The Assassin

The Assassin on Prime Video is a thrilling, if uneven, six-episode sprint blending dark humor, family drama, and spy chaos.

Directors Harry and Jack Williams craft a visually slick thriller, but predictable tropes and inconsistent pacing blunt the edge.

Keeley Hawes dazzles as Julie, a retired hitwoman whose steely wit and raw vulnerability anchor the series. Her fractured bond with son Edward (Freddie Highmore) fuels the emotional core, evolving from strained reunions to nuanced trust. Hawes and Highmore's chemistry, laced with biting humor, keeps it gripping.

The Greek setting, though underused later, contrasts early episodes' sunlit tension. The conspiracy-driven plot kicks off sluggishly, with a bloated Ep 1, but gains steam, peaking in Ep 4 and 5 with sharp twists and taut action. Ep 6's ambitious finale stumbles with rushed resolutions, leaving minor characters like Shalom Brune-Franklin's flat and some threads dangling.

The Assassin doesn't always hit the bullseye, but Julie's fierce spirit makes it a shot worth taking, leaving you craving a reload.

This is a brilliant spoof assassin/spy comedy. The actors all play it totally straight and the result is hilarious. The plot is spectacularly convoluted and the characters all hide who they really are. There are twists and turns in abundance. A truly joyous spy romp. Grab some snacks and sit back for a great romp.

Why did Keeley do this awful series? Didn't she read the script? Terrible casting too. Freddie is terrible. The story is a mess. Lots of sarcasm, which is poorly delivered. There are plenty of better series out there. This one is just very poor. Lots of dreary characters. Jack Davenport had a short and daft appearance too. Avoid if I were you.

Watched this as I was told it was good by a friend. May need to reconsider my friends.

The opening few minutes combine very poor acting, bad fight choreography, very questionable directing decisions and childish staging to make what is supposed to be an exciting opener into an amateur mess.

The plot gets no better with scripting and storylines that are forced and obvious. The acting is generally poor (sorry guys) but I don't blame them entirely as the whole thing is really difficult to get into. Wooden characters, bad writing etc.

I'd avoid. There are much better assassin/spy programmes. Don't waste your time.

The Assassin is slick, fast-paced fun, perfect for killing time until Slow Horses or Reacher return. Shalom Brune-Franklin carries the show, while Keeley Hawes' underexplored, terrible mother role and her annoyingly whiny son add frustration. Some of the constant bickering drags on and gets annoying, but overall it's an easy enjoyable watch.

Additionally her son is the most stupid person ever committed to film, one of those people that you wish would disappear.