The Killer (2024)
In a Post John Wick film landscape, can John Woo adapt his style for the modern audience? It doesn't seem so, Woo continues to rely heavily on his old style without adaptation or evolution.
Woo working off a checklist of things from his past films to cobble together a movie:
- Slow motion. Check.
- Doves. Check.
- Gunpoint standoffs. Check.
- Religion symbols -- Jesus on the cross. Check.
- Motorcycles. Check.
- Double fisted gunplay? Check.
- Flying exploding motorcycles? Check.
It feels lazy, as if he's checked out and only here to cash in a paycheck. It leaves me disappointed.
When John Wick films account for every bullet shot and have accurate reloads on screen, this is something that Woo would evolve and incorporate into his filmmaking -- but he doesn't. This is an prime example of him not adapting or growing.
Nathalie Emmanuel is miscast as protagonist of this movie. She's not a bad actor, she's just not right for this role. She does not have the screen presence as Chow Y
... Show more...The Killer (2024)
In a Post John Wick film landscape, can John Woo adapt his style for the modern audience? It doesn't seem so, Woo continues to rely heavily on his old style without adaptation or evolution.
Woo working off a checklist of things from his past films to cobble together a movie:
- Slow motion. Check.
- Doves. Check.
- Gunpoint standoffs. Check.
- Religion symbols -- Jesus on the cross. Check.
- Motorcycles. Check.
- Double fisted gunplay? Check.
- Flying exploding motorcycles? Check.
It feels lazy, as if he's checked out and only here to cash in a paycheck. It leaves me disappointed.
When John Wick films account for every bullet shot and have accurate reloads on screen, this is something that Woo would evolve and incorporate into his filmmaking -- but he doesn't. This is an prime example of him not adapting or growing.
Nathalie Emmanuel is miscast as protagonist of this movie. She's not a bad actor, she's just not right for this role. She does not have the screen presence as Chow Yun-Fat -- although, who does? I am not speaking about her size, she fits the description as a non-description assassin -- but she does not command the screen. Nathalie Emmanuel is much better in Army of Thieves on Netflix.
Diana Silvers is not very good at acting blind. Sam Worthington is bland. Omar Sy is great in his role as the inspector. John Woo's daughter as an assassin -- nepotism.
The splitscreens are interesting but overused -- and as they kept being used made me constantly think of The Brady Bunch.
The theme for Nathalie Emmanuel's character sounds a lot like the theme for her character in Army of Thieves.
This remake of The Killer feels like a made for TV movie where gore and language was splined in to get an R-rating.
I wouldn't recommend The Killer, I sat through it to be able to say I finished watching it. If you're looking for classic John Woo, watch the original The Killer from 1989. My favorite John Woo film from Hong Kong is Hard Boiled -- the opening tea house shootout is unparalleled. My favorite John Woo film from the States is Face/Off -- it is bonkers and the ballet of bullets is glorious.
The greatest sin of The Killer is that it is bland, uninspired and boring. I can see why NBC Universal skipped the big screen for this movie and sent it straight to streaming.
Rated 4 out of 10.
cc: @jasonrush
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