Overview
A methodical assassin grapples with his sanity while stalking his next target in the shadows of a bustling city.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Easy to follow
- Violence
- Brutal
- cold
- tense
- deadpan
- late night viewing
- crime thriller marathon
What critics said
Critics broadly praised David Fincher's precision, Michael Fassbender's magnetic performance, and the film's stylish procedural tension, while some found its deliberately simple story emotionally thin.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The Killer repeatedly invokes rules, routines, and statistical control while planning jobs and managing escalating complications.
The protagonist studies targets, travel routes, weapons, and contingencies with cold, impersonal focus.
The narrative moves through locations including Paris, New York City, New Orleans, and airports as nodes in an assassin's logistical network.
Fincher's moody cinematography emphasizes watching, targeting, concealment, and carefully engineered images of professional routine.
Films like The Killer, and why
Le Samouraï
shares a minimalist contract-killer premise, professional assassination mechanics, and emotionally detached neo-noir tone
The American
shares a solitary hitman protagonist, methodical procedural detail, and existential criminal fatalism
The Bourne Identity
shares stylized assassin action, terse professionalism, and an inwardly focused killer pursued through international locations
Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai
shares darkly ironic criminal violence, cool visual control, and a protagonist whose professional system begins to unravel
Movie Details
- Director
- David Fincher
- Release Date
- 2023-10-25
- Runtime
- 118 min
- Rating
- 6.6 / 10 (3025)
Cast
- Michael Fassbender
- Tilda Swinton
- Charles Parnell
- Arliss Howard
- Kerry O'Malley
- Sophie Charlotte
- Emiliano Pernia
- Gabriel Polanco
- Sala Baker
- Endre Hules
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Killer about?
- A disciplined contract killer's carefully controlled world fractures into a sleek, globe-spanning pursuit when one job goes wrong.
- What is The Killer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Killer as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as easy to follow.
- Is The Killer violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in The Killer as brutal.
- What did critics think of The Killer?
- Critics broadly praised David Fincher's precision, Michael Fassbender's magnetic performance, and the film's stylish procedural tension, while some found its deliberately simple story emotionally thin.
- Which films are like The Killer?
- Films with a similar feel include Le Samouraï, The American, The Bourne Identity, and Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai.
- How long is The Killer?
- The Killer runs 118 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Killer?
- In United States, The Killer streams on Netflix, Netflix Standard with Ads.
