I watched “The Killer” by David Fincher. An unusual movie that makes you sick

This Friday, on the streaming service, Netflix presented David Fincher’s new film “The Killer,” which was awaited by many connoisseurs of his works, such as “Seven” and “Fight Club.”

Fincher, known for his carefully crafted and tense thrillers, promised to give audiences another exciting film. He seemed especially like this after the trailer that was released two months ago.

However, as often happens, there was a major gap between expectations and reality. We have already watched the new film and are ready to imagine why it is good and how it might seriously disappoint Fincher’s fans. First things first.

The title of the film fully reflects the whole story

What is the movie about: “The Killer” tells the story of a professional hitman, played by Michael Fassbender. His character is cold, calculating and silent – a kind of classic thriller hero. But an unexpected mistake he makes leads to unexpected consequences.

All this sounds like an interesting, albeit clichéd, premise for a good, good thriller. But unfortunately, the film’s storyline moves slowly and cautiously, without much of the twists or traditional psychological character development one would expect from Fincher.

The film begins with a monologue from the main character, which does more than just set the tone for the story.

We are introduced to an interesting character who could be described in one word “meticulous” The main character is a master of his craft, a perfectionist who controls every action and thought. He is silent, but his inner voice constantly comments on what is happening. The film turns into a kind of novella, full of voice-over monologues. The hero’s sarcastic and dark inner voice reflects Fincher’s careful and subtle sense of humor, depicting the world through the prism of cynicism and self-irony.

The protagonist, impassive and taciturn, takes viewers from one international metropolis to another, immersing himself in the atmosphere of a game of cat and mouse. Fassbender is a magnet for the role of a cold-blooded killerhis acting is nuanced, making his character both sinister and magnetic.

The camera work is pleasing. Fincher’s signature style can be seen in every frame, he competently creates tension and atmosphere in every moment. The director’s skill endures through the creation of precise shots and the pacing of the story, most clearly demonstrated here.

It is especially interesting to watch the dialogues of the main character with his meanings. This all seems like an incredibly useless one-sided conversation. cruel ringing emptiness. It looks cool and unusual.

Fincher plays with the audience’s expectations before showing scenes of places and war that don’t always conform to the generally accepted canons of the genre. The director offers an interesting look at the psychology of killers, their loneliness and isolation. This approach makes the film not only a captivating thriller, but also a powerful drama that follows the human psyche. Including psycho killers.

Interesting idea that doesn’t work

It turned out that one of the interesting and unusual ideas in the film is the decision to direct all attention exclusively to the main character. This choice provides a glimpse into the mind of a professional killer. It gives the viewer a look at the world through the eyes of a killer, highlighting his methodical approach to his deadly work.

But this movie gets boring as hell at times, primarily because increased use of voiceover. While Fincher used voiceover effectively in Fight Club, it doesn’t work as well here. Most of the killer’s thoughts and actions are expressed as internal repetitive monologue or overly pompous quotes.

There are a lot of questions about the film

Fincher does not miss the opportunity to play with the audience’s expectations, introducing elements of dark humor and irony into the script. This is a subtle film with a unique tone that combines classic thriller and satirical drama. As a result, the viewer receives neither a super-intense thriller nor an emotionally tearing drama.

Fassbender’s character is dressed more like an ordinary tourist than the stereotypical killer from old noir films. It uses everyday items and services such as Amazon and Home Depot to accomplish its tasks, a cycle that habitually can become death. Just imagine, the hero is an extremely cold-blooded character, without emotions.

Unfortunately, a lot of things in The Killer don’t add up.

The plot of the place, namely on this main line, does not quite correspond to the state of the impartial protagonist. “Forbid empathy,” the main character constantly repeats to himself. And yet, it is emotions that drive him. His well-thought-out plan is destroyed over and over again in the process of execution. And you’re already wondering if the main character is really such a professional? Or to some extent, the ability to adapt to any unforeseen situation is protection?

Considering the budget spent on making the film, one can’t help but wonder where all that money went. The visual component is, of course, done at a high level, but this is not enough. Essentially, the film has only one action scene. Yes, she’s incredibly cool. Yes, it is memorable for its cruelty and brutality. Beautifully filmed with maximum tension. But the question of where the $175 million went remains open.

The film builds many characters on screen in a very short amount of time, which includes untapped potential for exploring moral issues and developing complex characters. Why so?

The conclusions are disappointing

The film lacks weakness and subtlety, other aspects of the director’s work. The movie is too straightforward. There is no intrigue, the final scene still leaves the audience a place of “is that all?” Unpleasant feeling of incompleteness of the story.

It’s unclear why Fincher, a man who could have done anything at this point in his career, would devote his time to something so insignificant.

The Killer is a memorable example of how technical prowess, stylish visual effects and, to some extent, Fassbender’s perfectly cast performance as the nameless killer are not enough to make a film’s story dull and uninteresting.

You can watch it, or you can skip it. There’s definitely nothing grand here. We expected more, but, as they say, our expectations are our problems.