In The Killer, Director John Woo resurrects his famous 1989 film of the same name but swaps neon-lit Hong Kong for sumptuous Paris, and steel-faced Ah-jong (Chow Yun-fat) for banter-prone Zee (Nathalie Emmanuel). The result is less than stellar, but enjoyable nonetheless. The script feels contrived in some instances (“Never send a man to do a woman’s job!”) but electric in others. The latter is noticeable during Zee’s flirtatious scenes with Detective Say (Omar Sy), the most charismatic character in the film. Together, both exude a Mr. and Mrs. Smith sort of charm, where they’re both palpably in love with each other despite being clear enemies. “Will they or won’t they end up/kill each other?” is a strong (and sexy!) driver of plot; too bad it’s not the main focus of the film, weighed down as it is by its uneven flourishes.
"Woo doesn’t disappoint."
— Bilge Ebiri
"I had no reason to imagine that it would be Woo’s most satisfying movie of this millennium, or that repeating himself would be what finally inspired him to make something fresh. But that’s the beauty of being alive, isn’t it?"
— David Ehrlich
Zee is a feared contract killer known as "the Queen of the Dead," but when she refuses to murder a young blind woman, she finds herself hunted both by criminal colleagues and a determined police detective.
When legendary hitman Zee (Nathalie Emmanuel) refuses to kill a lounge singer (Diana Silvers), she’s hunted down by fellow assassins and a detective (Omar Sy) who is determined to solve the case.
The shootout scene in the hospital is epic—one of the most graceful Mexican standoffs in a while.
Don’t get me wrong, this is much better than most of the straight-to-streaming films out there, but it still lacks the meat and bones to be a strong thriller.
Sundance
1 nomination
