One of Michael Fassbender’s Most Underrated Action Movies Is Based on a Long-Running Comic

Michael Fassbender, a German-Irish actor, has always been known for his intense roles in various movies. Through the years, he has been part of some pretty incredible projects, like Shame, Inglorious Basterds, and, of course, the X-Men series. But not all of the young Magneto actor’s projects have been box-office hits or found critical acclaim. That doesn’t make the films any less great, though. There is one movie in particular, an action thriller, that is especially underrated, even though it’s an adaptation of a beloved long-running comic.

That title is The Killer, a Netflix Original that debuted back in 2023.

Slow, Realistic, and Subversive, The Killer Takes a Unique Approach to Hitman Movies

The Killer is a 2023 film directed by none other than David Fincher, from a screenplay by Andrew Kevin Walker. In the movie, Fassbender plays the lead role of an unnamed contract killer. It’s based on a comic written by “Matz” Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon. Originally called Le Tuer in French, it tells the story of a hitman. The dark tale is written from the point of view of the killer himself, and follows him as he delves into his past, talks about his views on life, his take on death, and the fears that hound him wherever he goes. Inspired by this intense narrative and Jean-Pierre Melville’s Le Samouraï, Fincher creates a lead reminiscent of Jeff Costello (Alain Delon). 

The film is not just another David Fincher movie — it doesn’t pretend to be Fight Club or Seven. It is a slow-burn thriller. It takes an unhurried approach to the narrative from the very beginning, when we’re watching the hitman prepare to take out a target with a sniper rifle. For a while, nothing really happens. We watch Fassbender’s character as he eats, exercises, and listens to The Smiths. There is something cold and methodical about him. When he messes up the hit and goes on a vendetta-led adventure spanning countries, we get to see how he plans and functions while he works. He is a professional killer for a reason, but he is also very much human.

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There are no daring stunts or near-fantastical action sequences here. Fincher completely dismisses the tropes that often plague a hitman movie. The Killer is no John Wick, and it doesn’t even pretend to be. “It’s amazing how physically exhausting it can be to do nothing. If you’re unable to endure boredom, this work is not for you,” the killer says at the very beginning of the film. The movie focuses on this tediousness, the unglamorous side of the work, alongside all the action. Perhaps the only gripe one could have with the movie is that it doesn’t spend any time on character building. We met various people, but we learn nearly nothing about them. The plot is fully centered around the killer’s path to vengeance, and, honestly, it works, even when we don’t know why he is on this warpath when he calls empathy a weakness.

The film takes a subversive and self-reflexive approach to the subgenre. The shots are stylish, reminiscent of Fincher’s early work. The sound design especially deserves high praise, adding depth and intrigue to each scene. 

While it was only released a few years back, work on the project began back in 2007 at Paramount Pictures and Plan B Entertainment. Back then, Alessandro Camon was writing the script. When the project went to Netflix, Andrew Kevin Walker replaced Camon as writer. Other than Fassbender, the film features Tilda Swinton, Sophie Charlotte, Kerry O’Malley, Arliss Howard, Sala Baker, and Charles Parnell. It had a limited theatrical release in October 2023 and began streaming on Netflix on November 10, 2023. It originally premiered at the 80th Venice International Film Festival on September 3, 2023.

Overall, The Killer makes for a great addition to Fincher’s filmography since it beautifully highlights his unique style of storytelling and visualizing a narrative. He is currently working on a sequel to the iconic film, Once Upon a Time … in Hollywood. He is also directing Love, Death + Robots, an animated sci-fi anthology whose fourth season came out on May 15th.

The Killer can be streamed on Netflix. You can also stream the latest Michael Fassbender film, Black Bag, on Prime Video.