‘Of those who like to put their faith in the inherent goodness of mankind, I have to ask, “Based on what, exactly?”‘
Whilst David Fincher is undoubtedly one of the greatest directors of his generation with at least three masterpieces to his name (Se7en, Fight Club and Zodiac), I haven’t actually loved any of his films since 2010’s The Social Network. There has been a lot of buzz about The Killer, and while I found a lot here to enjoy, I must confess that I didn’t love this one either…
A nameless, ruthless hitman (Michael Fassbender) is forced to embark on an international manhunt after a botched hit. Taking in numerous glamorous locations and a heady mix of Bourne-esque violence and brooding meditation, The Killer features elements of much of Fincher’s previous work (the nihilism of Fight Club, the dark aesthetic of The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo, the relentlessness of Zodiac) and twists them into something genuinely unique.
While The Killer has some great moments, the scenes in which Tilda Swinton enters the fray are particularly effective, as are the title sequence and the long opening scene, the film as a whole is too much like its protagonist – cold, lifeless, clinical… perhaps that’s the point. Fassbender goes beyond cool and collective, reaching instead for an almost reptile-like zen that, in its darker moments, recalls Christian Bale’s dead-behind-the-eyes- portrayal of Patrick Bateman in American Psycho.
While there is no denying that The Killer is great filmmaking, it’s beautifully lit and shot (all modern-day directors should be forced to watch this film to demonstrate how to effectively film at night time), the score from Fincher regulars Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is unobtrusive yet propulsive and at under two hours the plot is economical in its delivery, there is a still a nagging feeling that watching The Killer isn’t really an enjoyable experience. I was gripped throughout but I was also never really invested in Fassbender’s character or his quest. That being said, any new Fincher film is a gift and he’s still putting stuff out there that is more interesting and compelling than most of his peers if not all of them.
More than anything else, I need a little more time to process The Killer, perhaps. I know it’s good, great even, but I’m not sure I can pinpoint quite why.