You have to hand it to French Cinema-it rarely fails to present warped stories in surprisingly cool ways. Cédric Anger's debut feature The Killer (Le Tueur) is an eerie and intriguing psychological thriller that keeps you thinking and analyzing while still remaining scary for the viewer as the action unfolds.
The film explores the disturbing and brief relationship between two very bizarre characters: Leo Zimmerman (Gilbert Melki), who lives a suspiciously ideal life as a successful entrepreneur, loving husband, and caring father, while Dimitri Kopas (Grégoire Colin), is a dark and threatening man hired to put an end to Zimmerman's life. Consumed by feelings of fear, anxiety, and paranoia, Zimmerman makes the bold choice of confronting the man he is most afraid of. All the while, Kopas shows a surprisingly sympathetic side, and grants his victim a few extra days to live so he may tie up loose ends. The relationship between the victim and assassin is morbidly interesting, particularly because of how the uncertainties of death affect them differently.
As opposed to using the "unexpected twist" tactic, the film's storyline very fluidly reveals its different sides. Because the likely conclusion is revealed from the beginning, the focus is really on how these last few days unfold. Although Kopas represents a type of Grim Reaper character and is more obviously evil, it becomes clear that both men are deeply flawed. The divide between good and evil is not actually so distinct as it initially seems-in fact, it forces the viewer to question which man is the true villain.
Even with the disturbing plot, the film is visually captivating to the point where even the most deranged of characters can seem very cool and alluring. Styled in a way that calls to mind the Film Noir genre, the conflicting aspects of the plot are beautifully emphasized through high contrast cinematography. The powerful imagery of dark Parisian streets is particularly effective in reflecting the dark mood of the story.
Though the actions and dialogue are complex, they build up and intertwine flawlessly, making it easy to see things from completely different perspectives. The Killer ultimately questions what it means to be a good person or lead a good life. Oftentimes, what lies behind perfection is fear and terror.
The Killer
was just released on DVD.
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