Recent David Fincher Flop Could Become Cult Classic Like Fight Club
Some cult classics actually were the biggest flops upon their release. David Fincher's latest Netflix thriller might just be one of them.
David Fincher's brilliance as a director has never been up for debate. His meticulous attention to detail and uncompromising vision have given us gems like Se7en (1995), Gone Girl (2014) and the iconic Fight Club (1999).
The recent announcement of his collaboration with Quentin Tarantino on the Once Upon A Time In Hollywood sequel just feels right. But it'll be some time before the movie comes out. And before that, we all need something to chew on.
That's why today I want to talk to you about the recent Fincher's masterpiece hiding in plain sight. A film that, despite failing to attract a broader audience, carries all the hints of a future cult classic.
The Killer (2023) Is a Misunderstood Slow-Burner
If you haven't caught The Killer on Netflix yet, you're missing out on one of Michael Fassbender's coolest performances since Inglourious Basterds (2009). He plays this methodical assassin who's perfected the art of waiting (yeah, that's a thing). But when a job goes sideways, his whole carefully constructed world starts crumbling down.
Fincher takes his sweet time building tension as usual. There's no rushing, no flashy action sequences every five minutes. Instead, we get this slow-burn thriller that focuses more on the details.
The Killer got that same DNA of Zodiac and Gone Girl. Every frame is calculated, every movement has meaning. Fassbender's character barely talks, but when he does, it's important.
The Killer Has Very High Potential to Become the Next Fight Club
The Killer only received a limited theatrical release and I think it deserved a much bigger stage.
This whole ordeal reminds me of Fight Club. Not through its limited release (Fight Club had your normal theatrical one) but through how both films are completely misunderstood at first. Just like Fight Club was initially seen as just another violent movie, The Killer is being written off as a “boring” thriller somehow.
Sure, it might take some time. Fight Club didn't become a phenomenon overnight either. But give it a few years and I wouldn't be surprised if The Killer develops the same kind of devoted following.
People will start picking up on all these little details and subtle choices that Fincher sneaked in there. But if you don't want to wait another decade or two, you can watch and appreciate The Killer right now on Netflix. This one really deserves some love.
