The Killer’s Game, 2024.
Directed by J.J. Perry.
Starring Dave Bautista, Sofia Boutella, Terry Crews, Pom Klementieff, Ben Kingsley, Scott Adkins, Drew McIntyre, Shaina West, Lucy Cork, Daniel Bernhardt, Hoon Lee, Marko Zaror, Raffaello Degruttola, Ice Cube, Antonia Desplat, George Somner, Scott Alexander Young, and József Kovalik Jr.
SYNOPSIS:
A veteran assassin is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and authorizes a kill on himself. After ordering the kill, an army of former colleagues pounce and a new piece of information comes to light. Insanity ensues.
J.J. Perry’s The Killer’s Game knows how to use its monstrously sized star, Dave Bautista, for brutal, over-the-top physicality and gore without forgetting that he was once a phenomenal professional wrestler. The filmmaker and script (from James Coyne, Simon Kinberg, Rand Ravich, and based on a novel by Jay Bonansinga) also don’t forget about his impeccable comedic timing that also became integrated into his professional wrestling persona and has shown up regularly in his acting career. They also know he prefers to play actual characters and spends a pleasantly surprising amount of time establishing his and his various relationships and setting up the plot. In other words, this film feels made specifically with Dave Bautista in mind, and that aspect delivers.
That’s one way of saying The Killer’s Game is doing more than the usual generic action flick about a weathered, worn-down Army veteran turned assassin looking to get out of that game, settle down, and hide their identity from whatever average person they end up dating. Experiencing unexplainable headaches, Dave Bautista’s Joe Flood is slowly becoming a liability in the field but still has the sense to help dancer Maize (Sofia Boutella) escape the building after noticing that she is being trampled on following the ruckus from his latest assassination. It’s also important to note that Joe has done his job clean the entire time, only killing the worst humanity has to offer, which explains the soft heart and gentle giant nature at the center of the character.
Taking advice from his jokey handler Zvi (Ben Kingsley), seemingly the closest thing he has to a father figure, Joe begins hanging out with Maize. This paves the way for an inspired montage of dates and assassinations, cleverly transitioning between the two through objects that fit into both scenarios. Perhaps more surprisingly, the film cares about showing that connection building and depicting an inner life for Maize.
As such, it is quite jarring once the comically ridiculous graphic violence comes into play, as the slightly grounded approach doesn’t necessarily set the expectation of something such as a barrage of assassins being introduced, leaving trails of blood across the ground spelling out their names, or a dancing hitman, or WWE superstar Drew McIntyre as a brawler who shits his pants (have some fun with that CM Punk.) The endless introductions of such characters feel tiresome and mostly take time away from the characters we care about. There’s nothing wrong with simply surprising viewers with these wacky personas right before they battle with Joe. A motormouth sniper played by Terry Crews is most relentlessly on Joe’s trail, which quickly becomes frustrating as there is nothing to the character beyond womanizing and shouting at his bumbling driver (George Somner.)
When it comes to why there is a $2 million hit on Joe, that’s because his headaches are diagnosed as part of a neurodegenerative disease that will take his life in a few months, meaning that his assassination contract is one that he put on himself through a vengeful rival (Pom Klementieff) as a sly way to ensure he receives his life insurance upon death which can be given over to Maize. As for why Joe is fighting back, well, that comes down to doctors realizing that they made a mistake just before the timer on the assassination begins, making for a moment of priceless humorous shock from Dave Bautista.
What ensues is Joe on a self-defense rampage that sees Dave Bautista doing everything from slicing people open with their unique weapons, toying with goons by tossing them around and into metallic objects, pure brute strength, and even finding himself in a sword fight inside a castle. Despite the hideous CGI blood effects, there are many inspired kills. That’s not to say there is John Wick-level choreography here (which the film desperately wants people to think based on the trailers), but knowing how to play to the strengths of a star smooths over plenty of rough edges.
For a film that easily could have been another generic take on the overplayed dynamic of assassins trying to eke out a normal life, The Killer’s Game has a killer premise, leaning into its absurdities with a marksman-like handle on bringing its clashing tones together.
Flickering Myth Rating – Film: ★ ★ ★ / Movie: ★ ★ ★
Robert Kojder is a member of the Chicago Film Critics Association and the Critics Choice Association. He is also the Flickering Myth Reviews Editor. Check here for new reviews, follow my Twitter or Letterboxd, or email me at MetalGearSolid719@gmail.com
