B Plus Movies

Man does not live by bread alone. He can, however, make do with bread, french toast, regular toast, rolls, pita, naan, tortillas and bread pudding. Which is to say even the most ordinary of themes can be spiced up into something extraordinary such that you barely think of it as it’s central component.

If I’d started the metaphor with films instead of foods, I’d have ended on The Killer.

Here we have what is basically a Onesa movie: One’s a cop, the other is a hitman. One is trying to bring down a crime boss, the other is working for him. One is played by Danny Lee, the other by Chow Yun Fat. One is an utter bad ass, the other… is also an utter badass.

Where this movie veers towards greatness is that when we meet the hitman, it’s when he’s on the job. In the process of doing said job,  he accidentally blinds a young singer with the muzzle flash of his pistol. He decides to be her guardian and to help do what he can to restore her sight.

The killer’s boss eventually decides he’s become a liability. Shortly thereafter, he crosses paths with the cop and in the end they team up to put an end to the boss.

While more bullets fly around than some small South American conflicts, the focus of the film is on the relationships between the hitman and the singer as well as the hitman and the officer. There’s a lot in the film about loyalty, friendship and doing what it takes to follow through on your promises.

There are times in the film where the drama spills over into melodrama. Beyond that, I can’t say alot bad about this film. I will say if you watch it, for the love of all that’s merciful find an uncut, well subtitled version. Unless you speak Chinese, it may be the difference between an amazing cinematic experience and unintentional comedy.

Violence in The Killer is a step up from Woo’s earlier work A Better Tomorrow. The gunplay is more intense but just as beautiful. Of course, because it’s John Woo we’re talking about, there’s a gunfight in a church, doves, the point blank Mexican standoff and lots of people that understand if you have two hands then you need to fill them with two handguns. I’ve since seen coreography ripped off directly and there’s a reason; it’s not just guys with guns. It’s ballistic ballet.

The Killer, rated B+ with a bullet. Well, a lot of bullets. Like enough to sink the Queen Mary. Yeah.

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