prison guard’s lifeless body hangs from a pipe in the bloody and busted bathroom creates a wild visual. 

Even his death scene is a trip. The way Downey throws his arms around and stumbles about after being shot down by Mickey and Mallory is absolute madness.

CINEMABLEND NEWSLETTER

Your Daily Blend of Entertainment News

It's Also Wild Seeing The MCU Hero Playing Such An Unhinged Character 

We’ll soon be seeing a more villainous side of Downey Jr. when he starts playing Dr. Doom , but for years I was used to seeing him as the hero in some of the best Marvel movies . I mean, the guy pretty much helped the MCU get off the ground with his portrayal of Tony Stark in Iron Man back in 2008, a role he held down for more than a decade. This is to say that while I’m used to seeing RDJ play a jerk, I forgot how great he is as an unhinged lunatic.

Outside of his Oscar-winning performance in Oppenheimer , the two Sherlock Holmes movies, and a handful of other smaller projects, the past decade-and-a-half has been superhero films for Downey. It’s wild going back and seeing his non-Iron Man performances and just how electric they are, especially here.

The Devilish Look On Gale's Face At The End Of The Prison Interview Is The Stuff Of Wonder

As mentioned earlier, the prison interview sequence from Natural Born Killers is one of my favorite parts of the movie and one of the most legendary moments of ‘90s cinema. Harrelson’s monologue and facial expressions are sinister, and Oliver Stone’s decision to cut to different camera angles and types of film creates a dizzying effect, but Robert Downey Jr.’s presence throughout this scene is just as important. 

In fact, I’d argue that Wayne’s facial expression after Mickey’s famous “I’m a natural born killer” line sells the entire scene. The forming of the smile in the corners of his mouth, the way his mustache perks up, the silent laughter, and the way he shoots his head back to see if his crew got the shot are all just perfect. 

Gale's Satirical Spin On '90s Media Figures Really Drives Home The Point Of Natural Born Killers

One of the major themes of this movie is the over-sensationalizing of the news by media figures in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. The presence of Wayne Gale, and his satirical spin on personalities like Geraldo Rivera, really drives home that point. 

Throughout the movie, I noticed Wayne trying to not only present the news but also be a part of it, as seen in the aforementioned prison interview and subsequent riot. Objectivity, ethics, and journalistic integrity are lost on the self-serving reporter, and that feels like a direct response to the “if it bleeds, it leads” mentality of the time.

Even before the big blowout at the end, in the early goings of the movie, we see the morally bankrupt host of American Maniacs with Wayne Gale hamming it up for the camera, trying to make himself look good, and blending truth and fiction. 

I Know The 1994 Best Supporting Actor Race Was Stacked, But RDJ Should Have Been Included

Now, I’m not saying that Downey Jr. should have won the Best Supporting Actor Oscar at the 67th Academy Awards (though an argument can be made), but his portrayal of Wayne Gale should have earned him a spot on the list of contenders. 

This is the year Martin Landau ( Ed Wood ) beat out Samuel L. Jackson ( Pulp Fiction ), Chazz Palminteri ( Bullets Over Broadway ), Paul Scofield ( Quiz Show ), and Gary Sinise ( Forrest Gump ). RDJ could have replaced Palminteri or Scofield, even though those are tremendous performances. And, if we’re being honest, Jackson should have won that year , and it’s a crime he didn’t.

Though Oliver Stone and Quentin Tarantino have feuded over Natural Born Killers , one thing that is for sure is that Robert Downey Jr. absolutely killed it as Wayne Gale, and I’m so glad I went and revisited this iconic and controversial cult classic. 

Philip grew up in Louisiana (not New Orleans) before moving to St. Louis after graduating from Louisiana State University-Shreveport. When he's not writing about movies or television, Philip can be found being chased by his three kids, telling his dogs to stop barking at the mailman, or chatting about professional wrestling to his wife. Writing gigs with school newspapers, multiple daily newspapers, and other varied job experiences led him to this point where he actually gets to write about movies, shows, wrestling, and documentaries (which is a huge win in his eyes). If the stars properly align, he will talk about For Love Of The Game being the best baseball movie of all time.

Blake Lively's Sisters Responded To A Fan Defending Her Amidst It Ends With Us Drama

Jenna Ortega Thinks She Was Up For Dune Opposite Zendaya. The Very Hollywood Reason She Doesn’t Know For Sure

Apparently, Benny Blanco Was Just Hanging Out On The Set Of Only Murders While Selena Gomez Filmed, And Be Still My Beating Heart

Most Popular

• 2 Channing Tatum’s Gambit Just Got A Bonus Deadpool Scene, And Fans Are Freaking Out About His Future In The MCU
• 3 Blue Eye Samurai's Creators Just Shared The Real-Life Origin Story Behind The Emmy-Nominated Show And It's Important
• 4 I Just Learned A Hot Fact About Baywatch's On-Set Red Swimsuits That Seems Totally Wrong
• 5 Blake Lively's Sisters Responded To A Fan Defending Her Amidst It Ends With Us Drama

Screen Rant

End of the road.

Your changes have been saved

Email is sent

Email has already been sent

Please verify your email address.

You’ve reached your account maximum for followed topics.

Your Rating

Millicent Shelton

Reviews (0)

Have You Watched It?

Be the first to leave a community review!

Queen Latifah

Beau bridges, frances lee mccain, jesse luken, keith jardine, seasons (4).

Season 1 (2016)

Season 2 (2018), season 3 (2022), season 4 (2026), screenrant reviews, end of the road review: queen latifah leads grounded action thriller with heart.

In End of the Road, Shelton transforms an already compelling script into one about family, motherhood, and survival.

Latest Reviews

Users reviews (125).

We want to hear from you! Share your opinions in the review below and remember to keep it respectful.

Your comment has not been saved

Latest Stories

10 best movies like end of the road, end of the road: 10 movies & tv shows where you've seen the cast, netflix: the best new tv shows & movies this weekend (september 9), related titles.

eternal sunshine of the spotless mind

BABY REINDEER