The Killer's Game

When I saw the trailer for this thing my immediate thought was: "This looks really stupid... but, it might be MY KIND of stupid." And boy, was I right on the money! I take a risk on movies like this from time to time, fully expecting that I'm either going to love it or hate it. Cocaine Bear, for example, I freakin hated. This movie? I had a fantastic time from start to finish.

It's fun, it's action packed, it doesn't waste time. If you haven't seen the trailer, I wouldn't even watch it, because you'll probably enjoy it even more going in blind. It's a stylish, over the top action thriller with a script that got me to genuinely LOL a few times. That's a rare enough thing.

It's also Dave Bautista's first outing as a leading man. He's proven himself a competent performer in the Dune films and a few other supporting roles. I wouldn't call him a great actor, but he's a hell of a lot better than The Rock is ever going to be.

Sadly, The Killer's Game is getting no traction at the box office. Want another reason to support it? It's exactly the kind of mid-budget movie that barely exists anymore. A 30 million dollar risk on something that's not a sequel or established IP. Those are precisely the kind of films that deserve your money, especially if you're tired of the bleak, planned universe dystopia and rehash mill our theaters have become.

This is, frankly, the summer movie more people should've seen instead of Deadpool & Wolverine. If you like cheesy, fun, action fare like "Shoot Em Up" And "Bullet Train", you should definitely give The Killer's Game a watch.

I was expecting that JJ Perry having been in the army would actually know something about how weapons work, especially fragmentation grenades, but I was sadly disappointed. Also, as a stunt guy, I was thinking he could come up with cool but realistic stunts. But again, the stunts were contrived and defied physics.

I loved Bautista in GotG, Drax had depth, where Joe, an assassin, was BORING and predictable. Sofia's acting is a step up from David's, but still was a low for her. Again, this could have been the result of really poor directing.

Ben Kingsley and Alex Kingston consummate professionals that don't need a director, performed excellently. They accounted for a star by themselves.

Good concept bumbled by a over reaching stunt man.

The Killer's Game delivers straightforward action with enough entertainment to keep you watching, though it's nothing revolutionary. The fight scenes are decent, but not on par with the gold standard that is John Wick. The cast of quirky assassins that span the world add some fun, almost like they're from Street Fighter just with less depth. Dave Bautista does his usual tough-guy routine, and while he's good, it's familiar territory for him.

The concept-an assassin accidentally putting a hit on himself due to a medical mistake-is unique, but the execution is predictable. There are laughs and a few solid action moments, but nothing that really stands out.

Overall, it's a fun and gory film that's enjoyable if you're looking for an easy, action-filled watch. Just don't expect it to leave a lasting impression.

LIKES:

Funny

Well-Paced

Decent Acting

Writing

Creative Kills/Characters

Engaging Title Introductions

The Plot Has More Merit Than I thought

Summary: The Killer's Game is tough to review because of the direction Perry had in mind when he was going for (or so I perceive). It's a ridiculous spin to the action franchise with a lot of comedy, but yet still trying to hold heart, and to some degree, I quite enjoyed and felt it was good. It's got a faster pace, leaving little time for rest before the next exciting montage of death starts up, keeping you moving closer and closer to the finish line with each passing second. The plot that comes with it surprisingly has more depth than the trailers let on, primarily in the character development of Flood as he goes from ruthless assassin to maybe seeing more in life than the next kill to come. And those moments, even with a few of the antagonistic characters, even getting some more revelations to their persona. What I feel Perry got right is an almost video game/anime/movie hybrid, primarily because of the feel of the film in looks, movement, and even the transitions as each group is introduced. And though they all share a common blueprint, the characters feel very different in their approaches and presentation of their title cards. Even the untimely demises of many characters have that anime-esque ridiculousness to them, and though destructive and gory, they match the level of fun that went into this film I was expecting. What this boils down to is fun writing and a fun quality to this film that helps it stand out from the more intense films in this genre.

As for acting, everyone does their part well to make this crazy film come to life and not apologize for the colorful characters that have been recruited to make the hit. Kingsley gets a shout-out for his amazing work as the mentor, pulling his quality into thick accents, witty delivery of the lines, and that tough love parent that you like to counter the semi-innocence of Bautista's character. Klementieff is interesting in this film. Dropping much of her Mantis persona, the actress delivers rage-filled acid in each of her lines as she enacts her plans against the agent with little regret for what it takes. In contrast, Boutella manages to draw back on the evilness she normally conveys for someone more collected, sassy, and quite honestly delightful. A stunning display of love mixed with uncertainty, Boutella continues to wow us with her physical and verbal skills, stealing part of the show when she appears. As for the big man, Bautista may not have pulled out the unique factor this time, like his apocalypse movie, but the loveable oaf is still there and bent to new ways to feel different from Drax or his work in films like Stuber. The vulnerability mixed with simplified comedic delivery had me impressed with how he can juggle the two almost effortlessly, all while still showing impressive feats of strength that his muscles bring in full force. All in all, the dynamic he shares with much of the cast is the fantastic structure that does much to anchor the film from letting itself get too carried away.

DISLIKES:

Plot Still Needs More Finesse

A Tad More Violent Than I Had Hoped

Stupid To Many Degrees

Fight Choreography Is Both Creative And Yet Mediocre

Summary: Though there are fewer dislikes than other films, each one holds a bit more punch for me for this review. Despite being surprised by the depth of the plot, The Killer's Game does not quite go to the full level it needs to, given their efforts to make each killer unique. Perhaps it was too many gangs, or maybe just the direction; there was much more balance and time needed to make that effort worth the trip. Outside of the main quartet I mentioned in acting, others felt like bad guys in an anime arc that were gone before we even got a chance to know them. Does it provide variety? Sure, but at times, their intro scenes were more impressive than anything else, and such a flashy show might have more layers, but from the basic level of character use, it feels weaker than other movies. The movie is quite stupid on levels, too. Again, that felt intentional, but the stupidity sometimes gets a little out of hand and disrupts the scene for me, which left me chuckling but annoyed at the consistent comedic relief without the epic tension that films like John Wick can execute better. While this again adds dark humor and cartoon-like buffering, it just wasn't balanced in the best lights it could have been.

As for the fights, well, they are okay for viewers like me. Wick might be violent, but the scenes are connected with good choreography, excellent move-sets, and usually edgy combat that has you cheering in your seats. The Killer's game matches some of this quality in the opening moment but then diverges into quick montages of very forced-feeling fights. Bautista's movements almost look too practiced, and the fights are very mundane outside of the finishing moves that are quite savage to the point several audience members had their own commentary. It picks up at the end and brings some more boom, but even these still pale to other films with much more excitement and suspense without the continuous comedic interludes. And for those who have a low tolerance for extreme violence and language, this movie should be skipped. Wick is violent, yes, but this movie exceeds those films with much more gruesome displays of death, many painting some part of the set in the familiar crimson.

The VERDICT:

Overall, The Killer's Game is a movie that is entertaining in the respect of ludicrous amounts of comedy and action trying to find cohabitation. A fast pace mixed with some diverse profiles, the movie is so many things in one, throwing everything at Bautista to fight and doing it in that Drax-ish, style. To my surprise, there were more levels to it than I had expected, they just needed more time to maximize the potential and not feel too stupid or wasted in some quick finish. Aside from that, there are plenty of action scenes, and to some level, they have their edge and style that I think will be awesome for some people, again with some of the more unique finishers that are reserved mostly for video games. However, the rest of the fights often lack the finesse, complexity, and edge that other films have done so much better, one part due to the comedy aspect, while the other part might just be editing or limitations of time. Either way, the movie is okay. For spectacle and sound effects, a theater visit will make this the best experience; however, this movie may be best watched at home, given the other limitations I found with it.

My scores for The Killer's Game are: Action/Comedy/Thriller: 6.5-7.0 Movie Overall: 6.0.

Cheesy Effects Drag Down The Killer's Game

I went into The Killer's Game with moderate expectations, hoping for a fun action flick. Unfortunately, the special effects turned out to be the weakest link, pulling me out of the story more often than not. The CGI felt rushed, overly cartoonish, and, at times, painfully cheesy-almost as if it was a low-budget effort done in a hurry. Who did the effects Cnris Pratt?

While the cast delivered some decent performances, the effects made it difficult to take the film seriously. Blood slashes lacked realism, fight scenes appeared overly staged, and there were moments where the green screen work was distractingly obvious. It's disappointing because the premise had potential, but the execution didn't deliver on the immersive experience one hopes for in an action movie.

Overall, The Killer's Game is a forgettable entry in the genre. It's hard to recommend this one unless you're in the mood for some unintentional laughs.