The Killer Review: David Fincher's thriller has his signature style but lacks substance

Director David Fincher, who is a class apart in the genre of crime thrillers with titles like Seven (1995), Zodiac (2007), Gone Girl (2014) and Mindhunter (2017) in his expansive filmography, returns with The Killer in an attempt to add another feather to his hat. Starring Micahel Fassbender as the titular hitman, the latest OTT release has the classic Fincher imprint over it-- contrast and neon lighting, situational and mood music, tense build-up sequences and elaborate detailing, with a splash of blood and gore.

While there were huge expectations from the film, there isn't much to look forward to in The Killer as the director seems to be musing over his own style rather than delivering a captivating thriller he is celebrated for.

Hot Take

The Killer's protagonist goes by the eponymous title. Since the movie plays out in his voice-over, the nihilistic view of the character is established early on. We get drawn into his tunnel vision about the world, further emphasised by his constant comeback to the dialogue, "Empathy is weakness. Weakness is vulnerability," as he goes about his way killing his targets and vanishing into the thin air.

The director manages to build a mood for his crime thriller but depth and substance are missing throughout. Since the protagonist is detached from the world or posits himself as one who 'doesn't care', he automatically becomes distant from the audience. Viewers then struggle to find an anchor in the story. Moreover, there is barely enough intrigue or plot twists to hold on to. What starts off being a rather novel thriller, becomes a deep dive into the psyche of an evil mind with no offer of a reward.

Does The Killer live up to the hype?

A technically sound film, The Killer misses the flair that David Fincher lends to his morally dubious characters. Be it Amy and Nick Dunne in Gone Girl, Tyler Durden in Seven or John Doe in Seven, how Fincher evokes empathy for his grey characters became the hallmark of his thrillers. They were everyday characters battling extraordinary situations to come on top. None of these elements are present in The Killer -- the story, or the character. The mundanity of the plot and the slow-paced narrative also mar the experience of watching this Fincher film.

Elements that keep you engaged are the washed-out images of The Killer, sitting in Parisian high towers, golden hour shots and the interplay of close-ups and long shots all contributing to a visually arresting film. The minimal use of music helps the viewer to immerse themselves into the milieu. However, they are not enough to make up for what's missing-- a logical and interesting storyline.

While style and substance go hand-in-hand in Fincher's films, The Killer unfortunately is all style and zero substance. Micheal Fassbender is a good actor, but his role here requires him to be impassive, poker-faced and monotonous. Rating him on his performance is also very difficult. One of the action scenes that plays out in a dimly lit room, with The Killer fighting another hitman, is one of the highlights of this otherwise plain film. While the character is filled with intrigue, the movie could have done with a juicier plot.

Stream or skip it?

David Fincher fans are sure to be disappointed and The Killer may go on to become one of the lowest-ranked movies in the director's filmography.

Bottomline

The villain in The Killer is David Fincher himself. While there is a symphony in sequences, the overarching idea that it tries to put forth is rather dull. The paper-thin plot does not help either.

Rating: 1.5/5 stars