David Fincher doesn't just make movies. He constructs clocks. If you're looking to watch The Killer 2023, you aren't just signing up for a standard "hitman with a heart of gold" story. Honestly, it’s the exact opposite of that. Michael Fassbender plays a nameless assassin who is basically a high-functioning sociopath with a yoga habit and a Spotify playlist full of The Smiths. It’s cold. It’s calculated. It’s also surprisingly funny in a way that feels like a punch to the gut.
People often go into this movie expecting John Wick. They want gun-fu. They want 50 guys falling over in a neon-lit club. But Fincher isn't interested in that. He wants you to sit in the dark and feel the boredom of being a professional murderer. The movie is a procedural about a guy who thinks he’s much smarter than he actually is.
The Reality of Why You Should Watch The Killer 2023
There is a specific kind of tension that only Fincher can pull off. Remember Zodiac? Or Mindhunter? It's that same obsessive attention to detail. When you watch The Killer 2023, you're seeing a man who lives by a set of strict rules. "Stick to the plan. Anticipate, don't improvise. Forbid empathy." He repeats these like a mantra. But the joke—and it is a dark, cynical joke—is that he fails his own rules almost immediately.
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The film is based on a French graphic novel series by Alexis "Matz" Nolent and Luc Jacamon. Fincher had been sitting on this project for nearly twenty years. Why now? Maybe because our world has become as curated and cold as the Killer's internal monologue. We live in a world of Amazon packages, WeWork offices, and gig-economy convenience. Seeing an assassin use those same mundane tools to facilitate a murder is deeply unsettling.
Where to Find It and What to Expect
Right now, the easiest way to watch The Killer 2023 is on Netflix. It’s a Netflix original, which means it probably isn't going anywhere soon, but the algorithm has a way of burying gems. It had a very limited theatrical run—mostly so it could qualify for awards—but this is a film designed for the intimacy of a home setup. Or a laptop. Something that feels private.
You've got to pay attention to the sound design. Ren Klyce, a long-time Fincher collaborator, does something incredible here. The music from The Smiths isn't just a soundtrack; it’s a character. It represents the Killer's attempt to drown out the world. When the headphones come out, the soundscape changes. It’s jarring. It’s brilliant.
Breaking Down the Plot Without Giving It All Away
The inciting incident is simple. A hit goes wrong. In Paris. Our guy misses. He never misses, until he does. From there, the movie turns into a revenge travelogue. He goes from Paris to the Dominican Republic to New Orleans to New York to Chicago. It sounds like a globetrotting adventure, but it feels like a business trip.
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The Killer treats his revenge like a logistics problem. He’s not "angry" in the way we see in most movies. He’s annoyed. He’s cleaning up a mess. Fassbender is perfect for this because his face is like a mask of granite. You see the tiny cracks when things don't go according to plan. It’s a masterclass in "less is more" acting.
The Supporting Players
While Fassbender is in almost every frame, the few minutes we get with Tilda Swinton are legendary. She plays "The Expert." Her scene with Fassbender in a high-end restaurant is the peak of the movie. They talk about a joke regarding a bear. It’s tense. It’s weirdly beautiful. It reminds you that even in this world of cold professionals, there’s a human desire to connect, even if that connection is just a conversation before a sudden end.
The Technical Mastery Behind the Lens
Cinematographer Erik Messerschmidt, who won an Oscar for Mank, brings a digital crispness here that feels almost surgical. There’s no film grain. There’s no warmth. Everything is blue, grey, and sickly yellow. It looks like the inside of a hospital or a high-end airport lounge. It’s intentional.
- Precision Framing: Every shot is locked down. There are very few handheld camera movements until the one major fight scene.
- The Florida Fight: Speaking of that fight, it is one of the most brutal things put to film in 2023. It’s not choreographed to look pretty. It looks like two people desperately trying not to die. It’s messy. It’s loud. It’s exhausting.
- The Monologue: The voiceover is constant. Some people hate it. They think it’s "telling, not showing." But if you listen closely, the voiceover is often lying to us. The Killer says he’s calm, but the camera shows his hands shaking just a tiny bit.
Is It "Too Slow"?
A lot of people complained that the first twenty minutes are just a guy sitting in an abandoned WeWork eating McDonald's (without the bun—protein, you know?). If you have a short attention span, you might struggle. But if you appreciate the craft of building tension through stillness, you'll be hooked.
Fincher is mocking the audience a little bit. He knows we want the explosion. He makes us wait for it. He makes us sit in the silence. It’s a bold move for a streaming movie where people usually tab out after five minutes if something doesn't blow up.
The Philosophy of the Modern Hitman
What does it mean to be "the few" instead of "the many"? That’s the Killer’s whole philosophy. He believes he is an elite predator. But as we watch The Killer 2023, we see him shopping at Home Depot. We see him using a generic key card cloner he probably bought on the dark web or some shady forum. He’s a consumer. He’s part of the system he thinks he’s above.
This is a movie about work. It’s about the soul-crushing reality of having a job that requires total perfection, and the fallout when you realize you’re just another cog in the machine. Even if that machine kills people.
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Actionable Steps for the Best Viewing Experience
If you're going to dive in, don't do it while scrolling on your phone. You’ll miss the visual cues that tell the actual story.
- Audio is Key: Use a good pair of headphones or a solid soundbar. The transitions between the "headphone audio" (The Smiths) and the "world audio" are vital to understanding the Killer's headspace.
- Look for the Discrepancies: Pay attention to what the Killer says in his head versus what he actually does. The movie is a comedy if you realize he's a hypocrite.
- Check Out the Source Material: If you dig the vibe, the graphic novel by Matz is excellent and offers a bit more of the political context that Fincher stripped away to keep the film lean.
- Double Feature: If you want a weirdly perfect night of movies, pair this with Le Samouraï (1967). It’s the spiritual ancestor of this film and shows where Fincher got a lot of his DNA for the "silent, stoic killer" trope.
Watch The Killer 2023 as a character study disguised as a thriller. It’s not about the hit; it’s about the man holding the rifle and the lies he tells himself to get through the day. Once the credits roll, you might find yourself looking at your own daily routines a little differently. Keep an eye on the details. They’re the only things that matter.