As a fan of action movies, I often appreciate it when incredible action is paired with some substance that makes me care about the protagonist. When John Wick (2014) makes the viewer weep for the loss of John’s puppy, you care not only about the emotional toll but also root for him to get his deserved revenge. Although The Killer’s Game (2024) doesn’t quite match the substance found in entries like John Wick, it gives viewers enough reason to care about its protagonist to stay invested through most of its story. This lack of substance is largely made up for with stylish creativity.
When prolific hitman Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a fatal medical diagnosis, he decides to go out on his own terms. However, not long after he places a hit on his own life, he receives news that there was a mix-up with his medical sample and he is completely healthy. Once Joe realizes it’s too late to cancel the hit he ordered, he prepares to fight against mercenaries and hitmen on their way to do precisely what he asked of them.
The Killer’s Game begins simply enough, to a concerning degree. The first act largely consists of building the relationship between Joe and Maize (Sofia Boutella), a dancer Joe saves while completing a hit. While their dynamic is endearing, the relationship isn’t given many layers outside of the premise that Joe wants to keep his profession a secret from Maize, who loves him for the kind and gentle soul she believes him to be.
Especially after seeing a similar scenario expertly done recently in Richard Linklater’s Hit Man (2024), The Killer’s Game doesn’t match the urgency of the situation found in that film. It never feels like it would be a deal-breaker if Maize were to find out Joe’s secret, so it’s frustrating to watch Joe try to keep it from her, especially when characters like his handler Zvi (Ben Kingsley) urge him to be honest with her.
Luckily, it doesn’t take long for the movie’s style to steal the show. As Joe and Maize’s relationship begins to flower, viewers are treated to one of the best sequences in the film, which sees Joe take Maize out on a series of dates while simultaneously taking on a collection of different jobs as a hitman. Brutal murders are interrupted with a match cut that places us in a restaurant where Joe and Maize are eating dinner and drinking wine, which is then interrupted with a match cut that takes us back to another scene of brutal violence. This formula amusingly repeats itself multiple times to create a memorable, genuinely thrilling scene.
When Joe later receives his diagnosis and places the hit on his own life with Marianna (Pom Klementieff), a handler who holds a personal grudge against him, viewers quickly meet the different groups of killers sent to dispatch Joe. These diverse groups instantly inject The Killer’s Game with a lethal amount of energy and style. Each hitman or group of hitmen has something unique about themselves that sets them apart from the others. Botas (Marko Zaror) treats deadly hand-to-hand combat like a dance while wearing earbuds and listening to music. Rory (Drew McIntyre) and Angus (Scott Adkins) are two killers with thick Scottish accents that the film needlessly provides subtitles for whenever they speak in a hilarious showcase of its sense of humor. Lovedahl (Terry Crews) is a smug womanizer who initially declines the offer to take out Joe because he doesn’t feel the reward is worthy of the job. Several other groups are introduced that are given a moment to steal the show. The only issue with this is that they are each far more interesting than the protagonist viewers are meant to root for, partially due to Bautista’s bland performance.
Bautista is an actor who noticeably grows with each role he takes. He’s come a long way from his hammy performance as Drax in Guardians of the Galaxy (2014) to his subtly intense role in Knock at the Cabin (2023). Bautista has the physique to lead a high-octane action film but lacks the charisma. He often comes across as one-note, which sometimes contrasts with the bonkers tone the film aims for. He does well enough in certain dramatic scenes where Joe grapples with being honest about his life with Maize, but he largely disappoints. Bautista has proven time and time again that he has what it takes to play dramatic roles, and these types of roles will help him grow as a performer.
In scenes where Bautista shares the screen with Crews, it’s clear that Crews is unmatched in terms of charisma. Crews brings an explosion of charm whenever he appears on screen, and it’s delightful to watch, except when he gets paired with Money (George Somner), one of the most useless and annoying characters to appear in a movie this year. Marianna forces Lovedahl to babysit Money, a wannabe hitman who wants Lovedahl to teach him the tricks of the trade. It’s a subplot that constantly feels shoe-horned and out of place, especially due to Money’s irritating personality.
The Killer’s Game skirts through its second act with action set pieces that director J.J. Perry helms entertainingly. Perry keeps the action focused on the subjects with smooth camerawork, making it easy to follow, especially when several characters duke it out in different scenes. A heavy dose of hyperviolence further compliments the action. If there’s an opportunity to show a blood spatter on screen, The Killer’s Game never lets that opportunity go to waste, especially in a gruesomely hilarious moment where a character gets stabbed in the center of the face with a blade the size of their torso.
It’s in the final act where the film unfortunately comes to a screeching halt in terms of its pacing. When so much of the first two acts were brimming with style and creativity, it was disappointing to see it run out of ideas and rush into an anticlimactic ending. The Killer’s Game builds up to a climactic confrontation between Joe and Marianna that never happens. The unmemorable ending leaves viewers with a sour taste, making the movie forgettable.
The Killer’s Game is an entertaining romp in a world inhabited by an eclectic array of killers. While its action isn’t groundbreaking, it’s creatively entertaining and packed with effective humor that might keep viewers engaged but won’t give them anything to write home about once it reaches its unsatisfying conclusion.
Review Courtesy of Evan Miller
Feature Image Credit to Lionsgate via The Hollywood Reporter