The Killer’s Game: A Cookie Cutter Action Comedy [REVIEW]

“The Killer’s Game” from Lionsgate is now playing in theaters everywhere. It stars Dave Bautista who is one of the few wrestling superstars who have been able to successfully transition to Hollywood and doesn’t ever have to look back. This is thanks to the springboard effect that the Marvel Studios’ “Guardians of the Galaxy” franchise had on his career when he played Drax. He later also added titles like “Knock on the Cabin”, “Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery”, and both the “Dune” and “My Spy” franchises. Now he stars in the new action comedy “The Killers Game” as a hired killer with a little problem. So how was it?

ABOUT “THE KILLER’S GAME”

In the film, Bautista plays a seasoned hired assassin named Joe Flood. Who despite killing people for a living has a “moral code” where he only takes jobs to kill those who in his opinion truly deserve it. During one of his assignments, he meets a girl named Maize, played by Sofia Boutella. They form a relationship that inspires him to want to retire from his job.

There is just one problem, Joe is suffering from bad headaches that turn out to be an incurable disease. His doctor tells him he only has about three months to live. So to make sure Maize gets his life insurance and goes out on his terms he turns to an assassin handler named Marianna played by Pom Klementieff. Due to some history together, she gladly puts out the hit.

But as fate would have it, just as the contract is about to go live he learns that the doctor’s office had mixed up his charts with another patient and he is not going to die, well not yet at least. When Joe tries to call off the contract Marianna refuses and brings in even more assassins to kill Joe. Now he must take out these trained killers one by one as they try and claim the bounty.

WHAT WORKS

“The Killer’s Game” has a basic plot that we have seen in other action films. Which in my case made it easy to sit back and enjoy the action knowing that there wasn’t going to be much substance. Especially with a director like J.J. Perry who has worked doing stunts in many films. It was fun to see the creative assassins that are assigned to kill Joe. Each of them with a specific theme. Like Emilio “El Botas” for example, who is played by Marko Zaror, listens to Flamingo music while killing his victims with the spurs on his boots. Bautista does a decent job at bringing Joe to life and maintaining a sense of urgency throughout his journey to stay alive.

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WHAT DOESN’T WORK

While Bautista does his best to make “The Killer’s Game” work, the rest of the cast feels like they are just there for the check. It felt like they were there for the sake of someone having to fill a spot, instead of a well-thought-out casting process. My other issue was with some of the camera movements throughout the fight scenes as well as cuts that were distracting. Another aspect that took me out of it was the CG blood which looked completely out of place.

OVERALL THOUGHTS ON THE KILLER’S GAME

“The Killer’s Game” feels more like a straight-to-streaming film rather than something I need to watch on the big screen. The lack of compelling storytelling at one point just makes the film feel like it’s dragging and the credits can’t roll quickly enough. It’s bad news for Lionsgate who is coming up short in 2024 with the theatrical releases.

“THE KILLER’S GAME” OVERALL GRADE: C