The Killer

David Fincher's latest is a pretty standard thriller, following a serial killer who operates by a very strict set of rules. The film is properly executed and sports some interesting and tense moments, but it fails to delight or surprise. It's the kind of film a director may want to make at the start of his career, not sure what prompted Fincher to take on this project.

We meet our killer on a job in Paris, where he explains his daily routine. When the hit finally takes place, he messes up for the first time in his career and finds himself in uncharted territory. He returns to his hideout, where he notices someone has broken into his home. It becomes clear that his error will not be tolerated, and the only way to defend himself is to kill those who are out to kill him.

There isn't too much action, instead, Fincher understates the kills and focuses more on the boredom and routine that come with the job. The performances are solid, the styling is polished and the setup is fun enough. The second half of the film is a bit repetitive though and without a proper finale, it kind of fizzles out. Not Fincher's worst film in recent years though.