The Killer (David Fincher)

I think just through the coldness of The Killer himself, there is a lack of any real reason to feel invested in the events that unfold. There is a basic revenge plot (of sorts) here, but the inciting incident involves characters that don't feature at all in the lead up to the incident and who basically don't feature again in the rest of the film.

It still manages to be a propulsive watch and never drags, but is more of a passive character study, than something that transports you into its world.

Seen it today myself. Was looking forward to it.

I thought the film started off very well but slowly went down hill from there on. Had no interest in the main character towards the end of the film. The fight scene in the house was done very well and more like a Bourne movie.

Overall 6.5/10.

Speaking of the fight scene, could everyone actually see what was going on during it? I know it was a fairly dark film, but most of that scene was incomprehensible at my showing in Dundrum. Not helped at all by a light from the door area that lit up most of the left hand side of the screen........

I simply cannot understand it. It epitomises in my mind Ireland’s inability to do things well.

I'm not sure if it was actually the exit sign or not. There was an emergency exit to the immediate right which didn't affect the screen at all. By the time we were leaving the doors at the end of the corridor were open so couldn't say what the actual problem was but I really should have complained because it was hugely distracting throughout (even during the trailers!).

But getting back to the actual film; I think this is one that I might actually enjoy more if I give it a rewatch after some time has passed. It being the first new Fincher film I'd seen in years (I've so far avoided Mank) and knowing it was also the writer of Seven, my expectations were maybe set a little too high.

It's probably one of my least favourite Finchers, but easily one the best Netflix films I've seen in years. The guy just doesn't know how to half-ass anything. It looked incredible and I actually enjoyed the jet black humour. But I felt more sympathy/compassion for Fassbender as the evil David in the Alien prequels than him as the killer in this. Not sure if that's down to his acting choice, Finchers direction or how the character (per the graphic novel) is supposed to be played....

This and Haywire (Steven Soderbergh)makes a nice double bill.

Similar worlds, different take. Same Fassbender.

It would still be an issue for me because I find it very distracting if it’s in my peripheral vision

I’m in Germany at the moment, a maddeningly bureaucratic country, but none of the five or six screens I’ve been in has had an exit light near the screen. It just seems to me that a serious country says, Look, I know we want to ensure safety, but it’s just not credible to have an exit sign beside a cinema screen!

The Killer – 7/10

This appears to be David Fincher’s response to some of the less than favourable Mank critique. Mank stank, so it’s good to see him return to something a bit more familiar. He brings his playful side out and sprinkles a few bits of humour in here and there. I think what we see at times is Fincher deconstructing his own work and punctuating it with a bit of self-deprecating humour.

One-word springs to mind when watching this film. Slick. Fassbender, the cinematography, the use of The Smiths back catalogue, the score, the editing. It’s all just incredibly slick. The ending is abrupt but there’s a great set piece not long before, featuring Tilda Swinton, that felt like it should have been the real ending.

I file it alongside Sicario, Hell or High Water and You Were Never Really Here as the sort of mid-budget thriller that we don’t get enough of these days. Though I struggle to shake the feeling that Fincher is capable of better.