Directed by David Fincher, The Killer follows a solitary, unnamed killer as he waits patiently for his next target to appear. Time ticks away slowly as this predator awaits his prey. However, when things take an unexpected turn, the killer finds himself on the run, hoping that nobody provokes him to take matters into his own hands.
Throughout his career, Fincher has never shied away from his deep love of film noir. Filtered lighting, greyscale colors and bleak voiceovers fuels his films in ways sit in the darker side of humanity. As such, it should come as no surprise that The Killer leans heavily into these very same tropes.
By offering most of his dialogue through voiceover, Fincher wants us to see the world through the eyes of his Killer. From the opening scene, Fincher informs the audience that it will require patience to do this job, and, at times, it requires patience to watch the film. While this isn’t necessarily a criticism, viewers looking for an action-heavy thriller may be disappointed at the outset. However, Fincher ensures that what we get is a strong character study that remains compelling throughout its runtime.
Unemotional and unwavering, Fassbender is perfectly cast as the unnamed assassin. With few lines of dialogue, Fassbender’s steel glare brings life to this cool performance. This killer lives off the grid and keeps his story to himself. We never learn his name (other than multiple aliases based on classic television characters) and very little about his personal life. Even so, Fassbender somehow manages to keep him sympathetic, even in his darkest moments.
This unnamed assassin believes the world to be a place with drenched in meaninglessness. All that matters to him is that he remains professional in his work. To him, morality is a myth. (“What I do doesn’t really affect the 8 billion people in the world anyway,” he reminds the viewer.)
Unlike other hitman with a vendetta, this killer remains detached from his work, even in moments when he’s emotionally engaged. Entirely numb to the world around him, the killer has no moral quandaries about taking another person‘s life. He cares nothing for his targets, refusing to build any personal connections with them. To him, this is all merely a business transaction. As such, he is a man of patience and precision. He recites the rules in his mind, and reminds himself how to remain perfect. He is a man who doesn’t miss. He refuses to miss.
So, what happens when he does?
When his job goes bad, the killer finds himself in uncharted territory. When you have an (almost) perfect record, failure can send you on a tailspin.
And, suddenly, this killer’s rage-fueled revenge seems to also reveal a quest for meaning. Despite his stoic demeanor, he is also a man who sees hope in the arms of love. Even though he cares little for his clients or victims, the one thing that becomes clear is that those who are close to him matter deeply to him. The one thing that gives him life are the ones that see behind the mask. The love of these people are the salvation that keeps this killer grounded. (And, if they were ever to be taken away from him, the repercussions would be severe to all involved.
Although The Killer isn’t Fincher’s best film, it still remains a fascinating character study of a man in search for stability in an unstable world. Without giving any spoilers, Fassbender manages to keep his character relatable, even if this killer cares little for your sympathy.
The Killer is available in theatres on Friday, October 27th and streams on Netflix on November 10th, 2023.
