Kill List

Very surprised that the rating for this film has balanced out at 6.4 after twelve years (and that this will only be review no. 310). I don't even like Horror films but rated Kill List at 7-8/10 and fail to see how anyone could turn their nose up to this nasty, gritty little piece of work (many of the most recent reviews are a mystifying 1-3/10). It's psychological horror, rather than gore - although the 'hammer scene' is brutal and by all accounts still a production mystery - and, if the story elements weren't already disturbing enough, the brooding, menacing tension is amplified further by the haunting whistling, original sound design and jump editing style, which adds an intentionally rough edge to an already unpleasant mix. The cast are mostly strong, Neil Maskell powers it through from the first scene and the look on Gal's face in the car when the pair realise exactly what they've got themselves into says it all.

I find reading the reviews on this film a testament to what a work of art it really is. It's an action thriller that takes a left turn that rivals Takashi Miike's Audition and becomes something you won't see coming. But what the reviews here actually reveal is that the film can be interpreted in so many different ways. I found myself arguing with friends on what my slant was.

This is the key to a worthwhile piece of art. It prompts debate and promotes thought and interpretation. The performances, direction, and script all add up to a wondrously whole work of art.

See it for yourself and derive your own conclusions.

Now here's a film you need to view several times, but even then once you're through, you'll find the bell hasn't chimed, that the penny won't drop, there are parts you can't cop, you can look down the list, but answers you won't find. That all said, it's a pleasure enjoying the torment, a dislikeable man who with guns likes to outlet, a torturous soul, kind of scores an own goal, as his past catches up, and to hell he is sent.

Comprising fine performances for a low budget flick, you'll wonder what on earth you've missed when you get to the end and try to reform what you've witnessed into a whole - which you probably won't, as the numbers are irregular and don't add up.

At the start of 'Kill List' everything seemed far too normal compared to what the synopsis promised. I thought I might have put on the wrong film. By the end of the film things hd gotten so crazy I couldn't believe it was the same film that had started 90 minutes earlier. This was a wild ride.

There's a lot to digest in this movie. I've watched quite a few explanation videos since finishing it. It's given me an outline of what the overall intention was, however there are some individual moments that nobody seems to be able to agree on what they meant. This is certainly not a film you can afford to turn your brain off for.

I like films like this. Films where not everything is handed to you on a platter. I also loved that it felt like any ending was on the cards. The film was extremely violent at times and proved there was no place it wouldn't go. And the ending will shock you. This was a good one. 8/10.

Jay is a former soldier who has been working as a hitman with friend Gal but after a job went wrong in Kiev he has been avoiding working for eight months. Now his wife thinks it is time for him to get back to work. After some pressure he agrees to do another job with Gal; they meet the client and learn that there are to be three targets on their kill list. The first is relatively easy if a little surprising; things get very messy on the second job but that is nothing compared to the third; that is downright weird taking the film and its characters from a crime film into the territory of horror.

This certainly won't be for everybody. It is brutally violent at times; this is done in a disturbingly realistic manner with nothing stylised or humorous to make it easier to watch. The change of genres comes as a genuine surprises even though there are earlier hints that something strange is going on; notably how the victims react as they are about to be murdered. Thankfully it isn't entirely bleak; some of Jay and Gal's conversations are quite funny. The cast does a fine job; most notably Neil Maskell and Michael Smiley as Jay and Gal and MyAnna Buring as Shel. The cinematography is great giving the early sections of the film a very real feel while the conclusion is made to feel like a nightmare. Overall I'd definitely recommend this to anybody who doesn't mind being disturbed and enjoys a conclusion that leave them thinking about what they have just watched.