The Kill List. (Spoilers!!!!)

[Audley Strange]

I really wanted to see this movie at the flicks but it had about one showing, on a Wednesday night at 11.40. and I couldn't make it, so I bought it on DVD.

It's worth a review this one.

Essentially a movie about a Hitman troubled by his past who has to take another job after being pressured by his wife and friend because the money's good. However jumps from kitchen sink drama to thriller to outright horror as he finds that the people he works for are not at all what they seemed. Its a brutal movie, and not just for the violence. Neil Maskell and MyAnna Buring's crumbling relationship, their sniping and explosive arguments are equally as unpleasant to watch as some of the gore. It's also a funny movie, not a comedy though, just a movie where the characters have a sense of humour. That additional dialogue was added by the cast give the Kill List a level of authenticity which works well with the grim oppressiveness of many of the locations and a creepy but subtle soundtrack so that the jarring cuts between genres seem almost natural, they carry your suspension of disbelief rather than challenge it.

Its a good one, but it leaves a lot of questions unanswered, so if you like your horror fiction in neat packages, with explanations, you may well be disappointed.

8/10

Now that that's out of the way. From here on in I'm going to discuss the movie for those who have seen it. Consider from this point onward a spoiler zone.

It amuses me that the standard critic point of reference for this movie has been The Wicker Man. Because it's not that. Not at all. There is a passing similarity in that there is a cult manipulating a man until its horrendous climax, but for me the film was more akin to Apocalypse Now (and Conrad's Heart of Darkness). In both a man, seriously damaged by the violence he has committed and endured is called back to do another job, meets a cast of increasingly vile and amoral characters until he discovers the truth of what we are behind the glamour of civilisation.

Granted, Kill List is set in Urban England and uses the nation's floundering economy as the catalyst rather than the ivory trade or the Vietnam war, but the heart of it is the same. In saying that the setting of it as a contemporary piece allows it to exhibit a satirical view of our current times.

Consider. Fiona, Gal's girlfriend describes herself as working in Human Resources for which she is instantly maligned as a "hatchetperson" and someone who delights in ruining families. Which is obviously more true than any of the characters realise at the time. Though she describes her position differently, it is still pertinent, she's just there to find out who's good for the job and to cut extraneous expenses. She even goes on to glumly describe that the current Recession as much much worse than the one in the 30's, that there is going to be drastic changes. This leads Jay (Maskell) to compare her to the Nazis. Which might not be as far fetched a comparison, given what comes later.

Also consider that Jay's wife is pressurising him into going back to work as a killer because they can no longer afford to live in the style they are accustomed to. The deaths of others are of little consequence as long as they have the Jacuzzi working.

And then we have "The Client". This cocksure bastard treats them with no respect whatsoever. He's clearly a man of power and his contempt for his employees is obvious, even to calling them "cogs" and more ominously, especially with reference to Fiona's discussion about her job, tells them they are involved in "reconstruction."

Thus since the Client and Fiona are clearly high up in the cult that is manipulating Jay into his new position, it is him that is being groomed by them as the Hatchetman for whatever dark plans they intend to undertake outside the frame of the movie.

The priest, the Librarian and the others are all surplus to business needs and in the end so are Jay's friend Gal and his wife and Child.

Make no mistake though. This isn't Jay the Victim, this is Jay finally being released from the social constraints that have tied him to mundane reality, this is the murder of wife and child as a literal sacrifice, to cut the final ties that bound him to a world he resented. Jay was and is an appalling monster and that is why the Weird Death Cult crown him and why his victims thank him.

At least that's my interp.

Also, there is a scene at the beginning with Jay and his wife and son fighting with plastic swords which is almost identical to the scene where Jay kills both of them at the end. 'Chelle even laughs in both.

I'm sure there is lots more.

[FBM]

I saw this film several nights ago. I recommended it somewhere in one of these 'good movie' threads. Your interpretation is deeper than mine, but I like it. It was a dark and thought-provoking film, no doubt. Would watch again.

[Animavore]

I was a bit pissed off I knew that was his wife and son at the end because some arsehole wrote it in the comments on the YouTube trailer. Though after seeing A Serbian Film I probably would've copped it anyway. It was a similar (though less gruesome) reveal.
Interesting analysis. I didn't think of it along the lines of Apocaylpse Now.

[Xamonas Chegwé]

I saw this the other day too - an interesting take on it, Audley. I didn't spot the play swordfight's symmetry with the ending but it should have been obvious.

I really liked the cinematography throughout as well - the rapid changes between multiple shots of the same scene and instant cuts to "a few minutes later" (such as between the arguments and the subsequent make ups) really worked well in driving the pace along.

It was definitely a film I would like to have seen without knowing anything about it - even the vague allusions to The Wicker Man gave a little too much away for me. At least I was luckier than Ani with spoilers!

[Animavore]

I notice a lot of other people on IMdB comparing the ending to A Serbian Film, some even calling it a "rip-off". It was the first thing that came to my head when I saw the reveal, especially in the way it was done, but I don't think the reasons in this are the same.

Oh wait! You have all seen A Serbian Film?

[FBM]

No.

[Animavore]

Please do


I notice loads of people complained about the end once it turns out to be a cult. I mean could they not see it coming? There were signs every where.

[FBM]

[Animavore]

By the way, that scene with the Christians! C'mon, we've all thought about it!

[FBM]

Well...

[Animavore]

Even Mark Kermode compares to A Serbian Film

[Audley Strange]

I avoided A Serbian Film, but I'm well aware of it.

As for the Christian bit. There are a few hints in Kill List, that being the most prominent one, that Jay and Chelle are outside the flock. Early on Gal asks to say grace, Chelle tells him "not in my house" and Fiona looks shocked and bewildered by this.

Jay grins when he offs the priest, but Gal isn't happy even crossing himself next to the priests frock. I'm thinking it was this weakness that left him surplus to requirements and knowing that Fiona moved in to keep an eye on Chelle.

I wouldn't be surprised if the cat was her offering to Jay, in much the same way the rabbit was the cats gift.

edited to add.

Another symmetry I forgot to mention is the fight that Jay and Gal have after the dinner party, is repeated before they go to do the last job.

Then the doctor telling him there is only this moment and that he's fine... makes me wonder if the initiation is real or hallucinated, or if his memory of his life is somehow false and that those moments reflected are some kind of projection over the last few moments, which are always happening.

I'm sure someone who digs the occult and ritual geewhiggery will know what I'm getting at, I'm not sure I'm explaining it properly, or if I'm talking out my arse. Probably the latter.

[Audley Strange]

Something else to support my evidence that this is a movie about the Recession. The ritual they disturb when they go to assassinate the M.P. They hang a young woman "The Bride", her dress is made of bank notes.

Not very subtle that one.

[FBM]

Please do

I'm on it. Be back in about a 110 minutes.

[Animavore]

Please do

I'm on it. Be back in about a 110 minutes.

Right into my trap.

I hope he got the Uncut version :twisted: