The Killer

John Woo's "The Killer" 2024 had been highly anticipated by action movie enthusiasts and fans of the director's previous works. However, upon watching it, one can't help but feel a sense of disappointment. This film falls short on several fronts.

First and foremost, the plot was unimaginative and predictable after the first main action scene. It seems as if the filmmakers were trying to be overly complex in an attempt to create a deep and engaging narrative. Instead, it results in a jumbled mess that leaves the audience uninterested. There are too many subplots and twists that don't add much value to the overall story. For instance, a side story involving a character's personal vendetta takes up a significant amount of screen time but fails to contribute meaningfully to the main plot.

The character development is also lacking. The protagonist, who is supposed to be a complex and intriguing anti-hero, comes across as one-dimensional. We don't get a sense of her motivations or inner conflicts beyond the surface-level action. The supporting characters are equally underdeveloped, with little to no backstory or personality. This makes it difficult for the audience to connect with or care about any of the characters.

Another major issue is the action sequences. While John Woo is known for his stylish and intense action scenes, in "The Killer" 2024, they seem repetitive and lack the innovation and excitement of his earlier works. The gunfights and choreographed fights are predictable and don't offer any new or fresh elements. It feels like we've seen these same types of action scenes countless times before. Pigeons, doves, churches etc.

The pacing of the film is off as well. There are long stretches where not much happens, and then suddenly there's an explosion of action that feels rushed. This uneven pacing makes it hard for the audience to stay engaged throughout the movie. A woman of 5.7 135lb beating a 6 foot 220lbs man in unarmed combat is still unbelievable.

Furthermore, the cinematography, which is usually a highlight in Woo's films, is unimpressive in this one. The lighting and color palette don't create the mood and atmosphere that one would expect from a John Woo movie.

In conclusion, "The Killer" 2024 is a letdown. With its boring and predictable plot, underdeveloped characters, repetitive action sequences, off pacing, and lackluster cinematography, it fails to live up to the expectations set by John Woo's previous masterpieces. It's a movie that leaves the audience longing for the director's past glory days and wondering what went wrong.

Hard to believe this is John Woo movie. Perhaps he doesn't care much more about the script and it's all about style and filming and little else. Every cliche is pulled out of movie history, as our hardened killer has mercy on the innocent girl. It was put together to also present the battle of the non non binary lesbians. It's not meant to be a slight on lgbtq people, there was just no reason to have them in there and it is never explained. Some nonsense about the beating of Sam worthington's heart, in his attempt to do an Irish accent.

All the good reviews here are fake. This is a shell of what good films used to be. You seen it all before and just much better done.

I don't know how many action clichés John Woo made and then piled up during his carrier, but I guess a lot. This picture is really like mocking himself. Probably, rather than maybe, he is. Well, it is a remake of his own film, once considered pioneer of modern action movies, but it does nothing original at all. Rather, it delivers basically the same but with much less intensity, commitment and flair. The soul of the original is absent. There is no fire in it, just ember - to say the least. The characters are good but apparently most of them are restricted, blocked even, to show raw emotions (with the exception of Cantona). It is a weak remake, as they usually are.

The main actress had a kick ass image. The camera simply loves her. But is she a killer?

It just doesn't work. The film cliches start thick and fast and soon go into overdrive. By the end the film is dripping in old camera angles, dull fight scenes and amateur plot lines. It is desperate to be an action film. But it is just a parody of one.

The acting talent is high. And the Director used to be known for blockbusters. But I can't help but feel they have all dropped in the rankings creating this 'straight to VHS' nothing burger.

The story is ridiculous. It literally makes no sense. A whole killing empire brought down for no good reason. All the silent pro killing replaced with amateur battles that are disproportionate to the problem. The solutions just making it worse for no good reason.

This film is bad. Comically bad. By the end you will be questioning whether it is the same John Woo. Or just budget retired one.

Not recommended 💩

So, after years of development, John Woo's remake of his 1989 masterpiece has finally graced our screens, unfortunately, despite my excitement for any new Woo project, this film felt more like Blackjack than his bold chance taking modern classic Silent Night. It feels cheap, sluggish and often tedious, while often devoid of Woo's trademark kinetic visuals and outrageous stunt work. Less romantic or operatic than vintage Woo, and more interested in the goofy-glam aesthetics of Paris demolition. It's like he's directing the late-2000s EuropaCorp version of his own material. Yet, there's still a fleeting glimpse at the Woo we know and love, the choreography, directing and editing are all there, unfortunately, it's just covered by an ugly gloss and narrative incoherence. The acting leaves a lot to be desired as well, Nathalie Emmanuel is no Chow Yun-fat and Omar Sy makes for a poor man's Danny Lee and the chemistry they share feels artificial at best. At least Sam Worthington was a fun watch for the brief screen time he had. Marco Beltrami's score doesn't really match the effort he made with Woo previously but it's at least a serviceable score. Serviceable sums the movie up perfectly to be honest. A mediocre remix that, for all its familiar elements, fails to improve upon a single aspect of its trailblazing original, condemned to die a quick death. The Killer is not without some entertainment value, it's still a big disappointment, but if it leads people to discover the original, it at least has some merit.