The murderously boring Killers firmly belongs in the dregs of the ever increasing number of rom-com-action movies.
That the sub-sub-genre was already marking on a low grade makes Killers that much worse of a film.
In all facets it fails. There is no thrill to its action, no amusement in its comedy, and not an iota of passion in its romance. Plot wise there is a concept, capped off with a befuddling twist, yet nothing in between that can be taken as even mildly entertaining.
All that it has left to lean on is the appeal of its two leads, the bountiful Katherine Heigl and athletic Ashton Kutcher.
They play Jen & Spencer, a recently married couple content with their upper/middle class lives. That changes when Spencer’s secret past as an assassin for the CIA comes back to wreak havoc on their suburban existence, with a cascade of hitmen come-a-calling for Spencer’s head, with a lofty award awaiting for whoever claims it.
Trying to accept Kutcher as a suave assassin is not easy. Sure, he can bust out the kung fu and looks good with his shirt off, yet that doesn’t make him an action hero.
Heigl, on the other hand, is a rom-com veteran, yet here she is annoying rather than endearing.
As a pair, Kuthcer and Heigl are possibly the most boring couple to disgrace the silver screen. The lack of “pop” in their coupling will force viewers to look elsewhere, but find no solace.
Tom Selleck co-stars as Heigl’s dad, but he is out acted by his moustache. Catherine O’Hara features as his wife, yet her character hits the bottle with a ferocity that out does the punches thrown in its fight scenes, and makes us want to get a little tipsy too.
Just where should the blame be placed? Is it the casting? The screenplay?
How about director Robert Luketic? Many point to Uwe Boll as the worst modern filmmaker working, but surely Luketic has to take the prize. From his first feature film (Legally Blonde), not only has he shown an uncanny ability to make bad movies, but boring ones as well.
Killers could have gone somewhere, done something, delivered on its promise of action, sex, laughs and drama.
Instead, it does the opposite. Should have been re-titled "Dead Film Walking". |