Say whatever you want, but "The Killer" by David Fincher is cinematography at its best...
If there is one contemporary film director who understands the concept of color in cinema particularly well, it is undoubtedly David Fincher.... There is a beauty that only his mind of suspense, human rot and use of artistic shots is capable of. I had no expectations when I watched "The Killer"; in fact, I watched it two days ago, as I came down with a very bad flu that put me to bed and left me with no options. I logged into my Netflix account, and simply let myself be swept away by beauty at its finest....
Say what you want about the plot of "The Killer", or the bizarre ending it has ("bizarre" for the way Fincher's story usually ends) but as far as cinematography goes, no one today is able to compete with it. Obviously, this is a very subjective value judgment; I am aware of them. But here, I will try to give arguments to be able to explain my point of view and above all to give a meaningful tribute to a filmmaker, author and magnificent filmmaker such as the gigantic David Fincher.
Start with the general shots that this film has. If you pause them, they literally turn into a baroque painting. That level of detail for a color palette, I have never seen it so well applied as in Fincher's filmography. And, evidently, this time there are no exceptions. The plot is very simple. An assassin for hire has a job, to eliminate a powerful and apparently political target he has been tasked with.... In between, we see the psychic and cognitive abilities that the character of the "Killer" has; the protagonist...
Patience, method, an active psychopathy and above all an obsessive planning that gives the viewer the ability to be at the side of the protagonist. At times, it is claustrophobic, cold, extremely introspective; in the end, very much of the type of stories that Fincher loves to develop in his films. Where the subjects that come to life in this kind of stories are not precisely the heroes we all know and with whom we have grown up archetypically. On the contrary, the director gives us a first-person vision of the consequences of not having fulfilled the mission with which the film begins.
In certain aspects, it reminds me of "Drive", from 2011. A film that at the time went totally unnoticed, and that has the performances of film geniuses like Bryan Cranston and Ryan Gosling, and that to top it off has a soundtrack that is, currently, totally iconic and recognized by all. But in its plot it develops a violent but passive subject. With method, skill and planning. Subjects that look like robots but have their own individual scale of values.
Now, going back to "The Killer", I love its simplicity. A linear plot, nothing earth-shattering but with scenes that are breathtaking. The editing, clean, simple and extremely well narrated. The cinematography is something that is impossible not to highlight. As I mentioned before, from an aesthetic point of view it is a visual pleasure. The dreary, dull, cold lighting contrasts beautifully with locations where bright colors are the norm rather than the exception.
Voiceovers, typical of David Fincher's filmography, is something I love. Because it offers ethical dilemmas, which in my opinion, are what add value to the film. And that make, that a simple plot, is extremely intelligent "Respect the plan, do not trust anyone, anticipate, do not improvise", are just some of the phrases that stay in your head. As I also said, it's been almost 3 days since I've seen it for the first time, and I still remember these powerful phrases. Believe me, when you see it, you'll understand....
The main character, "The Killer", that's his name; he is someone who before being something is a method. Without empathy, without improvisations, without political ideas, without value judgments. Without the misogyny typical of Fincher's films. An attractive perfection for the viewer, and a work of art of this director. I only ask you, to leave expectations aside, and let yourself be carried away by the story. It is beauty at its finest. It is incredible, mesmerizing, strong and beautiful; very beautiful.
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