Key Takeaways:
– John Woo, known for revolutionizing the action cinema, disappoints with his remake of ‘The Killer.'
– The movie's plot varies largely from the original, taking a more forced narrative angle.
– Notable performances by Nathalie Emmanuel and Omar Sy aren't enough to salvage the weak dialogue and plot.
– The film lacks the action-packed sequences expected from a Woo direction, wasting an overlong runtime on redundant dialogues.
– ‘The Killer' 2024 version fails to innovate and is ultimately a boring vigil.
Alright, now let's dive deeper into the details
John Woo, renowned for his action movies like Broken Arrow, Face/Off, and Mission: Impossible II, attempts a modern retelling of his 1989 classic ‘The Killer.' Unfortunately, the 2024 version falls flat, failing to live up to the hype generated by its trailers.
In the original ‘The Killer,' we witnessed the budding bromance between a compassionate assassin and a flatfoot, pooling to create a compelling narrative along with expertly filmed action sequences. However, the remake brings in a completely different narrative with a romantic angle between Nathalie Emmanuel's Zee – the titular assassin – and detective Sey, played by Omar Sy. This forced narrative approach slows down the action and ends up feeling more like a speed bump in the movie's pace rather than adding depth to the story.
Zee's character has been portrayed as an assassin with strict morality against harming innocents. When her task of eliminating a nightclub full of criminals blinds the gifted singer Jenn, played by Diana Silvers, Zee's reluctance to murder her pulls her into a cat and mouse game with detective Sey. Despite Emmanuel and Sy's commendable on-screen chemistry, the poorly written dialogues become a significant hindrance to the overall movie experience.
The scenario gets worse as the movie fails to provide the action fix viewers would expect from Woo's direction. It takes a dull ninety minutes before the action picks up, and when it does, it feels too late and too little. The earlier introduction of new assassins, one of them being played by Woo's daughter, Angeles, makes an intended plot twist fall flat, failing to generate the excitement the makers were likely aiming for.
One of the biggest letdowns of this remake is its underwhelming script by Brian Helgeland, Josh Campbell, and Matt Stuecken. Even the charismatic portrayals of Sy and Emmanuel couldn't salvage the wooden dialogues and heavy, poorly executed exposition.
Adding to the movie's downfall is the unimpressive film aesthetics. From Mauro Fiore's bland cinematography to Marco Beltrami's generic score, the movie fails to strike a high note in any department. The action sequences, albeit classically styled, feel low-budget and cheap.
The 1989 version of ‘The Killer' was stellar and ahead of its time. In contrast, the 2024 remake is unable to recreate the original magic and instead feels outdated. Despite the excellent cast, the movie ends up being a disappointing and tiresome experience largely due to its poorly written dialogues and an uninteresting storyline. It sadly solidifies its place as one of the most unnecessary remakes of all time.
In a nutshell, ‘The Killer' 2024 remake is a low-energy misfire that disappoints fans waiting over thirty years for this revival. It might only pique the interest of John Woo enthusiasts, but even they will likely be met with disappointment. If you're an action buff looking for a high octane ride, this flick is advised to be skipped. It's the most cringe-worthy kind of action movie – the one that's boring!
