The Killer Review: John Woo's Gun-Filled Melodrama Remains a Blood-Soaked Classic
The director's 1989 Hong Kong action touchstone is a wild melding of maximalist violence and surreal sentimentality, with an added harmonica for good measure. John Woo's thriller serves as a potent reminder of his unique habit of hitching the craziest of mayhem to a mile-wide streak of earnest emotionalism and sentimentality. This strong and often under-acknowledged part of his filmmaking is precisely why his movies are so addictive and enduring.
A Story of Redemption and Violence
In The Killer, Woo somehow becomes the Douglas Sirk of Hong Kong action cinema, crafting a gonzo melodrama that borrows themes from Magnificent Obsession. That film, which Sirk remade from a 1935 John Stahl original, explores redemption, and Woo adapts this into a tale about an assassin seeking atonement. Chow Yun-fat stars as Ah Jong, a hired killer who, during a nightclub hit, accidentally blinds a singer named Jennie, played by Sally Yeh, by firing too close to her eyes.
Stricken with guilt, Ah Jong becomes obsessed with Jennie, frequenting the club where she continues to sing as a somewhat morbid and poignant celebrity. He talks to her after shows without revealing his identity, naturally, and plans one last job to earn enough for her eye operation. This final assignment involves assassinating a bigwig at a Hong Kong carnival, resulting in a spectacular set piece that showcases Woo's influence on filmmakers like Quentin Tarantino and Robert Rodriguez, and even the recent TV version of The Day of the Jackal.
Chaos and Comedy in a Violent World
However, by taking time to help a terrified and injured little girl in the hit's aftermath, Ah Jong infuriates his Triad paymaster, who believes the job has been compromised and refuses payment. Meanwhile, tough cop Li Ying, portrayed by Danny Lee, is on Ah Jong's trail. Li is already in trouble for inadvertently causing a civilian to die of a heart attack by firing his gun on a crowded tram, an accident analogous to Ah Jong's own disaster. As the story unfolds, Li comes to sympathize with the assassin, adding a layer of moral complexity.
The film features chaotic shootouts and bizarre stretches of comedy, such as when blind Jennie finds herself in her apartment during a classic Woo two-gun standoff between Ah Jong and Li. The men must pretend to be pals to avoid scaring her, creating a tense and oddly humorous moment. A gruesome related scene might remind viewers of an exchange from Woody Allen's Broadway Danny Rose, highlighting the film's blend of dark humor and violence. Ah Jong also periodically plays a mournful harmonica, evoking a cowboy-like aura that adds to the surreal tone.
The Killer is quite a spectacle and, incidentally, much more pessimistic than the works of Douglas Sirk. It explores themes of guilt, redemption, and the blurred lines between good and evil in a violent world. The film returns to UK cinemas from 20 March, offering audiences a chance to revisit this influential classic.
