When top hitman Joe Flood (Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands – by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Boutella), he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it’s too late.
- Based on The Killer's Game by Jay Bonansinga.
- External Sites(will open in a new window)
Not that long ago, the trailer for The Killer’s Game peaked my interest. An assassin setting up a contract on himself due to a misdiagnosis, and the hijinks that ensue when he tries to get out of it? Sounds like a good action flick to me! So, when it popped up on streaming, I jumped at the chance to watch it. Would it be worth it, or did this action bullet miss its target?
Dave Bautista showed with Guardians of the Galaxy that he had a career beyond wrestling in WWE. Long since retired from the ring, he really showed he could be humorous and not just another muscle man. In The Killer’s Game, he keeps that going, displaying some humor and, of course, solid action skills. He does seem a bit off his game for this one, but he’s still decent enough to make it work.
The rest of the cast is an interesting mix. Ben Kingsley shows he still has the acting chops as he ages, even though some of his choices (like BloodRayne) have been questionable. Sofia Boutella is pretty good too, playing up her affection for the leading man in a way that feels somewhat genuine. Bautista gets a little help from current WWE wrestler Drew McIntyre in a rather hilarious subtitled segment, and gets to go up against his GOTG love interest in Pom Klementieff, making the whole film feel a bit tongue-in-cheek.
That feeling persists throughout the whole of The Killer’s Game. While the situation is serious (he is fighting for his life after all), the humor mixed through it is intentional, giving the film a Smokin’ Aces kind of vibe. Everyone knows the whole thing is a bit over-the-top, but decides to have fun with it anyway – and the viewer gets some decent action mixed in with a bit of dark comedy.
The action sequences are pretty good in The Killer’s Game. They don’t really stand out, and there isn’t much that’s really shocking (aside from a kick to stop a motorcycle and some interesting blades), but they are entertaining anyway. They provide enough of a difference to make them fun, but not enough to make them really memorable.
If you’re looking for a serious action thriller, The Killer’s Game probably isn’t for you. If you’re looking for a dark comedy that mixes a bit of Joe Versus the Volcano with the kooky brutality of Smokin’ Aces, this one should satisfy. While the brutality is neither more than you’ve seen and only different enough to be fun, the humor really is what makes this film worthwhile.
