The Killer - Not The Movie You Were Expecting

[@saladinbob]

Michael Fassbender really does have the unfortunate distinction of being the most talented actor in the worst era of Hollywood. If he'd come on the scene a decade earlier he'd be a legend by now.

[@MykeLewisMusic]

Agreed.

[@Cmdr_Sinclair_B5]

So true. Such a classic style to his look and depth of acting.

[@SimpleSock]

I think he just prefers racing cars.

[@tim1843]

His work as David in Prometheus and Covenant is so underrated it nearly hurts.

[@jr2904]

​@@tim1843 he's the only reason I want a sequel to covenant

[@Thenomad1227]

The Killer is actually a documentary on the pitfalls of the HR department. You mess up one time and they try to get you fired, smh.

[@scottytoohotty7617]

That's what you get for working in an hr department, dummy. The whole concept is fascist.

[@mrmoonboi8692]

Yep. They're there to protect the employer and never the employee 😂

[@etnbtlh]

Hahahahahaha that’s funny and slightly true.

[@NostalgicGamerRickOShay]

Happened to me. A loyal worker that was second to none in dependability for 7 years and I was fired for one little lie told by a middle-aged post wall bitch.

[@kirkyorg7654]

i think you nailed it with that analysis lol

[@j.r.juniorjr.8298]

Really enjoyed seeing them walk through all the steps he takes to prep for entry, execution and exit. Haven’t seen a movie like this before.

[@williet.3058]

Try The Day of the Jackal, it's a classic assassin movie based on a very good novel of the same name

[@kimaningure254]

Thats fine play all hit man games and you will gat it it I suggest start with Hitman silent assassin... dont miss contracts,that will be a bummer when you reach to absolution you will; get this movie

[@andymouse]

"Leon" is a great movie.

[@KABLAMMATS]

og ocean series? not assassin but still the prep and everything

[@joshuakim5240]

Kind of reminds me of the "Oceans" heist films, but for a murder instead of a heist.

[@Farron6]

Michael Fassbender truly elevates any project he's in. Imagine being cast as the same character portrayed by Sir Ian McKellen and not only does he outshine him but he even humanises him on a deeper level.

[@dohavename6775]

To be fair, script was allowing Fassbender a tad more humanity than it was Sir Ian. Otherwise, absolutely true.

[@WhizPill]

Yup

[@John_shepard]

I enjoyed both versions but like fassbender a tad more

[@Saint_Wolf_]

To be fair, Sir Ian was just a bad guy with good motivations, but Michael got to be thr origin story, show why he's the way he is to a general audience, it also takes talent to act the role well but that's a good script meets a good actor.

[@zebman74]

It definitely was not what I expected. But it still hooked me right away. The first two lines piqued my interest: "It's amazing how physically exhausting it can be to do nothing. If you are unable to endure boredom, this work is not for you."

[@Rickle_Pick23]

“If you are unable to endure boredom, this movie is not for you”

[@newyorkgunnaz3642]

​@@Rickle_Pick23sick burn

[@MarcIverson]

Lotta cubicle jobs like that.

[@ethanwilliams1880]

@@Rickle_Pick23 Nah, that movie was pretty awesome. If you have a ticktok attention span and no brain wrinkles, this movie is not for you.

[@7Jstamper]

@@Rickle_Pick23Funny enough, I think that’s EXACTLY where Fincher was going with that line. If you’re expecting John Wick, this Isn’t the movie for you.

[@corbinpearce7686]

In my opinion, this movie was a study in how to do a slow burn the right way. It was slow. Glacially so at times, but I never felt my attention slip, because the odd commentary was done in the right way to keep me pulled into the story. The whole thing also felt more real and less fantastical than something like John Wick (which is still awesome and will probably be a classic in 20 years). That realism made it all feel more grounded to me. The movie pulled you through the adventure instead of just showing it to you, and that was pretty cool!

[@DotKhom1302]

Agreed

[@WhizPill]

Agreed, it’s a Masterclass in storytelling

[@dexterdanieltnt]

Saw it last night ... good assessment. I enjoyed it

[@jojolebleu9364]

Hell yeah!

[@SmokyOle]

I don't even think it was slow. It was paced perfect. Something was always happen.

[@brothercadet1767]

I really liked how he was not painted as a good guy but maybe a man struggling with the morality with his line of work. It was almost like an assassin’s slice of life.

[@jasewildheart]

Didn't seem to struggle that much?

[@rbu2136]

I was like eh watching it.

[@Darkstar_Dayne]

It wasn't particularly fun but it was definitely interesting, just like most David Fincher movies. They make you think instead of just being a dopamine fix

[@evaphoenix]

I found it odd that people did not like it. I watched it yesterday with my dad and a friend we both thought it was pretty awesome. I love John Wick and all, but this one seemed to be placed in our actual reality and that made it a lot more tense.

[@tylerjames805]

@@jasewildheartWhat are you talking about? We can see through Fassbender’s performance of restraint maybe even empathy slipping in before he goes back to his philosophy.

[@Gio.Tirado]

A revenge story that turns out to be about a guy who finds out he’s not who he thinks is after all. Also in keeping with Fincher’s proclivity to say something about consumerism in all his movies I can’t help but notice that the billionaire at the top, the true “few” gets away unscathed, as they usually do in real life. While everyone below him who had to get their hands dirty for the billionaire guy, met their end by the killer, even though they were just doing a job. There’s also a funny irony in the movie, that in the beginning the killer talks about how he doesn’t give a f***, but then ends up getting emotional about a guy who also didn’t give a f***, just wanted a job done, nothing personal. This is a ramble but there’s a lot of layers in this seemingly simple movie. It’s a masterpiece

[@tykejack]

I think you and the youtuber missed an important piece of this story. I believe Fassbender's character doesn't "find out" anything about himself. The whole point of the movie is that he only did this as a line of work and that he's actually not a killer at all. This is the importance of the last line of the movie where he reveals he is just like every other person out there who can't abide by the rules of the lifestyle and his face twitches showing a deep concern for the things he's done in his line of work and how he's not comfortable with it. This is in stark contrast to Tilda's character who actually enjoys the lifestyle. This is the actual irony of the movie, that he doesn't prescribe to the rules of being an effective hitman just like the rest of society, yet he continues to kill people to meet his own needs. In that respect, the movie actually plays out as a comedy of errors. He messes up throughout the entire movie, completely disregarding the code he's explaining in his narrated monologue. He misses the shot, he returns home, he goes to the hospital, he shows sympathy to the secretary/mother by making her death look like an accident so her family can collect insurance, he bungles the assassination attempt on the guy in Florida resulting in a lengthy fight that nearly kills him, he sits face to face from one of his targets, and he lets the billionaire live at the end. On the surface, the audience sees how meticulous he his throughout the entire movie but in retrospect, after the last line is delivered, you look back and see all the ways he clearly showed he's not the killer you once thought he was. That didn't suddenly change in the course of the movie, he's always been that way. These acts weren't set in motion due to a missed shot. That was just a matter of chance and the odds catching up to him. He's never been a "killer" and this is revealed by the fact that he has a girlfriend/fiancé at all. That clearly violates the rules of being a professional killer, yet he's had one for years that he clearly cares about, enough to put himself in danger by returning to his home AND the hospital to visit her. The missed shot doesn't change who he is, but tells him it's time to quit the facade because time has run out. His goal is to retire with the love of his life and live a carefree life where he doesn't have to look over his shoulder. This is also why he doesn't kill the billionaire that wanted him dead. He's not a killer and he's not cut out for an entire lifetime of looking over his shoulder, wondering if the police are narrowing in on his position. He just wants to be left alone and retire in peace, which was his ultimate goal all along.

[@jojolebleu9364]

There's nothing simple about The Killer. The ending is icing on a perfectly baked cake; because in real life, killers really do get the "happy endings". The worst people you know will die old, fat, wealthy, and surrounded by family

[@Gio.Tirado]

@@jojolebleu9364 I don’t think it’s simple. Many of the criticisms I’ve seen is that it’s too minimal and simplistic for a Fincher film. That’s all I was saying by writing “seemingly simple”

[@rannnoch]

@@jojolebleu9364 I took the ending to mean he realised he wasn't as good as he thought he was, ie a true cold blooded killer, he isnt a psychopath and has to constantlly remind himself not to feel empathy, so after he scares the billionaire he just retires and becomes one of the many, a place where he might have belonged the whole time.

[@frootlooper]

He let the billionaire go because he didn’t have anything to do with the hit on him

[@mlaprarie]

As an "old" person who remembers films like "Three Days of the Condor" and "The Day of the Jackal" this review looks really intriguing. I miss genuine thrillers and I'm glad it looks like we have a top-notch one here.

[@greyone40]

How about "Point Blank"? I too was going to give this one a pass, but after this review it is on my list to see some time in the future.

[@rupertbe]

It’s rubbish

[@ProjectRedfoot]

*HAHA, OLD!* That'll never happen to *ME!*

[@ProjectRedfoot]

​@greyone40 👍 Also, does anyone remember that movie where John Cusack is an assassin? (Not Grifters, though they both have scenes of him drinking at the bar, *kinda...)

[@ProjectRedfoot]

It might be that one with Hillary Duff

[@grandmufftwerkin9037]

Michael Fassbender is a deeply underappreciated actor. Everyone lost out on him not being cast as Bond.

[@yellowscarlightningscream8347]

He is not suited for Bond....

[@wiinterflowers4277]

It was great to see him back again and I thought he was good in this.

[@jmchez]

His Mcbeth is something to see. In a good and very weird way.

[@ygershom]

@@yellowscarlightningscream8347really? I think he would be an amazing bond Has the calm, cool collected aura

[@Darkstar_Dayne]

​@@ygershomHe's a bit old for that role but I'll still take him over whatever the studio is gonna come up with, a back to back trilogy would be awesome

[@NEOREV_MUSIC]

The scene with him against The Brute was so frigging good. The direction/sound design makes that scene so tense and brutal.

[@TNM001]

it was a completely superfluous scene that mimiced the bourne movie action scenes for only one reason: he didn't want to hurt a dog, so he drugged him...and EFFED THAT up also after monologuing to the audience how its done lol.

[@yewtewbstew547]

@@TNM001 I genuinely couldn't tell if that stuff was intentional or not. But I did notice that basically every time he screws something up, it's because he goes against his own "code". His code tells him to be aware of his surroundings and exercise patience, meanwhile he fails his mission during the intro because he gets tunnel vision and unnecessarily rushes the shot. It tells him to show no empathy, meanwhile he risks exposure by staging a death as an accident (presumably for the benefit of the victim's family), and nearly gets himself killed by a 50lbs pitbull because he drugs it (poorly lol) instead of killing it. It made me wonder at the end, is he really going to survive this? Or does he actually die some time after the credits roll? Because he does the same thing again with "the client". The filmmakers quite clearly draw attention to him being spotted by a camera inside the building for some reason, and then he allows the client to live. The same man who he knows for a fact already specifically ordered at least one assassination (his target from the opening scene). So the client is not a good person, we know he's a murderer by proxy. What is to stop him from doing it again? Just fear? Risky. If the writers were actually trying to make a point there, it was probably too subtle for me lol. Because I'm really not sure. I did quite enjoy the film though.

[@nro9450]

The various sounds and noises throughout the movie were all very good

[@NEOREV_MUSIC]

@@TNM001 I find The Killer to be the complete of Bourne. Bourne action scenes are terribly edited. You'll get whiplash watching it. Plus the music blaring over it. The fight with the Brute in The Killer, you feel like you're in the room. It's tense, claustrophobic. That scene on a nice sound system = chef's kiss.I do love that the entire movie is pretty much Fassbender screwing up every time.

[@LuisSierra42]

It was perfectly directed

[@DT-qv7yi]

The Killer was actually really enjoyable. The pace was not exhausting and the character build up at the beginning was perfect. Fassbender is built for this role and performed flawlessly.

[@aSSGoblin1488]

here is a story in my country... colloquialism ensues. a killer is a team of about 4 people. a married duo on a bike, gunwoman and husbando motorcycle driver because of a male's stronger legs can stopstand the bike without losing their balance. very progressive. also an "asset" who stakes the target and gets schedule, where and when. a "agent" who is the go between with the client, usually the ahente is a police officer. 1000dollars depends on target split 4 ways

[@EckoUntitl]

Contrary to the shit stained waterfall for movies we have pouring for the last few years,it was a pleasant watch.

[@snakekingblues3017]

I do feel people mistake slow pace for boring sometime because you can have a very slow pace movie if done right it can be very interesting to watch

[@wattsnottaken1]

How soon is now // The Smiths Perfect song to use during the hotel sniper riffle scene! Good movie. My friend and so for high as fuck on good weed and watched it last night. I love Michael Fassbender

[@Cmdr_Sinclair_B5]

Michael Fassbender is criminally underrated as an actor. He brings depth and intensity to every character he portrays. He really has the presence and look of a professional actor from the 1940-60s.

[@elnick1000]

I don't think he could measure up to Robert Mitchum.

[@TheTrentReznor]

Gary Oldman is a better character actor as is Bale( but Bale uses Method Acting. Look at his body in the Machinist & American Psycho- dedication. Forgot Donnie Darko, which falls into late 90s/early 2000s

[@Feanor1988bis]

Poor guy got strapped on too many shit movies.

[@crazyralph6386]

@@Feanor1988bislike those last two dreadful X-Men films.

[@EmilePesky-n1v]

Aye, I was watching X-Men apocalypse to catch up, he was great in the start of that even

[@anxioussamurai9017]

Drinker absolutely nailed it! Fincher and Fassbender always deliver and The Killer is no exception. Go into it knowing it's a more mature movie that requires the audience to have patience and you'll get a very rewarding cinematic experience.

[@ceasarsaran8573]

I dont disagree about anything he said. But the movie wasn't fun. And it certainly wasn't serious. Im sorry, but realistic and hired assassin just dont go together very well.

[@DarranKern]

I enjoyed the atmosphere of the movie. I enjoyed fassbender. It didn’t overstay it’s welcome. But without some of those muchmaligned “tropes,” the film felt kind of barebones. Also Trent Reznors score was downright *heinously* bad at times. But it was all right

[@saattlebrutaz]

It's not mature just trying to be

[@darkpatches]

Oh, that's what I lacked to enjoy the movie, maturity. This ranks up there with Drinker's preview review of Prey. Just wrong.

[@Crusader47]

@@darkpatches it was for a mature audience though lol im mature so i loved it

[@michaelgallon9431]

Watched it last night with my 75 year old Dad and we both thought it was the best thing we have seen for a long while and exactly because it was not the usual John Wick killing spree, which we are not opposed to BTW, this was just refreshingly different.

[@justintime41776]

After John Wick 1 I got burned out. Especially when they cast Common, the ex straight/rapper. I bet Common and John Legend make out. Which is ok, it's 2023 right? 🤢🤮

[@tylerjames805]

@TracchofyreOkay then go watch John Wick then ADD brain this isn’t a one man army film and it’s not trying to be

[@lucasgrey9794]

@@fvefve12His targets were also capable of killing him and survived some of his encounters with them by chance. John Wick is basically a superhero.

[@humanbass]

​@Tracchofyrestupid? The guy is insanely smart and super meticulous.

[@Dime_time333]

​@@humanbassan edgelord

[@TheJubiter]

The long scenes where you're anticipating for something to happen and the director lets the suspense grow are so cool

[@Wrestling-Nun]

And fantastic thing is nothing ever happens lmao

[@TheJubiter]

@@Wrestling-Nun This is what tiktok does to zoomers, they fall asleep after 5 minutes of no Marvel quip or CGI fight scenes

[@fastenedcarrot9570]

​@@Wrestling-Nun Or something happens but it's not either a huge twist or a massive action scene or anything. Makes the one actual action scene really stand out and it was quite shocking when it happened.

[@GokulOnFire]

It bothers me when pioneers aren't given credit. Two of the very good films of the miserable 2023 are The Killers & The Creator. Both while original lean on an old cult hit. The Virtuouso for The Killer & Chappie for The Creator. Those two films broke the glass ceiling & I for one would argue they were still better than the two 2023 films which are also thoroughly entertaining.

[@TSEliot1978]

I genuinely liked the movie. I liked how it was more of a slowburn and how the main character wasn't some superhuman, but rather someone who had to improvise and got beaten up, and even admitted to himself that he's not a genius.

[@sparkz9803]

Well said!

[@piotrswat169]

That beat up would kill him tho.Liked it but the ending was meh at most.

[@DixonLu]

The entire movie is him doing the opposite of his mantra "Don't Improvise."

[@lucasgrey9794]

@@piotrswat169How do you know it would kill him? It *could* kill him sure. But "would"? Not exactly.

[@piotrswat169]

@@lucasgrey9794 His head against the floor a 300 pound UFC type dude is pounding his head in.Cmon man!

[@ashleybrooke2087]

For fans of Fassbender, myself included, it's his movie to carry & he does it almost effortlessly. To me, he's one of those actors who elevates whatever production he is in. Even something so dull as The Snowman still shows him trying to work with what he's been given. He's won awards for a reason & he's been up for Oscars. Not flawless but the man still makes an effort.

[@alejandropacheco7832]

I wonder how much he charges.... just curious...

[@ashleybrooke2087]

@@alejandropacheco7832 It probably depends on which credit card he is using. Or were you referring to the battery on his mobile phone? I would guess he might have a lifetime supply of Apple products since he portrayed Steve Jobs.

[@joshuapratt3593]

I absolutely love the way Drinker describes a film that he (if not enjoyed then at least doesn’t dislike) because you can hear a type of… not “eagerness” but almost like a kind of nostalgia (for back when he got to review all kinds of amazing films) before they truly began *THE MESSAGE* and everything else with it. Great content bro!!

[@Archie2c]

Remember the Original Mechanic Charles Bronson was everything Drinker just said Lo key studies the target every move and habit then perfect hit every one thinks gas explosion or heart attack no traces.

[@LordFalconsword]

He's recalling the days of old with a movie could just suck, instead of being woke suck. At least a suck movie could have redeeming qualities. Wokeness has no redemption.

[@joshuapratt3593]

@@Archie2c absolutely!! They’re never gonna make em like that anymore.

[@joshuapratt3593]

@@LordFalconsword you hit the nail on the head! Wokies have no ability to create anything, so they first; 1. INFILTRATE the particular fandom or IP. 2. Next they start with falsely framing narratives, telling half-truths and outright LIES to sow decent amongst the fandom/IP. 3. The then move to criticizing EVERYTHING/EVERYONE involved, the story/arc, characters, themes, subject matter and OF COURSE the fandom/IP. 4. They completely take over the proverbial “thing” itself, all the while claiming that anybody who has a problem with their involvement/criticisms/highjacking/perversion of “it” labeling them as “problematic” or an “ist-a-phobic”, and “hateful” “intolerant” (and every other buzzword they can wield as a weapon). 5. Finally having mutated “it” into whatever particular “woke” abomination was possible, and once the “thing” becomes unrecognizable to the fandom/IP that everybody leaves and “it” crashes and burns/dies those same NIHILISTIC miserable douchenosels simply abandon “it’s” corpse and find the next popular “thing” and start all over again… Like the Aliens from Independence Day. (Most of the asshats I’m talking about could probably pass for one of those 9 days out of 10! 😂😂😂

[@RESISTANCE..3]

He's first class for quality reviews.

[@Kerek77]

I loved the final note of the movie where he admits he’s not as cold, calculated and disassociated as he monologues being in the beginning. Turns out he’s a lot like everyone else…

[@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong]

except he's not, he's a sociopath. Normal, well-adjusted people don't murder.

[@Hannoshobazz_Neolmech]

@@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong Yes they do. That's YOUR definition. He has His definition for you also. He's just an ordinary SERIOUS businessman.

[@dreamsneezer8668]

Your way off

[@Jasper_Silva]

​​@@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong he's not "normal" but he's more normal than he thinks. Throughout the movie, and moreso through his nervous tick at the end, the killer shows he IS affected by the job, even though at the beginning he mentions that kind of personality trait is a liability that people in his line of work shouldn't have.

[@ifyoudisagreeyouarewrong]

@@Hannoshobazz_Neolmech lol shut up punjab

[@Rembreiker_lychec9257]

I really enjoyed it, mainly because it's great to see Fassbender in a lead role again. He's always been an incredible and brave actor, but in this he relies on his movie star chops and to be fair, he has those in spade fulls!

[@cabnbeeschurgr]

Didn't he beat the fuck out of his fiance tho

[@markdollard1084]

Of all the 'deconstructing' that's been going on in Hollywood of late, Fincher's take on the hitman genre is a breath of fresh air.

[@JeffreyDeCristofaro]

It's so tragic that something this good is SUCH a rarity in contemporary cinema. We didn't really know how good we had it until we started losing it nearly a decade ago.

[@jaja2084]

Thank you! Watched this with some friends and was surprised by how little they appreciated it

[@randomdude189]

It wasn’t good though

[@randomdude189]

@@jaja2084it was a boring predictable movie with morrisey to make losers think they are cool

[@bobchurch6175]

I really like this. I'm really tired of movies that would have to have a split screen to add any dialogue or plot.

[@lordquog]

I was not cheated. I went into this expecting another brain dead movie full of violence and one liners. but got one of the most cerebral movies of the last few years. It was the perfect balance of action and awkward bored nerd doing his job. A beautiful exception to the modern norm. Fassbender is a the hero we need but not the one this era of film deserves. I forgot Tilda Swinton. She is a treasure. This is her at her best. I loved this movie and I hope Netflix never makes another movie like it. Embrace originality and the next amazing story that breaks the mold. Never copy this.

[@None38389]

You went into a David Fincher movie expecting it to be brain dead and full of violence and one liners?

[@Crashking416]

I appreciate how deliberately paced this film was. Everything felt focused and meaningful, similar to the protagonist himself.

[@matthewkeegan666]

It was a great film. Seen it twice already. Watched it the second time with my teenage sons who both really enjoyed it. The were expecting some gun-blazing romp, but they never left the room for a drink, or looked at their phones, or got distracted. It held the attention of kids who are more used to the quick and fast style of media. A well told story with great performances is what we all need.

[@jayb2705]

This is exactly the issue. The people who don't like it are the "modern" Tik Tok people with the attention spam of an ant. If there isn't constant action, then these people simply can't watch a story develop or get invested in a character. It's easy to see why Hollywood goes for quick wins like identity politics over character growth, because they think this is their main market.

[@bonjourbonjour2754]

I am the only one who thought it was below average? the story was mediocre, predictable. We've seen this movie ten thousand times.

[@davidanderson_surrey_bc]

@@bonjourbonjour2754 Ten thousand times? Dude, you should get out for a nice walk and some fresh air.

[@bonjourbonjour2754]

@@davidanderson_surrey_bc A revenge movie of an experienced assassin? Are you kidding me? Why are you so triggered? I am ok, maybe you need to take walk buddy.

[@williamtaittinger4529]

This film is SHIT

[@doriancaillaud4500]

It was great seeing Fassbender on screen once more . To me, his performance in Hunger will always be one of the greatest and most underappreciated one ever

[@theinquisitor5518]

I really liked it. The lack of dialogue fitted the introspective nature of the character very well.

[@greggibson33]

The overuse of voiceover is repetitive and amateurish.

[@Handstyles]

@@greggibson33 In general I'd agree with you but here it is not "voiceover" but character development in a different way since there were only very few dialogue scenes. The score and the small parts of lyrics of the music that stood out also fit the whole concept and added another layer. Repetetive yes, but the changes & contrast to the later actions showed his arc. Calling a core part of David Finchers cinematic approach to this movie amateurish is a bit insolent, dont you think?

[@niclasjohansson5992]

​@@greggibson33I felt like it was more of an internal dialogue than voiceover narration.

[@jumaiyah6521]

​@@greggibson33it was meant to be his mantra. Sounds like him gloating his surefire method, but we see him fail in the opening. It becomes his way to convince himself it will work though he is an a bit downward spiral. As an audience i felt, "Ok, u messed up last time n doing narration again. Ur A game condition. U seem to get a grip again this time but do u? How much the slip up n ur hospitalized gf affect u? Also didnt the last time even though u r so prepared it fail?" To me it makes the suspense thicker.

[@lds_drive]

I love how the movie's conclusion is like in a videogame where you get to the final boss and you pass the intelligence skill check and avoid the conflict entirely.

[@garytwinem5275]

I'm usually so OP from finishing all the side quests by the time of final boss confrontation, the much vaunted epic showdown lasts five minutes 😂

[@Fightingvaultboy]

Fallout NV

[@terminal.man02]

In such a dark age of Hollywood cinema, movies and actors like these are what we need

[@agentcooper4627]

The film is almost a Film School teaching reel on how to frame shots, use music and establish tension until you want to snap yourself and look away. It's a master class in cinematography.

[@dubliners0999]

Critical Drinker, thank you SO MUCH for comparing this film to The Game--the 1997 film with Michael Douglas and Sean Penn. Freaking GREAT film. I used to show "The Game" to my students in my film class. They loved it because the character develops from an icy rich guy to a caring man. And the set up and pay off in "The Game" is totally worth it.

[@DoctorSess]

The Game is great. Probably Fincher’s most under appreciated movie.

[@Omnicient.]

As much as I love The Game it clearly doesn't give enough screen time to show what Van Orton was like and so any attempt at character change towards the end doesn't have much impact. Script is generally where Fincher is at his weakest.

[@agonsfitness7308]

Hate the Game. It stretched suspension of disbelief way way too far. The ending destroyed that movie for me. It's on par with "it was all a dream" for me.

[@sirave6017]

I loved it. Appreciated it simply for it's technical realism and 'accuracy'. And I couldn't find any real flaws in the technical/tactical aspects, which normally turn me off when I do see them in movies. It felt incredibly realistic to me. Pace didn't bother me at all, as it was part of his character (as practically stated early on).

[@icantdrive75]

Well, him using a device as a silencer that literally does the opposite kind of bugged me.

[@jacotromp59581]

I enjoyed every single second of this movie. It had my attention from the start to the end. I actually put my phone down and paid attention to everything. The sound effects and music is so hypnotic. The fight scene had me tense and worried for him. Also yeah, the I was angry when he killed the extremely gorgeous dominatrix.

[@blackgaia102]

I LOVED this movie. I was hooked from the first scene. It really does execute the assassin idea in a new way, which is so ironic since this is much more realistic to what a modern day assassin would be like, and more grounded in reality. You could tell there was a lot of thought put into this movie, and it's such a refreshing experience on the 'Action Assassin' genre. I hope other film makers take notes from this movie.

[@trappedcat3615]

How did you manage to like the ending?

[@grimmWednesday]

“… execute the assassin idea …” 😂 I see what you did there

[@kurumatt473]

I'm with you on this. While watching the movie I kept thinking how refreshing it was to not see CGI and ridiculous fight scenes that are impossible.

[@chrissy9466]

@@kurumatt473 The fight scene with the big dude was too flashy and hollywood for me. Not impossible by any means but definitely over the top.

[@kliphord123X]

@@trappedcat3615 yeah the ending was interesting on the way it well... ended but other than that not too bad.

[@zachb.6606]

Fell in love with Fassbender's acting when he portrayed Lt. Archie Hicox in Inglourious Basterds and loved him in this. This is one of those films I want to watch again just to make sure I understood what it was his character was trying to tell us, and I replayed the ending scene several times because I was so invested in understanding his character's worldview.

[@ViewtifulBr080]

What are you thoughts on the ending part of contradicts the characters message a bit but it feel as though it leaves a mystery? Did he intend to kill his wife?

[@zachb.6606]

There are contradictions there. His final words indicate that he is ultimately a non-submissive fatalist. He realizes life is tragic, unpredictable, chaotic and yet he bends all of his will towards dictating precise outcomes knowing that randomness and chance can intervene without notice--foiling even the best laid plans and his meticulous preparation. He realizes that there are very few with his level of discipline, detachment, or who even practice his trade, but he is like many in his refusal to resign himself to the randomness. I don't think he kills his girlfriend; I think he gives love a chance. Will it last? Will his past come calling, or haunt him in some way? @@ViewtifulBr080

[@andrewtlockemanch]

Best character in the film.

[@homertipton2102]

I watched it with my wife last week and thought it was excellent. Glad to see the Drinker agrees. I wasn't aware it had been receiving bad reviews. That's a shame - after more than a decade of having superhero fantasy trash shoved in our faces, we need more realistic films like this across all genres.

[@RumblesBettr]

Why are you glad someone agrees. Why do you care who agrees or disagrees with what you like.

[@crujones4774]

Cause the more people with large followings agree the better chance these type of movies get made again.

[@betun130]

​@@RumblesBettrIt matters because good movies should get rewarded. If the people who made it make nothing only the mundane will be made. It's too common for creatives trying to do something interesting ending up broke.

[@Pernel143]

@@RumblesBettrwhy do you care that he is glad that someone agrees?

[@BrandonGavin_EDC]

I know it’s crushing on Netflix views so I’m sure they will make another.

[@Stinger430]

The Killer was absolutely fantastic. It took me completely by surprise. The sound effects of the fist-fight in Florida had me thinking Fassbender was actually getting hurt. Each smack and punch sounded so real! Anyway, wonderful movie.

[@Caffeine_Club]

This was not the film I was expecting, and it was damn good.

[@purefoldnz3070]

agreed! Loved every second.

[@aR73823]

I watched this movie with no expectations, probably one of the most memorable movies of this year

[@Rawsilver]

I love the fight scene because it shows that his opponents are as deadly as he is. That he's not an unstoppable killing machine. That's something that is lacking in movies these days. I never get a sense of threat from the antagonists. They're either disposable grunts or monologuing boss types that are always removed from the fight until the end.

[@Hudpix16]

The only fight scene that he also happens to get away with?

[@codylakin288]

Yes! It also showed how masterful he is in technique. If he hadn’t been as exacting of a fighter in his defense, he would’ve been destroyed in that fight.

[@devilsadvocate6098]

@@Hudpix16 he got away but was terribly bruised. We as the viewer know he is likely to continue (cause he's the main character) but there were moments my belief was disturbed. The sheer strength of the Floridian (punching through wood, taking multiple stab wounds, him ragdolling the killer) showed that without a gun, the Killer couldn't do anything to this monster. The fact he got chased out of the house by a dog that should have been incapacitated showed how his plan could have failed multiple ways and could have cost him his life. It's like going through an accident in your life then thinking back on "damn, I could have died there on that day".

[@pavementsailor]

Watched it two nights ago. I found the tone and tension very realistic. At no time did I know what was going to happen next. God I miss movies like this.

[@christianlumberpondmachado4721]

I enjoyed this movie. It’s grounded and realistic without romanticizing assassins. A different pace and I appreciate how we as the audience can understand what’s going through his mind in his art of waiting and saying his daily “mantra”. I’m hooked.

[@grant1133]

I dont agree that its realistic. It definitely tries to be but there were just too many mistakes for a trained assassin. Like dumping weapon parts in a skip right outside the building he shot someone, cocking a loaded gun twice in a row to look cool etc. It was Hollywood realism and the first 40 mins of this film felt like one big drawn our monologue and it was a chore.

[@cptclonks7279]

​@@grant1133 That monologue talks about patience and says it directly to you. Testing you by making you watch a man leave his accommodation, eat a Mcdonalds breakfast, and go back. that is the entire point.

[@Redemptiametallicus]

I discovered Fassbender with Hunger at school, in English class. I rediscovered him in Shame in 2011 and I was so moved by his performance, and also by his simplicity and humility in his everyday life, that I now consider him as one of my models. Seeing him starring in an Netflix assassin movie in the current "John Wick is the New Black" era, I was worried that he had eventually slipped on the bad side of today's consumerist cinema. I saw your video, and I started to believe my fears were real. And then you speak of this movie in a good way. You praise Fass' great acting. You point out every good aspects this film has, that I've always expected from an assassin movie. Gosh I am relieved !

[@louisahenso3283]

I knew nothing going in, but I loved the opening credits which had that unique Fincher look (very much reminding me of Fight club's opening). Then, within a few minutes, I was hooked. The sounds especially immersed you in the moment. And you couldn't be sure of anything he would or would not do. I'll definitely be watching again. Very impressed

[@theoseibold8666]

This movie is amazing. "Sassy Fassy" once again shows that he is easily one of the best actors working today. Fincher is a master at setting up tension and mood even when nothing is actually happening.

[@miguelgonzalez6213]

I loved it!! Thought it fit Fassbender's natural acting style perfectly. Slow, methodical, intense, and willing to toss in a few emotional twists here and there.

[@victormuniz695]

I really enjoyed seeing this movie and from the beginning to the end of it, I couldn't stop thinking: "The Drinker MUST watch this one!"

[@normie1970]

I really enjoyed this film and am glad you reviewed it, sir!

[@beezysbeatz4924]

This is what I really loved about Tom Cruise's role in "Collateral". He was a badass hitman and heel without all the glam and convolution.

[@ninjanibba4259]

But he wouldn’t have been interesting without Max as his opposite throughout the film Comparing this to that is like comparing apples to paper

[@Bloodynine606]

@@ninjanibba4259no it’s like comparing a fruit basket to an apple. This movie is just the apple.

[@ninjanibba4259]

@@Bloodynine606 barely

[@eduardopazhurtado3882]

Collateral might be the best hitman movie ever made.

[@CornflakesMitMilk]

Great movie! It's almost impossible to develop an emotional connection to Michael Fassbender's character, which is a good thing because it only makes the character all the more interesting. And if you catch a brief moment where the killer does an action that is untypical for him, such as:Grabbing a glass of alcohol in a restaurant, or even a small thing like opening his mouth slightly while listening to a conversation, creates a certain mystery about the character and makes you wonder how he would behave if he were sitting down especially with a few good onesFriends at the table, or with a family. How did he behave before and is his true humanity perhaps about to emerge at any moment? When the killer murders, it is always very cold but also staged with great intensity and elegance. And when there's an action scene, it's filmed with such force, so thoroughly and so bitingly that I haven't seen a scene like this in a long time. In general, the film has a very slick and elegant look, which can also be said about the rest of the film's production, which for Fincher's standards also consists of a lot of Shaky Cam - but is always used to the best effect. The same goes for the whole story - it just glides along, it just slides past you at an entertaining pace... with the necessary effect, of course. Everything is reduced to the bare essentials, nothing feels inflated in any way. Towards the end you have the feeling that the tension actually decreases more and more, especially the showdown is actually quite anticlimactic compared to most action films or thrillers, but it fits so well as a contrast to the rest of the film and to Michael Fassbender's character. And after the last shot before the credits roll, you get the feeling that "The Killer" functions like a deeply cynical and nihilistic joke that leaves you wondering what you just saw. Who were you watching, and isn't everything somehow irrelevant and meaningless in retrospect? I found it very cool.

[@helvete_ingres4717]

it was easy for me to form an emotional connection to the character b/c he's literally me. When he casually dropped the n-word ('normies') I cried b/c I felt seen

[@ptonpc]

I loved the showdown at the end (no spoilers of course).

[@Eli-ld7qf]

I’m so happy to see Michael Fassbender back! It’s been a while. The Killer is a very excellent film

[@daverage4729]

Nice to see a film like this amid all the 'bang, bang, bang' stuff. I was always drawn to this type of movie due to the focus on planning and organisation and if the character will get away with it. Films like this and the 1973 'Day of the Jackal' are always worth a look.

[@mindofmarlowe]

THANK. YOU. I sadly feel like this movie is being misunderstood and underrated. All the things you point out are the reasons I really like it. Seen it twice now and enjoyed it even more the second time. The one thing you could have mentioned is that the movie is actually pretty funny. There's a tongue in cheek nature to the dark comedy it presents. Him repeating his mantra to himself throughout the movie and having it make less sense. Him killing the lawyer when he thought he'd stay alive another 5 min or so. And little one liners in his narration. Really great stuff.

[@mertmunson1417]

The part with Dolores laughing nervously and awkwardly when they’re in the elevator together with the trash can killed me!!! Hahahahahahahaha

[@Mr.little.man217]

Yes! To both of these! Hello my fellow members of the darkness

[@JRRob3wn]

I felt like it was almost a sequel to American Psycho.

[@wodensol5000]

​@@JRRob3wnmy thoughts exactly

[@mertmunson1417]

@@JRRob3wn damn, never thought of that! That’s a cool idea!

[@Sillybollox1966]

Brilliant movie, perfect pace. Great performances. So so good.

[@docbrown6797]

This and Oppenheimer were by far the best movies of 2023. Both were a breath of fresh air. And, yes, for mature audiences who want actual cinema.

[@markmooroolbark252]

That fight scene near the end was the most absurd thing I have seen in a so-called drama in a very long time. Kicked and punched repeatedly in the face by a 250 pound hit man and walks away with a slight cut on his lower lip. That was so bad I lost all interest in the outcome. How can a director allow such a ridiculous scene to make the final cut. Any one of those punches would have knocked the most powerful man unconscious and possibly killed him in that place called real life.

[@die_go3009]

i agree with both @markmooroolbark252 and @docbrown6797

[@ivankuzin8388]

@@markmooroolbark252 Yes, unfortunately, it was a good old Hollywood fight, the only drawback of the movie :(

[@Cross8ow]

The best? Lawl. I love Fassbender, but this movie was long shit with no logic and that fight? Eh? They could have rather have Hitman movie as true hitman.

[@georgef1936]

Oppenheimer was dogturd

[@jefferytokarsky1930]

Usually, I watch The Drinker and saves me the trouble of watching the movie. This time, I actually saw The Killer before the review and agree 100%. It wasn’t what I was expecting. It was different, refreshing, believable, and enjoyable. From detached hunter, to hunted, to revenge hunter. And after all the killing, even the ending was unexpected and refreshing.

[@SaladbarSlytherin]

The fight choreography was perfection. I haven't scene stuff on that level since Extraction and Nobody.

[@brandonchism6960]

One of the most on point write ups I’ve seen for this movie. I actually appreciated it for not being some over the top, CGI filled action flick but a well executed and thought provoking movie.

[@Handstyles]

We watched this yesterday at our "dude-evening" and I found it to be riveting and very immersive! The monologues & scenes without dialogue backed by Trent Reznors Score were so fitting and well done. I loved the short music lyric pieces that always supported the visuals. Its a phenomenal flick.

[@Jonathan_Collins]

Having a Scorsese AND a Fincher movie around the same time is just a magnificent event. In my opinion, Michael Fassbender would make for a great Bond! Ian Fleming’s own depiction of James Bond even looks like him!

[@mosesdouglas4325]

Exactly

[@ba2724]

Agreed. And to those who say he's too old, do they not realize the original Bond was a mature man? Also, MF is in incredible shape, always, and would 'class' up the Bond character in a way we haven't seen in awhile.

[@fusionfan6883]

For a long time I thought that, not least because he has that cruel edge to him, but the more I watch him, the less I think he could carry the role. I am going to get slaughtered for this, but I think he is a bit one dimensional. By this I mean, when he is playing funny or kind or soft, it never feels real to me, there is always a sense of coldness and detachment about him. You could argue this is Fleming’s Bond in many ways, but I feel to carry the franchise he would need more. Don’t laugh, but the more aI watch him, I think Tom Hiddleston could do a good Bond if he figures out the right balance for the role.

[@ceasarsaran8573]

@@fusionfan6883 No. Tom Hiddlestrom just isn't masculine enough. We just went through the sensitive Daniel Craig era, and while it started out OK, almost everyone hated him by the end. Im not sure about Fassbenger. He just isn't British enough or something.

[@Thumperoo]

agreed ! However, Bond's currently presumed dead and the new 007 is probably a transgender BIPOC lesbian teenage Tik Tok influencer genius or sumthin.

[@anas5847]

Give me more movies like this, it's actually well made and with a realistic touch. It feels weird that this level of movies is very rare nowadays while in the 2010s this would've been just another good movie among lots others

[@PrimalEdge]

I could NOT agree more! I watched it this past weekend, expecting a Hitman meets The Mechanic kind of story. What I got was a very pleasant surprise! It was like peering through the keyhole of their world, and we got to see a bit of what it's like. I felt very rewarded for my time, like waking up to a.... well. I'll just say it was damn good.

[@firstlast9846]

That’s usually what you get when it’s David Fincher - a look at the world through nihilism. Wish he’d done WWZ like he planned. Dudes late into his career - and still wants to do dramas and animated movies and zombie movies 🐐

[@KapyBarra41]

His decision to spare the secretary in the office I think was huge. Him abiding by her request, albeit fatally, shows a level of growth and empathy even though he still did what his code told him he needed to do. That and the question of culpability by way of degrees of separation brought up in the final exchange were the most intriguing parts of this movie because it asks difficult questions whose answers are equally difficult.

[@Simone-Bucn]

The entire first half of your comment makes no sense whatsoever. 🤨

[@KapyBarra41]

@@Simone-Bucn if you watched the movie it would. If you watched it and it still didn't make sense then you weren't paying attention silly Willy

[@Simone-Bucn]

@@KapyBarra41 I have watched it "silly willy", & you literally contradict yourself. You're wrong, and you're also one of those people who's in love with themself.

[@KapyBarra41]

@@Simone-Bucn ok buddy so the reason I said what I said is because he considered empathy weakness and cut it out of his life to be a professional. She sat there and asked him just to make her death look real, that she couldn't "just disappear." Ordinarily he would have disappeared her because that's what his code calls for, but he used the excuse that she had to show him the names (and it was an excuse because he could've easily found them at the fixers home) and decided to kill her on the stairs to imply an accident so her family could collect on the insurance money. That is him growing and becoming more human by showing empathy even though he still killed her.

[@colivas8414]

David Fincher is my favorite director, I really hope he hasn't lost his touch with this movie.

[@brandonm4550]

Thought it was pretty mid and I'm a huge fan of Fincher and Fassbender.

[@chasehedges6775]

@ArthurIstic-wf9js Tell Modern Hollywood to stat making better films

[@spider-man500]

​@ArthurIstic-wf9js 🤡

[@leonthesleepy]

It's alright, he's not pushing any new boundaries with this one, but its still really well made. It's also a really small movie that doesn't aim to do anything crazy, which is why some people are calling it his "laziest" movie, but I would say its still a 6 or 7/10

[@ifstatementifstatement2704]

The only movie this year that left a lasting impression. Was still thinking about it a few days after.

[@cobaltshrew2732]

For those unaware, this movie's an adaptation of a series of comic books (or graphic novels, called "le tueur" 'litterally "the killer" in french) and they're amazing. I didn't know at first, but it only took me a few minutes into the movie to realize it, which goes to show how faithful to the base material the movie is, despite the original character being french. And the movie only covers a few events of the books, so if you liked the movie, definitely read them, they're worth the time !

[@turkish2515]

I absolutely loved this movie. This movie proves why Fincher is my favorite director.

[@purefoldnz3070]

agreed!

[@Hudpix16]

The movie just doesn’t give any information, nothing about his background or his personal life. We don’t see his relationship with this girl or anything. He acts like an robot. I get that it’s a revenge film. It’s a long getting people killed until you get to the big baddie.

[@purefoldnz3070]

@@Hudpix16 well thats the whole point.

[@turkish2515]

@frodo322 I didn't see it as a revenge film. To me, it was about a guy who thought he was infallible at his job and messed up and now has to deal with the fallout. I don't think he acted like a robot. He's just impassive. Some people are like that, and it helps him with the job he has. I didn't need any of the background information, the character gives you everything you need in his monologs.

[@TY-km8hj]

Michael Fasbender is one of my favourite actors ever, really hope he does more work in the coming yrs and that ppl start to appreciate him more

[@grumpyoldwizard]

This movie is quite excellent. It felt like a movie from a better time.

[@Tom-wd5bs]

agree - it had all of the right ingredients - great attention to detail , i found myself sneaking around my house afterwards

[@LuisSierra42]

@@Tom-wd5bs haha, same. It really gets you in that paranoid mindset

[@nikkim9014]

This sounds great. I had no idea what it was going to be, but it was David Fincher so I was certainly not going to expect a bunch of explosions. His crime dramas are my favorite things, so I'm looking forward to this.

[@xXCasta21Xx]

This review and others like it, and how you beautifully explain the intricacies of movies, enticing entire audiences to view them in a different light, this is why I love your channel and always will.

[@hraith]

I liked it. The interminable hunter's wait in the deer blind for his target was refreshing compared to a series of ain't-we-cool scenes and poses in the typical assassin genre. Then the unthinkable happens and he messes up and, even more incredibly, isn't able to fix the problem. When his first alias was Archibald Bunker I laughed and hummed "Boy, the way Glenn Miller played..." The fight scene was great and at times I rooted for both sides. Fassbender is creepy to me, but to be fair I've only seen his movies where it was his job to be creepy. Overall, it was a nice break from the usual tripe.

[@Scyths1]

Watched it yesterday night and it was a lot better than I had expected. I really enjoy slow and "quiet" action movies honestly.

[@JRRob3wn]

Agreed. Most of the modern action films like the Wick series become mind numbing for me. It’s almost like watching someone play a video game, with endless NPCs coming out of the woodwork to get easily mowed down. So a smaller slow burn fill like this is much more my style. And FUCK CGI. Enough already.

[@buntado6]

I'd recommend No Country for Old Men then, if it wasn't likely that you've seen it already.

[@nickolasburns8788]

As a movie by itself, I liked a lot. For a Netflix studio film though, it was amazing! Even though there wasn’t a ton of action it was still more eventful and well thought out than anything Disney plus put out.

[@CharaGonzalez-lt7yw]

This movie lives up to its name, my brother was killed of boredom while watching. Respect to the director. Yo 😔👊

[@cantadorlegendario1746]

Greetings from Brazil, Drinker! Indeed, "The Killer" is a slow-burn, well-thought study on a character whose main feature is method, a lot like Fincher himself. Thrillers like that are beautiful gems in our ever-growing streaming dumpster catalogs to be viewed and praised. That being said, how about a review for "Prisoners" from Dennis Villeneuve?

[@israelp348]

This has to be one of the top 2-3 best movies all year long. David Fincher hit another home run with this one, Fassbender started off his comeback from a 4 year hiatus of acting with an absolute banger and with a script that got to really show what he's made of, he's always been kind of underrated and excellent.

[@Hudpix16]

I think it’s overrated, I didn’t get it. I know it’s a revenge story but there was just not enough story told. They guy acted like a robot with no morals or emotion other than get his revenge, without caring if he killed any innocents in the way as long as he got what he wanted. And I get he’s an assassin, but the people who he killed who had done nothing other than knowing something did not deserve to die. The ending was so unrewarding.

[@JMigUK]

Went with no expectations, as TCD rightly suggests, and found this movie to be excellent, upper echelon of modern action cinema if you ask me, totally recommended. And yes, does require you to pay attention to detail as the expected adult target audience.

[@darrenronard2087]

I actually much preferred it to the John Wick-style movies, which despite them both being graphic novels, feel a lot more cartoony in comparison. While also being much more mean-spirited and sometimes even repugnant in their obvious glorification of violence. Meanwhile I appreciated the light touch of The Killer, and the fact that even the heaviest action scenes (his fight with the “beast” is one of the best in recent memory) keep a sense of humor, and the Killer himself never devolves into sadism, simply does what he has to to “win” - and for a bonus isn’t a goddam invincible bullet sponge like most modern action heroes (though some of those punches he took seem like they should have been all she wrote).

[@protoman1214]

Reminds me of the disappointment people had with Jarhead. It was advertised as an action movie along the lines of Blackhawk Down and Saving Private Ryan. A great movie held to the wrong standard and consequently panned by reviewers

[@anubusx]

I liked that film.

[@wolfhawk1999]

It makes sense if you consider that David Fincher directed it. If you went in not knowing Fincher's work then sure, you may be caught off guard. As a huge Fincher fan, this was a return to form that I ended up loving. Subtle, meticulous, clever, and just an overall great character study.

[@pete7164]

If you like the movie, check out the original source material. The graphic novel is one of the greatest character studies I've ever experienced in any media ever

[@firstlast9846]

@pete7164 - the comic is sooo good

[@crazyralph6386]

He was a phenomenal music video director in the 80’s also. George Michael’s Freedom ‘90 immediately comes to mind.

[@eduardopazhurtado3882]

I just watched it this afternoon, not expecting anything. It's good, and that's all, it doesn't need to be anything else. My favorite part is the initial sequence. The whole waiting game that a real assasin would have to play, it's super interesting, and, with even that right mind set, things can go wrong, by stuff you don't have any control of.

[@damepolk5214]

Even though David Fincher did his own thing with this movie and took a few artistic liberties, I’m still glad that the movie stayed pretty close and respected the source material of the graphic novel series of the same name. I liked it. I hope they do a sequel. ‘The Killer’ is my favorite graphic novel.🎬

[@samfisherxboxog8925]

Always meant to give that bande dessinée a try

[@HeatherHolt]

Wow I didn’t even know it was a graphic novel! I just heard about the movie a few weeks ago.

[@TheHatersarebad]

I recommend reading the "Victor the Assassin" series by Tom Wood. Victor is just as pragmatic and ruthless as "The Killer" played by Fassbender.

[@compoundfracture4661]

Really enjoyed the movie and was pleasantly surprised. Someone put it on Netflix and I was glancing at the opening credits, not really paying attention because I expected another trash movie like almost everything else today, then I saw Fincher’s name and perked up. The opening scene drew me in and I’m glad I watched.

[@katgirl3000]

I've come to really appreciate the Drinker reviews and they often encourage me to see something I might have otherwise passed up like in this case I thought it would be yet another of the recent crop of assassin genre movies. Much appreciation!

[@Kevin6125]

The main fight scene was one of the best I’ve seen. Very grounded and it was like you were in the room with them.

[@geminireviews]

@crilloanyea and you could really feel the force of “the brute” Reminded me of a realistic version of thanos vs hulk fist fight

[@DustbinFunkbndr]

The choreography was close to perfect. There were a few moments where the realism broke down a little bit, but I think it was only because I was so engrossed due to how great every other part was.

[@markmooroolbark252]

@crilloan It was the most unrealistic fight scene I have seen in a long time. Have you ever seen a real fight? Have you seen what one punch on someone's nose or jaw can do? It often kills people or at least puts them in a coma. Fassbinder's character copped 20 kicks and punches on his face from a 250 pound hit man and walked away with a small cut on his lip. It was outrageously bad! How to remind the viewer you are watching a silly movie.

[@markmooroolbark252]

It was atrocious! That scene ruined the movie for me. So fake and unbelievable. A small cut on the lip after being battered relentlessly in the face with kicks and punches by a 250 pound psycho hitman. Cringe.

[@markmooroolbark252]

@@DustbinFunkbndr A bit? It was appalling. So fake and over the top I was laughing.

[@spinyvegeta1]

It was suspenseful but in a controlled manner. Loved it

[@christianc.2664]

Loved Fassbender in Macbeth 2015. He did so well in that role.

[@HoldinContempt]

This was one of the best films i have seen in a very long time. This is the best representation of what a real Agent 47 would be in live action. This is proper cinema.

[@RedHazeCh]

The new Hitman videogames are just glamorous movie sets where you running around as a cosplaying gig worker. This movie feels like the dark and grounded environment of the older games.

[@hawkeye5955]

​@@RedHazeCh: The Hitman game could also be played in the style of a kill everyone challenge by a certain Scottish youtuber with hilarious results.

[@jayb2705]

I watched one of the terrible Hitman movies, and it's basically John Wick from Wish. In the games you have to take your time, find the right disguise and pick your moment to strike without being noticed. The old Hitman games were the best.

[@HoldinContempt]

​@@jayb2705 My point exactly. the hitman movie failed because the dipsh*** who made it did not play the hitman games and did not understand the essence of the character and the world he lived in. Due to the slow pace of a true hitman story it would probably need to be in long form TV series format instead of 90-120 movie form but this film was as close to achieving that as could ever have been done.

[@HoldinContempt]

@@RedHazeCh true The older hitman games were much better.

[@chasehedges6775]

David Fincher strikes again with another good flick.

[@blahmcblahface3965]

Love his other stuff. This was trash

[@ivaerz4977]

@@blahmcblahface3965 Ending was meh

[@felixcortez7604]

I have read the comic books and the movie is in the same style.(seen it in the cinema) Well done David Fincher! I also love the fact that the Killer acts always logical and doesn't do stupid things to push the story in a new direction. It is becoming quite popular. It was only a limited time in the cinema and then on Netflix It should have been a full release!

[@richnewman]

A lot of this movie reminded me of Assassination Tango from back in the day. It's about the killer, not who is being killed, and the choices/lifestyle of said people. Fincher is my favorite director and I see a LOT of his hallmark influences on this film: precision cinematography, flat color/grading, and Kubrick style direction towards perfection in every scene. I think a lot of people were hoping for Se7en Part II, but we got another character driven film like Benjamin Button. I love this movie and have recommended it to many people.

[@NASkeywest]

I liked how it was a more realistic portrayal of an assassin. He was able to just go and karate chop a building full of enemies. He relied on being smart and skilled and his only combat fight was a one vs one where he won but got his butt whooped! It was more of a slow burn assassin movie which I enjoyed!

[@CornyBum]

Man, I must've fallen asleep during that scene when he karate chopped a building full of enemies, gonna hafta give this another shot. A stereotypical Hollywood-style assassin film would have the guy karate chop the enemies one by one, but attacking the building itself? Now that's the kinda genius only Fincher can deliver.

[@errwhattheflip]

I think he mean that he doesn't do that@@CornyBum

[@DarknessIsSpreading_01]

I found The Killer to be quite excellent. I only wish it had been limited series instead of a movie. Let's hope they make more Killers in the future v

[@Leprutz]

Well it should have been a series as it is based on a comic book. THe comic book was stellar. The movie on the other way a huge pile of garbage.

[@danescerri3297]

I loved it. Especially the first half hour when the plot hasn’t started yet was oddly compelling

[@tkobvious]

Fassbender is so expressive without saying a word. His narration is there pretty consistently, and his voice is fantastic. I can't say enough about his presence. But when I heard "Fincher" along with some of the same people that helped create Fight Club, I was expecting a lot. This movie tho is lacking tremendously when compared to Fincher's other work. I can't tell if it's because I hold him in such high regard that makes this film seem so average, or if it is objectively an average film. To properly analyze, I'd have to watch a few more times, but this is not a movie that I want to watch again. If I were assuming, like so much that's out there now, it feels like it's been shelved for years and finally, scrambling for anything new, it got made. There is nothing new about the story tho. If anything, it's a very simple revenge story, but now from the perspective of a psychotic narcissist assassin (listen to his mantra, dude is nuts, and repeats "what's in it for you"). There are elements that are incredible; the music, the sound, Fassbenders entertaining presence. I chuckled a few times with some fairly hilarious levity that was sprinkled in (cheese grater). I realize the whole point of this movie was to be simple and straight forward, and Fassbenders acting is the draw. And I really liked the internal narration. But some of that mantra after hearing a handful of times, doesn't sound as brilliant as I think the writer intended. One very tense fight scene was really great, but it was so poorly lit at the expense of being "gritty" I suppose, it unnecessarily lowered the impact of what was to be a pinnacle scene. I understand that stories don't always need all characters' back stories fleshed out, and it's just supposed to be this small glimpse into the lives of a handful of characters. But this movie presents us with an assassin with zero back story, they introduce a girlfriend that has no back story and the bit of dialogue she has is very strange, she gets beaten up when people are looking for Fassbender, and we see he does care about someone, but it's not a wife or child, and she lives (seems out of character, why not just kill her), so really the stakes don't elevate like intended. And I don't want to give away the "ending" but it is pretty strange how this emotionless killer makes that decision. 6.5/10

[@notaspeck6104]

Okay I honestly agree. I feel like people are way to quick to jump on the bandwagon of 'it's not like other hollywood movie therefore it's CinEmA'. Like most of the movies we get nowadays (if you only look at the mainstream) are usually not great. Compared to the countless remakes and rehashes we get nowadays obviously The Killer looks better by comparison. It's still a good movie, I would agree with a 6.5-7 out of 10. But it's just a little messy and the themes in my opinion lack overall cohesion. They work together and make sense on a surface level, but didn't truly come together. Sort of like not cooking a stew long enough, the flavours didn't really marry in my opinion. And yeah, I think the concept behind the narration was really damn good. But the execution was just...fine. Fassbender is brilliant, but there was so much potential that just wasn't reached. I also really agree with the stakes not really being there. Like why was it his gf getting beat up? We're introduced to this clinical killer, but also he's got a sweet ass home that he leaves completely unprotected and has a partner that he apparently cares a lot about... like okay? That's sort of what I mean when I say the themes don't really mesh like they could've, in really top tier stories nothing is without purpose or direction. If the gf had at least died they could've spun it to be about someone who clearly is desensitised to death being forced to actually confront it. At the beginning of the film he talks about how nothing he does makes a different in the grand scheme of life and death, yet if someone he cares about dies then that whole philosophy that he lives and kills by is thrown into question. Not to mention they could've thrown in themes of emotional abstinence and being forced to feel grief and rage. Like this very clinical and controlled killer slowly loses himself to anger, and his seemingly perfect system/worldview slowly degrades revealing that he's just as human as anyone else (part of the many not the few). The whole title then gains a new meaning, like what does it actually mean to be a 'killer'? Is a killer someone who cuts out the parts of them that make them human, or do ordinary people cut out the parts of us that make us killers? Those questions were sort of (and I mean sort of) presented in Tilda Swinton's character but again just wasn't really laced throughout the whole movie. Etc. I just feel like those narrative choices are what held this movie back in the long run. It's definitely still a good movie, I think the reason it feels underwhelming is because it had all the ingredients to be genuinely amazing (a great concept, a great lead actor and a great director) but just didn't get there.

[@tkobvious]

⁠​⁠​⁠@@notaspeck6104 I agree with all of it! Especially your take on top tier films and details. And the stew analogy lol. In another post my analogy was if Michelangelo went on to paint houses. Sure, it’s good, but it is not the Sistine chapel by any stretch.

[@Canalbiruta]

The thing is, the story itself being deep and having a lot of element isn't what makes a good movie. It's in the how it's told and shown to the audience that matters, and to me David made a fantastic job here, at least for me. I'd also say the dialog isn't trying to be as deep as something like fightclub, and is more of a character study on how the assassin himself sees things, and trying to be more of a contrast to what is happening on the screen, than inform the audience of some deep philosophy. The movie starts with his mantra showing what he wants to be, this apathetic, cold, methodic and flawless killing machine, just to continue in his line of work, and slowly peels away his shell to show that not only he's flawed like everyone, but he isn't as methodical, as cold or apathetic as he thinks he is. The end where he chooses not killing the client isn't just out of nowhere, but the culmination of all of his mantra being broken throughout the movie to show the man behind the cold facade. In the end the movie doesn't show us backgrounds or how we ended up here because it isn't what the story it's telling is, not even what makes a good movie. What we need to know about him we learn on the prelude where he's waiting for the target while telling us how cold and collected he is, his methods to achieve his job, how boring his job can be, and how he never fails. The story is the perfect assassin discovering he isn't perfect and how he failing to do his job leads him into a path that show his true colors. Yeah an apathetic, emotionless assassin wouldn't have a girlfriend who can be a liability, neither put his life in the line to avenge her in a feat of rage, not even share a drink with the person who was send to kill him in the first place, even more have empathy for the client who sent him the assassins, and that's the point.

[@Thergood]

The Killer is a farcical "send-up" of the hollywood assassin trope, the Mission Impossibles and Bourne's of the world. It shows you what lunacy it would actually take to be a globetrotting super assassin. The paranoia and preparation it would take to actually do these things successfully without getting killed or caught. From obsessively scrubbing yourself in dingy gas station bathrooms to abandoning travel plans because of a bad feeling, to staging huge amounts of cash and supplies at different cities throughout the world. Never letting your guard down, having a plan for everything, being suspicious of everyone and everything. Someone like the Jason Bourne character would need to spend 99% of his life preparing and being paranoid. What we see in the Bourne movies would be the other 1% and nearly impossible to maintain. There's a great scene (mild spoilers) where he goes to see the lawyer, and the lawyer says something to the effect of "You screwed the job up, of course we're going to send someone to jack up you and those you care about." So nonchalant, like it's a given. There are entire spy thrillers where this is the entire conceit of the movie. Assassin does something wrong, then is devastated and shocked when they send someone after him or his family, and now he has to get revenge. This movie is like "Yea, so? That's how shit works." He also kills nearly everyone he interacts with without hesitation, no matter how sympathetic. This is what it would take to even have a hope of lasting as professional super assassin as shown in movies.

[@helvete_ingres4717]

drinker never gets angles like parody or self-reflexivity, he just summarises the plot in a straightforward manner. it' s what you get when anyone can have a youtube channel and declare themselves a film critic and amass a following by being 'anti-woke' or w/e though about him killing everyone he comes into contact with, he clearly refuses to kill a dog at one point - like John Wick (another somewhat meta assassin thriller) conclusively proved that an audience will never be on the side of a dog-killer even ironicall

[@patrikules1937]

He kills everyone he interacts with EXCEPT the one guy who deserved it the most... I hate the fact that he killed the cab driver who had no idea what was going on, but spared the rich guy who put a hit out so willy-nilly he couldn't care enough to even remember.

[@IntotheFurther.]

Basically just another form of a serial killer. He didn’t do it for the money.

[@xXNickPXx]

@@patrikules1937 Him not killing the high profile guy made sense to me. The amount of attention that would bring could end it all. Meanwhile no one really cares about a poor taxi driver. Sparing the high profile rich guy (who doesn't know anything about the killer and can't report any of this to police lest he expose his own illegal dealings) is what allows him to actually sit back and relax at the end of the movie.

[@kingnull2697]

@@helvete_ingres4717 Drinker gets both writing and movies better than you do, clearly. Both and OP need to re-examine the definitions of “parody” & “farce”.

[@keith3140]

I saw it and was surprised but not disappointed. Wonderful cast (love Tilda), more cerebral than just boom boom, and very well acted. The fight scene you mentioned was absolutely visceral and scary. Some of the kills he did actually surprised me. I’ll have to watch it again

[@markmooroolbark252]

That fight scene was appalling! I cannot believe how many people can watch such crap and not be annoyed. It was so over the top and fake in a movie which up until then had been gritty and realistic it destroyed it for me. Twenty kicks and punches to the face from a 250 pound hitman high on drugs and he gets a tiny cut on his lip? That was an absolute embarrassment. Were we watching as superhero movie or a gritty hitman thriller? It was so unnecessary too. Just get inside his house and get the job done. Shocking scene and terrible direction. Fassbinder should have refused to do it. It was so unrealistic it takes you out of the story and reminds you that you are watching a silly Hollywood movie.

[@rannnoch]

@@markmooroolbark252 Kind of agree, would have been fine if they went the kung fu master route and he avoided the hits, but he gets pummeled repeatedly and shown to be outclassed but still pulls it out of his ass and walks away with minimal damage. I guess every new hollywewd movie needs a bad, egregious scene in it- just incase you thought you were about to thoroughly enjoy something.

[@dbankankrah1928]

I'm just glad to be in an era where a movie genre can have different tones to them and still be great

[@randomdude189]

A movie can have different tones to them? You started the sentence singular and suddenly at then end it’s plural? If you liked the movie but you can’t even type a sentence that speaks volumes about how good the movie actually was. If you’re dumb you liked it

[@cuervoramos]

@@randomdude189 You misread that comment, the comment said "a movie GENRE can have different tones to them", it doesn't say "a movie can have different tones to them", considering that he/she is talking about genre as a whole, it would make sense to refer to it as plural since its referring to any and all movies that encompass such genre.

[@larrydanadavid2435]

This is literally the worst era for filmmaking and music too.

[@AxTechs]

I like how you mention there not being much CGI, but every single shot, I think without exception, is a VFX shot within this film - it's just so well done you can't tell. Every car shot is on a volume, almost every interior on a stage with green screen for the windows ext. ext.

[@MelanismSeis]

Sounds like classic Fincher to me. Being so meticulous with his scenes, makes sense that he would want to have total control over each element presented on screen.

[@MrFiddleedee]

Saw this opening night at a film festival and the large theatre was 80% full and you could tell people enjoyed it. It got laughs and other positive reactions ( i heard claps).