Summary

The Killer
is an engaging action flick, spinning a narrative around the complex relationship between a contract killer and a skilled detective.
The film boasts a stellar cast, captivating plot, and exciting action sequences that culminate in a thrilling final showdown.
While the central premise of Zee’s moral code may raise some questions, the overall experience is entertaining and well worth a watch.

The Killer is an exciting action flick starring Nathalie Emmanuel as Zee, a skilled assassin with a strict moral code that gets her into trouble. The movie is actually a remake of director John Woo’s 1989 hit film of the same name. While the film follows a largely similar plot, the action, the scale and the tension of this remake are all scaled up in a way that makes this a standout action film with a difference.

Zee is the best in the game. When she is assigned to take down a den of criminals, she leaves a singer she accidentally blinded alive out of pity, and deems her to be innocent. However, her bosses press her to complete her job. Meanwhile, skilled detective Sey (Omar Sy) is hot on her trail, and the pair begin an intense game of cat and mouse. Zee and the detective have more in common than they are inclined to believe, and events push them to pick sides.

The Killer Has A Captivating Story & Great Cast Chemistry

Woo’s The Killer remake has a lot worth praising. The story is an interesting exploration of the relationship between loyalty and morals, as both Zee and Detective Sey learn more about each other and develop a mutual respect. The connection between the actors is also electric, and every time they share the screen, it’s fascinating.

Zee and the detective have more in common than they are inclined to believe, and events push them to pick sides.

The rest of the characters all add something tangible to the story that heightens the tension. Sam Worthington is a standout in the role of Finn, an Irish criminal who has ties with Zee and the larger drug empire in Europe. As the film progresses, there is a natural incline towards the final act, with several action sequences thrown in for good measure. The final fight is also incredible, as everyone is positioned and teamed up ready to make a stand.

The Killer’s Moral Code Doesn’t Add Up

However, there are some narrative elements that don’t align with the setup. When viewing the film from the perspective of a pure action flick, it stands up, but with just a little bit of critical analysis, things quickly unravel. The biggest issue stems from Zee’s moral code, which helps her to do her work without any feelings of guilt or shame. But considering she has been in this line of work for some time, things don’t add up.

While it makes sense for superheroes and heroes in general to have a moralistic code, Zee is an assassin who works for criminals. Her job sees her completing hits on targets who may be bad and corrupt people, but they could also just be in the way of operations for her criminal bosses. So, when the movie’s core premise spins out of Zee taking issue with one of the targets, the story starts to make less sense.

The story is an interesting exploration of the relationship between loyalty and morals.

On the other hand, there is a good cop who wants to make sure justice is served. This makes for a thoroughly fascinating story that stirs up plenty of drama, even as The Killer struggles to keep its thin story in line. Fortunately, the acting, action, and pacing of the story override the film’s issues to make The Killer an extremely fun and engaging assassin movie.

The Killer is available to stream exclusively on Peacock from August 23.