Film Review – The Killer (2024)

August 24th, 2024 | POSTED BY Allen Almachar

I’m not one to automatically disregard remakes of beloved movies. Sometimes a fresh new perspective on a familiar story can help us better appreciate the original. But there are instances where the very notion of a remake is preposterous. Case in point: The Killer (1989). John Woo’s epic ballet of bullets and bloodshed is considered by some to be the quintessential ‘80s/’90s Hong Kong action film. It stands alongside Hard Boiled (1992) as – arguably – Woo’s best work. So, when it was announced that The Killer would not only be remade but dropped into the wasteland of streaming, it came with some understandable trepidation. 

What piqued my interest was that Woo returned to direct this latest effort. Filmmakers coming back to essentially redo their previous output is not unheard of. Alfred Hitchcock remade The Man Who Knew Too Much (1934). Michael Haneke came back to make an English version of Funny Games (1997). Michael Mann took his made-for-T.V.-movie L.A. Takedown (1989) and remade it into Heat (1995). The list goes on and on and on. What could have possibly drew Woo back to direct The Killer (2024)? It’s hard to improve on something that was already pretty darn close to perfection. That’s the unfortunate disadvantage this version must bear. Is it a cover of a great song? Yes, but at least it’s a good cover.   

Working from a screenplay by Brian Helgeland, Josh Campbell, and Matt Stuecken, the basic narrative is the same, only this time the setting is transferred from Hong Kong to the streets of Paris. Nathalie Emmanuel plays Zee, an assassin so good at what she does that she has earned the nickname “Queen of the Dead.” Her life as a contract killer is cut and dry, until her Irish handler Finn (Sam Worthington) sends her on a mission that goes haywire. The job is botched, leaving Zee with a roomful of bodies and a singer, Jenn (Diana Silvers) left blinded. Going against her instincts, Zee feels responsible for Jenn and takes her into her care. This decision not only puts a target on Zee’s back from gangsters, but from the French police as well, particularly Officer Sey (Omar Sy). 

The plot is cluttered with tangents, involving drug dealers, the mob, and a prince (Saïd Taghmaoui). Luckily, these elements eventually smooth out the further along things progress. The main point of tension involves Zee protecting Jenn while avoiding apprehension by authorities or being killed by mercenaries. Sey operates as the second point of view character. He is an officer who wants to do the right thing, but the further he delves into his investigation, the more his superiors get in his way, and the more he learns about Zee, Sey begins to question everything. Although the film never specifically points this out, there is an underlying dynamic between Zee and Sey. One could view their cat-and-mouse game as a kind of flirtation. 

But you’re not here for that, are you? I’m assuming you want to know if Woo accomplishes the same feat as he did in the original in terms of action, right? In that regard, the newest iteration doesn’t reach that level. To be fair, it’s a damn near impossible standard. The first film had a griminess to it, a rough-around-the-edges aesthetic. The 2024 remake feels way more polished, sleek, and cleanly produced. A lot of the “John Woo Trademarks” are present – the pigeons, characters wielding guns in both hands, the religious iconography, the slow motion during tense moments, and lots and lots of gunfire. But this one does feel tamer and a bit more calculated. The original felt like it was flying by the seat of its pants, this one is more grounded and reserved.

That’s not to say it isn’t good. Woo adds just enough spice to make this more entertaining than some may expect. One of the big highlights involves a citywide car chase, punctuated by a crash captured in slow motion and repeated from different angles to make us feel the full effect. The shootouts are abundant and aggressive, and the stunt work looks realistic and well staged. Yes, there are examples of when CGI is used to amplify certain points, but it isn’t distracting. There is a playful tone running throughout, such as when the editing (Zach Staenberg) incorporates split screens to make the frame look like a page out of a comic book. Woo isn’t shy to add in some moments of slapstick as well. During one action scene, Zee flings herself from a staircase, grabs a hold of a tarp, and slides all the way to the floor like a fireman going down a pole. Not too long later, Sey attempts to do the same thing, but loses his grip and comes crashing down on top of a table. Some classic physical comedy, right there.

This is the first time I have seen Nathalie Emmanuel take on a lead role. In previous work, such as The Fast and Furious franchise, Army of Thieves (2021), and of course Game of Thrones, she was part of an ensemble. Her characters were cogs in a much larger machine. This time, she is front and center, holding her own as the assassin with the heart of gold. The writing doesn’t provide her with enough material to dig into, performance wise. The scenes where her character shows vulnerability comes off as dramatically light weight, as though she were simply going through the motions. But first and foremost, Zee is an action-centric role, and Emmanuel meets the physical demands. Not many people can shoot guns from both hands while spinning upside down and still look cool, but Emmanuel pulls it off with flying colors.

If you can somehow remove your mind from making comparisons between the original version of The Killer and this remake, you may come away pleasantly surprised by what you find. No, this isn’t going to end up being an action classic like its predecessor, but it does offer a lot for those willing to give it a chance. It’s as though John Woo is tinkering around with his own work, changing things here and there just to see what happens. 

Alfred Hitchcock, Army of Thieves, Brian Helgeland, Diana Silvers, Featured, Funny Games, Game of Thrones, Heat, John Woo, Josh Campbell, L.A. Takedown, Matt Stuecken, Michael Haneke, Michael Mann, Nathalie Emmanuel, Omar Sy, Saïd Taghmaoui, Sam Worthington, The Fast and Furious, The Killer (1989), The Killer (2024), The Man Who Knew Too Much, Zach Staenberg