The Big Picture

American Star is a hitman drama that focuses on character development rather than action. Ian McShane delivers a captivating lead performance, showcasing his range as an actor. The film’s desolate Canary Islands setting adds to the compelling atmosphere of this character-based thriller.

The fun thing about hitman movies is they’re malleable enough to fit almost any form. They can be action-packed (pick a John Wick movie), cool and calculating (last year’s The Killer), or quiet and contemplative. American Star, a new film starring Wick’s Ian McShane and directed by Gonzalo López-Gallego, falls firmly into that last camp. Yes, blood eventually does flow, but most of the movie’s hour-and-46-minute runtime is concerned with non-violent affairs, most notably an aging killer’s realization that there could be more to life past the isolated existence he’s crafted for himself. Set in the Canary Islands off the coast of Africa, American Star mixes a uniquely desolate landscape with strong cinematic visuals, creating a world that feels like the perfect setting for this tale. McShane anchors it all with a deliberate performance that feels like a contrast to some of his better-known work but is no less compelling. If you’re a fan of hitman movies that prioritize character over carnage (examples that come quickly to mind are the George Clooney-starring The American and Martin McDonagh’s In Bruges), then American Star is one you should probably go ahead and add to your watch list.

American Star An assassin on a final assignment in Fuerteventura, to kill a man he has never met. When his target is delayed, he finds himself drawn to the island, people and a ghostly shipwreck. Release Date January 26, 2024 Director Gonzalo Lopez-Gallego

What is ‘American Star’ About?

In the film, McShane plays Wilson, a government-sponsored assassin whose job takes him to the island of Fuerteventura. Turns out, his target (who’s played by Thomas Kretschmann but isn’t the least bit important to the plot) is not at home like he’s supposed to be. Though the bad intel should convince Wilson to abandon the assignment, he instead decides to check into a local hotel and take a bit of a vacation while he waits for his prey to return. Breathing the ocean air and warming to the island’s charms, Wilson slowly begins building relationships with several different people he meets on the island, most notably an alluring bartender named Gloria (Nora Arnezeder) and a child named Max (Oscar Coleman) who’s staying in the same hotel down the hall.

He also becomes … not quite obsessed, but let’s say heavily intrigued by the American Star, a real-life wrecked cruise ship that lies deteriorating after being abandoned off Fuerteventura’s coast. Empty, rotting, and in its final resting place, Wilson might see a bit of himself in the ship, and, as he spends more and more time with his new friends, some internal struggle seems to develop within him. Still, there is a job he’s going to eventually have to do, which he’s consistently reminded of by Ryan (Adam Nagaitis), the son of a long-dead friend who’s also in the assassination game and arrives at the island following orders of his own. Ryan’s presence doesn’t just make the job more complicated as it also forces Wilson to confront his somber past.

‘American Star’ Thrives Thanks to Its Characters
Image via IFC Films

Again, if you’re looking for non-stop thrills and excitement here, it’s probably better to look elsewhere. American Star is one of the more subdued films about a professional killer to come around in quite a while. But there’s a specific mood this film conveys — the feeling of drinking alone at an unfamiliar bar — that makes it satisfying in its own right. Wilson is a man of few words (something that’s going to throw those who only know McShane from John Wick and Deadwood for a loop), but seeing the way he eats breakfast by himself or removes the art he doesn’t like from his hotel room speaks volumes. And though he doesn’t have reams of dialogue to chew through, McShane delivers a fully realized performance mostly through his eyes and body language. The blossoming relationship between Wilson and the much younger Gloria, which maybe peaks when she brings him home to meet her mother, Anne (Fanny Ardant), isn’t necessarily romantic … but it’s not NOT romantic either. They feel like two somewhat broken individuals whose souls feel fuller when they spend time together, and McShane and Arnezeder play off each other well.

Wilson’s friendship with the boy, Max, proves endearing, as well, and the two bond in scenes that exude warmth and kindness. Their trip to the hotel roof to send a toy army man parachuting down to the beach below provides a moment of beautiful catharsis. All of this is served by the strong visual senses of López-Gallego and cinematographer José David Montero, who frame the movie in a way that allows the audience to feel Wilson’s isolation. When Wilson returns to the hotel after a fight with Gloria, the camera rocks back and forth, perhaps mirroring the movement of the American Star itself. This isn’t an overly flashy movie, though it is beautiful all the same with camerawork that feels thoughtful if not overly showy. And the little details that fill out the corners of the frame — like Wilson’s empty hotel closet that gets more and more filled up as the movie goes along — add texture to the minimalist story.

American Star does eventually arrive at its inevitable, bloody conclusion, though even its climax manages to put its characters first, eschewing some kind of large-scale shootout in favor of an ending that’s harrowing but still matches the low-key nature of the rest of the film. And the movie’s final images send it out on a hypnotic, dreamlike note. There’s no doubt that it’s been a blast to watch McShane ham it up in the John Wick films over the last decade, but American Star offers a nice counterpoint, showing just how good the actor can be when given a role as layered and engrossing as this one.

American Star ‘American Star’ may be light on action, but it’s strong on character work. Pros’American Star’ is a beguiling hitman drama that features a quiet but captivating lead performance by Ian McShane. The supporting cast is effective as well, giving McShane an interesting group of characters to play off of. The film’s desolate Canary Islands setting proves to be a compelling backdrop for this character-based thriller. ConsThe movie is pretty sparse and light on action, which may turn off some fans of the genre.

American Star is now available in theaters and on digital platforms in the U.S.

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