The Killer (1989)

Some films use the action to draw the audience attention, while others use the dramatic effect to make an impression. John Woo successfully made use of both elements to create a classic out of its genre and one of the best Hong Kong films ever produced.

To start with, you need to know that this was made in the late 80’s so it’s useless to compare it to recent action films that use progressed techniques. And despite that fact, The Killer puts many recent Hollywood films to shame. I still insist that John Woo created his masterpieces in Hong Kong; he never made a film of “Hard Boiled”, “A Better Tomorrow” or “The Killer” caliber in Hollywood except for “Face/Off” perhaps.

This film’s plot is rather simple: an assassin who’s thinking twice about his career, a hot-blooded police officer, a singer who went blind and the bad guys. But being simple doesn’t mean it was shallow. On the contrary, The Killer had too much depth to rely on which made some people complain that it was a bit too “melodramatic”. I disagree on that thought, because the little drama in this film helped the events’ flowing in a natural way and of course, John Woo never misses a chance to display his favorite themes: Loyalty, brotherhood and honor.

The core of this film, on the other hand, is the essence of action. Personally, I consider John Woo one of the better Action directors in the world if not the best. The man redefined the “action camerawork” and the violent heroic bloodshed films which inspired many other famous action directors around the world. As a usual dish of John Woo, the gunplay choreography was mind blowing especially the last sequence of the film; it was pretty marvelous. Needless to say, this is a violent film where cars exploded and bullets were flying everywhere.

The acting was high class. Chow Yun Fat sparkles in John Woo’s films in a way that makes me think that he’s probably the best male lead Woo ever had. The man has a great onscreen presence that proves his great acting skills. And let’s not forget Danny Lee who made his breakthrough in Hong Kong cinema through this film and it’s undeniably one of his best roles up to date.
As for the main characters, they were violent which makes you think that they’re immoral but that’s not the case. John Woo always makes his main characters cool and “The Killer” wasn’t any exception, the two characters are drawn in a way that you would feel their nobility, acts of honor, loyalty and friendship. The rest of the characters were also pretty well written and suited for the film’s storytelling.

The cinematography and camerawork were astounding and quite alluring. It doesn’t even matter if this film was made back in 1989. And yes, it’s a great rewatch material; I am writing this review basing on my latest rewatch session of this film.

Watch if:
-You like action films because this is most definitely one of the best.
-You like John Woo because this is one of his Hong Kong masterpieces.
-You like violent films with lots of gunplay.

Do not watch if:
-You dislike John Woo’s work.
-You dislike the action genre.

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‘You should have left Hong Kong immediately.... ...What kept you? ...Or who ?’

*‘The Killer’ was filmed in 1989 and came just after the great success of the two-hit diptych ‘A Better Tomorrow’. Chow Yun-Fat, who had already starred in the two ‘A Better...’ movies, was again called in as the lead actor. The results were so extraordinary that it was from this film onwards that Woo's name began to travel the world (in every sense of the word).

The movie was conceived as a sort of modern remake of ‘Le samouraï’, a famous noir by Jean Pierre Melville, one of Woo's favourite directors, but the Guangzhou director readapted it, according to his precepts, giving us an action movie/noir, capable of merging with the most typical elements of melodrama...All infused with astonishing and spectacular shoot-outs, which, also from a choreographic point of view, will be imitated ad nauseam.

Woo, also a screenwriter, draws truly exemplary characterisations for the two main characters; By setting them against each other and starting from absolutely ‘antithetical’ standpoints (one is the killer, the other the cop) he manages, in a ‘miraculous’ way to make them converge and resemble each other thanks to the typical aspects of his cinematography.

Jeff is indeed a killer, but he is heroic, brave, full of passion, idealistic and sensitive...He has a sense of honour that really doesn't make him resemble an assassin, but rather an ancient knight who accepts his destiny and faces it head-on, without any fear, but rather with a mocking smile on his face; the brotherly, virile friendship and respect that bind him to Sidney is almost poignant, his best friend, also a hitman, physically maimed by a wound but vigorously animated by the same ideals as Jeff.
All fundamental elements in Woo's cinematography.
...And Chow Yun-Fat's performance is truly memorable...

The same rules of honour and moral principles that drive policeman Lee Ying: Lee of course hunts him down, but by some of Jeff's actions, such as the incident with the little girl and the run to the hospital, he is admired, if not actually fascinated, perhaps beginning to perceive the killer's true nature...the two men, moreover, are united by their respective senses of guilt, deriving for both of them from the responsibility of their gestures, which have generated two very serious events.

This common fate, infused with doses of old-fashioned romanticism, a sort of ‘chivalrous code’, a mèlo poetry and that sense of friendship so dear to Woo, triggers an irreversible process that leads all the characters of the movie towards a road of no return, in a sort of almost ‘martyrdom’...and emblematically it is precisely a church that is the place of the showdown.

The extraordinary film direction, as well as the editing, sets a tone of epicness to the entirety, leaving the viewer often open-mouthed, through a series of absolutely breathtaking sequences.

Much has been written about the famous shootouts in John Woo's movies: Choreographed, likened to a kind of a ballet, with unexpected and acrobatic changes of frame...Sudden slowdowns, moments of hiatus that precede extremely violent outbreaks, bodies and bullets leaping and whirling through the air, with the hero on duty moving while handling two guns at the same time (‘a dancer going through the air’ explains Woo), almost ‘in suspension’.

The application of slow motion then reinforces the impact even more, adding depth to the scenes and setting the pace. John Woo is perhaps the only director capable of making even a simple flight of white doves ‘epic’.

Watch ‘The Killer’...and then try to see the Mariachi trilogy by Robert Rodriguez, someone who really has a thing for action movies; Well, you'll notice how much the director of ‘Sin City’ drew from the Asian filmmaker.

Among the film references, I like to point out the boat race during Jeff's last ‘contract’; it has an absolutely Hichcockian ‘construction’, with a rising tension in the style of ‘The Man Who Knew Too Much’…
And there is also a quote from King Vidor's ‘Duel in the Sun’, really poignant...

'The Killer' is one of the high peaks of John Woo's career... it is probably the movie that best defines his cinematic universe and represents one of the most extraordinary modern examples of action movies (but not only).
A fundamental and highly recommended masterpiece.
10/10

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*An old review of mine from a no more existing forum, here for MDL, the names correspond with the Italian version of the movie

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All KILLER with no filler

PROS:
+ Even the cheesy camera shots and music are tastefully and artistically executed
+ The cool, and stylish aesthetic is incredibly strong and almost self-aware
+ Each and every gunshot and explosion is incredibly satisfying and fascinating to witness due to the unrivaled film choreo/direction
+ There is a sense of tragic humor, irony, and justice present in the overall tone that few films have attempted
+ Purely awesome characters that are as memorable as they are cool

CONS:
- Lots and lots of violence and over-the-top scenarios will turn some away
- Many action moments aren't quite believable (this could also be a positive aspect)

I'm glad to say that I'm a big fan of John Woo's style!

This has many parts from Woo's other older films and executes an action drama that may be his strongest classic film.

9/10

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