“Popeye the Sailor probably said it best: ‘I am what I am.’ I’m not exceptional. I’m just… apart.”
Violence with no empathy. Vengeance with a purpose. Viciousness pressurized in the atmosphere. This world is reflected in “The Killer,” the most recent film from director David Fincher.
An adaptation of the graphic novel series of the same name by Alexis “Matz” Nolent, “The Killer” follows the titular character, an unnamed contract killer (Michael Fassbender) who, after a mishap with an assassination which lead to his girlfriend Magdala (Sophie Charlotte) being attacked, goes out on an international vendetta against the parties responsible while also dealing with his own demons.
As the titular figure, Michael Fassbender embraces this assassin’s stoic and methodical characteristics in his performance. This is especially reflected through his cold, calculating blue eyes, which show no empathy or mercy. His detachment from the world is reflected through internal monologues that are interspersed throughout the film. This is demonstrated through his mantra, “Stick to your plan. Anticipate, don’t improvise. Trust no one. Never yield an advantage. Fight only the battle you’re paid to fight.” This phrase is repeated throughout the film.
Another interesting aspect of the film comes from the soundtrack, which consists primarily of songs by The Smiths, as the title character exclusively listens to them throughout the film. Some of these tracks include “Hand in Glove,” “How Soon is Now” (which plays during a tense and almost hypnotic sequence in the first chapter, which is in Paris), “This Charming Man,” and “There Is a Light That Never Goes Out” amongst others by the band.
An interesting facet of “The Killer” is that traces of the film appear to be influenced by Jean-Pierre Melville’s 1967 neo-noir “Le Samouraï,” especially when it comes to that film’s protagonist, Jef Costello (played by the late Alain Delon). This similarity is seen in The Killer’s stoic and quiet characteristics, his almost ritualistic process of carrying out a hit, his occupation, and even the tan trench coat that he dons in the opening sequences in Paris.
With his latest film, director David Fincher delivers an intriguing character study that appears to be a straightforward revenge tale, significantly different from his earlier works such as “Se7en” and “Fight Club” — which have more complex narratives. However, Fincher diverts from the traditional narrative structure by having the film divided into six chapters rather than the typical three-act structure, with most of the chapters focusing on someone who has crossed The Killer’s crosshairs, such as The Lawyer (Charles Parnell), The Expert (Tilda Swinton), and The Client (Arliss Howard), amongst others. This structure is also due to the excellent screenplay written by Andrew Kevin Walker.
Erik Messerschmidt, the film’s cinematographer, captures the noir aesthetics of the film with shadowy and desaturated shots. Messerschmidt, who previously worked with Fincher on his 2020 film “Mank,” compliments the tense and vicious world of the film with shots such as an ominous wide shot of The Brute being dropped off at his Florida home in the foggy night and a tracking shot of The Killer driving the van from New Orleans toward Florida.
“The Killer” plunges the viewer into an environment of brutish and concentrated violence from the perspective of an unforgiving and vengeful hitman. Fincher delivers a hypnotic and stylized film, resulting in an excellent take on the revenge thriller.
Stick to the plan. Never improvise.
“The Killer” is available to stream on Netflix.
