Thank goodness for Film4 who are showing a season of British cinema . If it wasn't for them I'd be missing out on some obscure British films that have bypassed the local multiplex . Oh hold on what am I doing thanking them ? There might be a very good reason these Brit flicks aren't getting a wider distribution deal ? Certainly KILL LIST is a case in point
I knew absolutely nothing about this film before seeing it . Not a single thing and not wanting to spoil any surprises for myself stayed away from this website and the wikipedia in case it spoiled any surprises and I'm glad I did because the ending for KILL LIST both makes or breaks the film and I mean this in a very cynical way
Jay and Gal are a couple of former soldiers and Gal offers Jay some work under the guise of freelance work . As it transpires the work is composed of contract killings of people who are revealed to be producers of child pornography
It's at this point Jay proclaims he'd happily kill these nonces free of charge and who can blame him . It's also at this point the audience think they know where the film might be heading though they might be confused as to why the victims of this paid vigilantism thank their executioners as they're battered with hammers and have cigarettes stubbed out on their bare flesh
Make no mistake this is graphic extreme cinema shot in that confused " neo-realist style " By this I mean the sound mix is off , the camera work is shaky and the music is composed of rhythmically amorphous muzak that is disconcerting and the editing is jarring . In many ways it's anti-realist and you see the same sort of directorial technique such as Shane Meadows DEAD MANS SHOES and I thought that's the type of film I was watching . I was wrong
You see what happens at the end Jay and Gal go to assassinate their last target the local MP who is having a human sacrifice in a field ( Stop laughing up the back ) and find themselves fleeing for their lives as the cultists follow them wailing like banshees . These cultists have no fear of death as they catch up and kill Gal . They then proceed to surround Jay's house like a naked version ASSUALT ON PRECINT 13
" But Theo wouldn't someone have the decency to phone the police and have the cultists arrested for if not murder then at least streaking ? "
Look don't ask so many silly questions I didn't write the screenplay I'm only a mere audience member but from what I could gather the police , the local MP all of Jay's neighbours and everyone he knows including the bloke who gave him the original contract are all members of this cult . The thinking behind this cult is never ever explained and the fact that it's completely leftfield seems to be a completely brazen and cynical attempt to make KILL LIST something more than a mere vigilante drama featuring torture porn as a selling point
It's this ending that makes or breaks the film . I do notice a lot of people on this page enjoyed it and have to confess I sat with my jaw on the floor as to the ending , but this isn't necessarily a good thing . Ask yourself this - how well would this film be remembered if it wasn't for the ending featuring the death worshipers . Likewise ask yourself how a conspiracy like this could exist in real life ? I know people will draw parallels with what's going on at the BBC and politicians allegedly visiting children's homes for the most depraved reasons but people having human sacrifices led by the local MP in public fields is something different entirely
I knew absolutely nothing about this film before seeing it . Not a single thing and not wanting to spoil any surprises for myself stayed away from this website and the wikipedia in case it spoiled any surprises and I'm glad I did because the ending for KILL LIST both makes or breaks the film and I mean this in a very cynical way
Jay and Gal are a couple of former soldiers and Gal offers Jay some work under the guise of freelance work . As it transpires the work is composed of contract killings of people who are revealed to be producers of child pornography
It's at this point Jay proclaims he'd happily kill these nonces free of charge and who can blame him . It's also at this point the audience think they know where the film might be heading though they might be confused as to why the victims of this paid vigilantism thank their executioners as they're battered with hammers and have cigarettes stubbed out on their bare flesh
Make no mistake this is graphic extreme cinema shot in that confused " neo-realist style " By this I mean the sound mix is off , the camera work is shaky and the music is composed of rhythmically amorphous muzak that is disconcerting and the editing is jarring . In many ways it's anti-realist and you see the same sort of directorial technique such as Shane Meadows DEAD MANS SHOES and I thought that's the type of film I was watching . I was wrong
You see what happens at the end Jay and Gal go to assassinate their last target the local MP who is having a human sacrifice in a field ( Stop laughing up the back ) and find themselves fleeing for their lives as the cultists follow them wailing like banshees . These cultists have no fear of death as they catch up and kill Gal . They then proceed to surround Jay's house like a naked version ASSUALT ON PRECINT 13
" But Theo wouldn't someone have the decency to phone the police and have the cultists arrested for if not murder then at least streaking ? "
Look don't ask so many silly questions I didn't write the screenplay I'm only a mere audience member but from what I could gather the police , the local MP all of Jay's neighbours and everyone he knows including the bloke who gave him the original contract are all members of this cult . The thinking behind this cult is never ever explained and the fact that it's completely leftfield seems to be a completely brazen and cynical attempt to make KILL LIST something more than a mere vigilante drama featuring torture porn as a selling point
It's this ending that makes or breaks the film . I do notice a lot of people on this page enjoyed it and have to confess I sat with my jaw on the floor as to the ending , but this isn't necessarily a good thing . Ask yourself this - how well would this film be remembered if it wasn't for the ending featuring the death worshipers . Likewise ask yourself how a conspiracy like this could exist in real life ? I know people will draw parallels with what's going on at the BBC and politicians allegedly visiting children's homes for the most depraved reasons but people having human sacrifices led by the local MP in public fields is something different entirely