David Fincher’s new Netflix action thriller, The Killer, might not be as great as his other films, but it is still as entertaining as ever.
David Fincher is one of the greatest living directors and one of my favorites. Years ago, he signed a contract with Netflix to make a couple of films with them, along with the TV show Mind Hunter. David Fincher directed Mank, which came out on Netflix a few years ago. While Mank was a different kind of film for David Fincher, The Killer is David Fincher at his best.
David Fincher specializes in these interesting, almost anti-hero characters. David Fincher is also known for his trademark collaborations with Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross in the music department. The last few films they have worked together on have struck gold as far as the music score goes.
The killer is no different. The music shines brightly in this film. The music, the cinematography, and the acting are definitely strong points of the film, but my major complaint is how it compares to other Fincher masterpieces. On its own, it still has a decent, fun watch and is a good film to watch for action fans.
Going into the plot, we have Michael Fassbender, our main character and star hitman. He’s the man with no name; he is credited as only “The Killer”. After a hitjob goes wrong for our protagonist, he begins to see repercussions. The people he works for end up hurting someone very close to him. Because of this, he ends up going on a killing streak, stopping all in his way to get revenge for what they did. It’s kind of like John Wick if you’ve seen that film.
But the film is really about what’s going on outside the killer’s head. How he plans each kill, and how he mentally takes on the burden. Being on the run and going cross-country, we see multiple locations. That in itself is a highlight to be able to see different landmarks across the world. On many occasions, we get a good lay of the land, and each place has its own vibe. Making each place stick out.
David Fincher makes his movies with a sometimes intense reality to them. Some of his films have intense violence, and this one might be the most intense yet. Fincher is known for his slow-burn thrillers, but in The Killer, we see drawn-out fight and action scenes. With the intense reality that venture creates, these fight and action scenes have a grittiness to them that is rarely matched in Hollywood.
Few directors can make action scenes feel real and not superficial. But our narrator in the film is the killer, so we see everything in a matter-of-fact Ness. So the fights and action scenes pull no punches, literally. For me, the highlight was one of the fights later in the film in Florida. This scene might be the best-filmed action scene David Fincher has done. It really took me back, and I thought I was watching one of the John Wick movies. Which is a high compliment, as those films have insane stunt work to make the fights look real.
Going back to the killer and narrating the film is one of the only ways we get an insight into the killer’s mind. The killer rarely expresses his feelings or even talks. But after getting a good idea of what he thinks in his head, I understand all the gears turning in there. Some films’ narration can hurt.
You see things explained that are more for the interpretation of the viewer. But it helps this film, as the killer spends much of his time alone. Whether it’s him sitting on an airplane going for his next kill or him in a hotel room, we learn more about him as the film progresses. He isn’t shy either and lets us know exactly what he is thinking.
With the music already mentioned, Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross knocked it out of the park as usual. The pulsating music creates these strange, unsettling scenes and tension out of small things. With the music not being in your face like a Nolan film, the tension builds slowly until a massive crescendo.
I don’t think this will go down as the most fantastic soundtrack they’ve made for David Fincher. Like other parts of the film, I think I will be able to notice it a little bit more on a second viewing. I do believe that still goes to social networks. But this soundtrack did precisely what it needed to do for this film, and sometimes that’s the best thing you can ask for.
A lot of the music in the film was what the killer was listening to in his headphones or the car. The killer had a healthy dose of listening to the Smiths throughout the film. He states that this is to help him when it comes to his job. This is another thing to help us get into his head slightly. It is a pretty big part because there is a ton of their music in the film.
Kudos to the sound design when he put one headphone on. We hear it on the stereo on the same side of the headphones he puts in. Once again, this takes us into his head and his world. Along with that, we really hear every single noise made on film, no matter how small it is. Also, each location we visit has a unique sound design.
David Fincher always goes all out on editing, sound design, production design, and everything else to make his films, having a very polished final product. Everything you see on camera takes very precise dedication and work. That’s why, for me, even though this might not be his best film, it’s still a good film, memorable and good film.
My biggest complaint is that it’s not as great as others he has made and doesn’t reach the sort of pinnacle that other of his films do. Gone Girl, Social Network, and Fight Club, just to name a few Fincher films, made a lasting impact on me. They had a lot of substance in them and had a lot of things to say. But this film will be talked about in years to come and won’t be forgotten like The Marvels will be. But like David Fincher’s slow-burn movies, they take time to build and grow.
The killer might have things to say, and they might grow on me as time passes. But on initial viewing, I was let down because of his prior work. It seemed like an above-average action thriller film with key moments, as noted above. But beyond that, it doesn’t offer as lasting an effect as his other films have.
Maybe this was because it was a Netflix film, and he had to fulfill an obligation for multiple films. Perhaps they kept him from doing things that he wanted to do. Nonetheless, it’s a very entertaining action-thriller film. I believe it’ll grow on me over time with repeated viewings.
