J. J. Perry, a director and a former stunt coordinator, knows how to create the desired vision for a B-Movie feature. Starting with his second film, The Killer’s Game, he emphasizes the basic elements of this genre. He’s aware of how this film’s stunts and fights with people in it are based on the previous two installments of John Wick in which he took part. The stakes for fighting henchmen aka assassins are body count and Perry sure knows what jokes he wants in a movie, playing on the audience’s expectations. This is probably one of the only B movies in my lifetime where I felt glad sitting through it. However, it’s still a tad more than dismal.
The issue is pretty noticeable right off the bat, lead actor Dave Bautista has tried his hand at some serious acting in the past, but let’s be honest he is not suited for it. He seems to be drawing upon the style of Steven Seagal here, who I thought looked great in fights, but it always came across as if he was wearing a performance of a plank of wood-bad acting! It would have been far better if they were to have fewer “drama” scenes than to have too many of them that needed a reasonable, talented actor to take on. There is also very little sexual chemistry between Bautista and his co-star/love interest Sofia Boutella, but the awkwardness of their romantic scenes is not so bad as to be enjoyable on a camp level. Simply put, it’s just pathetic.
The movie begins with Joe Flood (Bautista) who is said to be among the best and most active assassins in the world, but he only picks up contracts of killing ‘bad guys’ who are determined based on the orders given by his handler Zvi, played by Ben Kingsley. But Joe has a medical condition because of which his life is in jeopardy. He has been reported with excruciating pain in his head and started having episodes of double vision which are symptoms of a severe degenerative brain disease that will render him completely blind, bedridden, and physically disabled. As someone who does not want to die in shackles of brutality, and cold, Joe decides to abandon the kill list in the hope of redeeming himself. While doing this he is worried about how his loved ones, his newly found girlfriend who is a ballet dancer Maize, who is likely to receive a payout from the life insurance policy, will react but for the time being, rather than worrying about her, he decides to go after his own life. Slang out most definitions, he expresses his desire through a woman by the name of Marianna (Pom Klementieff ), who happens to enjoy revenge against Joe, provides her best teams out of pursue.
This is the moment when Joe is filled with delight. A doctor gets a hold of him on the phone. Apparently he isn’t on the brink of death. It seems there was an error. Blood samples were found to be misplaced. Now Joe finds himself in hot waters as Marianna refuses to back out from the contract. In fact, her offering gets worse and worse, betting with other bidders. So, to even change the odds, Joe has to eliminate all potential threats a whole K-Pop gang, two bike gangs, highlander twin brothers with disturbing subtitles showing their broken english, a couple of feminists going to parties by the name of “Party Girls”, a foreign dancer and gun shelters and to top it all of an old solider who is seeking to head out with a final paycheque Terry Crews.
Even though Bautista, who has been described as a “poor man’s dwayne johnson” in some circles due to their common wrestling past, is pitched as the one whom the film is supposed to advertise, he is just the second most known person in the cast. That accolade goes to Ben Kingsley, who clearly has a penchant for these sorts of b-grade roles which do not require much effort yet pay quite well. He doesn’t quite mail it in but he isn’t entirely present either. He is rather easily eclipsed by the radiant performance of Alex Kingston who plays Zvi’s wife with a more than attention seeking attitude. Also appearing is Bautista’s Guardians of the Galaxy co-star, Pom Klementieff, but their reunion is limited to a single scene early on. Terry Crews is used sparingly.
The first half hour of the film is tough to sit through all the exposition and violence-less scenes really don’t make a good impression, and the acting was strained to implementation. But then all is quite different. While the fights do not have the Pedro Pascal of John Wick, they do manage to energize the atmosphere and the fight goes on. The humor is uneven. It would be better if they cut out the nonsense about the rapper sidekick and the priest’s apathetic outlook, yet some angles of dark humor are good enough to get a Quentin Tarantino approval. As for the last kill… it is absolutely incredible and incredibly short!
The most interesting aspect of The Killer’s Game is perhaps the decision by Lionsgate to have it released theatrically. I do not think that this is the type of movie that would draw large crowds to the cinemas. It resembles an over-the-top ungainly screamer, best suited for the small screen. Rather Mickey mouse level execution of the action, the non story line and slow pace in the beginning could be easily enjoyed in the comfort of one’s sofa. I am sure that many who rent the film are very likely to complete the watch, however, it would be highly difficult for anyone to go through all the trouble of searching for the title for the faint prize at the end of the tunnel.
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