Life Through the Lens: Live by the sword, die by the sword
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"It's the idle hours that most often lead a man to ruin. It's not Dylan Thomas, but it oughta be."
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Do you ever find yourself saying a phrase and not actually knowing what it means? And not just once...like for years? Not your "go-to" phrase, but one you gladly dust off every few months to the delight of the listeners. One that always garners a laugh.
"Hoisted on your own petard." Or that is how I always say it.
Time to figure out (intro theme music): What's That Phrase Mean? It is actually a Shakespearean phrase from Hamlet. Willy and his phrases! The phrase is spoken by Hamlet about his former friends, Rosencrantz and Guildenstern, who have been sent to kill him: "For 'tis the sport to have the enginer/Hoist with his own petard." In modern English: "If you play with fire, don't be surprised when you get burnt."
A "petard" is a bomb...obviously. An "enginer" makes bombs...obviously. If an enginer is blown-up by his own bomb, he would totally get what is coming to him, right?
A fun twist, which Shakespeare loves to throw, is the word "petarade." Being the unmatched master of wordplay, "petarade" is French for breaking wind. To fart. Pardon my French. A silly second meaning to the Hamlet line is "if you let it, you'll regret it." "If you expel it, you must now smell it."
Hoisted with his own petard. I can now use it with confidence. When a gossiper is ruined by gossip -- when a cheater gets cheated -- when a backstabber gets their back stabbed. Sweet irony.
Life lesson: be careful with those petards, y'all. Petards be hoistin' -- better leave 'em be.
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Being an assassin is not for everyone. You must be rigid about routines. You must close the door on trust. You must grasp any and all advantages. You must be blind to everything except the mission. Above all, "forbid empathy. Empathy is weakness. Weakness is vulnerability." Weakness is certain death.
Being an assassin is a lonely and purposefully solitary life. It has to be...but what if love refuses to be silenced?
The Killer is perfect in record: for every job hired a job completed. Although the end result is a fresh corpse, the Killer remains distant from the destruction, able to hyperfocus then walk away. A job is a job -- no more, no less.
After a painfully long stakeout, one that seemed destined to be deserted, the target was in view. Slow the heart rate -- steady the hand -- pull the trigger. Like 100 times before. A perfect sho...oops! The shot was missed! Well, this is new.
In a controlled panic, the Killer flees the botched assassination. He dumps, removes, cleans -- he is methodical in his disappearance. What are the repercussions for a failed mission? Can't think about that now -- must go home. Flight after flight, fake identity after fake identity, long car rides and jungle trekking lead him to his beloved. Killers aren't supposed to have beloveds...he wasn't looking for this one...it just sorta found him.
Pull up to see carnage. Enter to see blood. The Killer must ensure that this never happens again. Who did it? Who told them to do it? Who approved it?
I hate to say it but...those darn petards are always hoisting. Keep yours in check.
My anticipation for "The Killer" was astronomical. David Fincher is my favorite director, having classic after classic in his filmography, not to mention it has been nine years since his last film in the thriller genre. His reputation for precision is my spirit animal -- his movies are so crisp and clear. Every decision is pained over until perfected.
"The Killer" is a wonderful addition to his inventory, but it is far from his best. Where it excels is direction, but what it lacks is depth. It being based on a comic lends an interesting feel and pace, but the writing doesn't guide us anywhere but forward -- never deeper. Although heavy on voiceover monologue, it has some wonderful playfulness and power.
The original music by Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross is, as always, superb. They consistently create music so rich and so vibrant -- their scores are unparalleled! The soundtrack is also notable: The use of the Smiths is inspired and surprising.
The cinematography by Erik Messerschmidt is measured and beautiful. The editing by Kirk Baxter is purposeful. The production design by Donald Graham Burt has some moments of stunning simplicity and elegant imagination.
Michael Fassbender is magnificent as the Killer. He is strong yet sensitive, careful yet unpredictable. His voice is as soothing as it is alarming. Fassbender's casting was a great choice -- he carries a trait that is hard to define but easy to spot ... let's call it truthfulness. He disappears into roles and evaporates into characters.
Is it top-shelf Fincher? Nah. Is it still a thrilling adventure, one that races your heart and leaves you breathless? Sure. Middle-of-the-road Fincher is still better than most. "The Killer" can be streamed on Netflix right now.
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REPORT CARD: The Killer.
Grade: B.
Assessment: Not perfect but full of style and care