'The Killer's Game' Reviews: "The Killer’s Game will be a blast for anyone who shows up to watch Bautista throw down, but they’re also going to get a glimpse at the rest of his career taking on more diverse roles"

         On September 13, 2024, Lionsgate released 'The Killer's Game', which has received a predominantly negative reception from critics and a score of 28% on Rotten Tomatoes. In the film, "when top hitman Joe Flood (Dave Bautista) is diagnosed with a terminal illness, he decides to take matters into his own hands -- by taking a hit out on himself. But when the very hitmen he hired also target his ex-girlfriend (Sofia Boutella), he must fend off an army of assassin colleagues and win back the love of his life before it's too late." The ensemble cast includes Terry Crews, Scott Adkins, Pom Klementieff, and Ben Kingsley. Read the full review round-up below.

       Aaron Neuwirth of We Live Entertainment notes, "If there’s a commonality shared between most films focused on assassins, butchers, hitmen, and other professional killers, it’s how much they lean into the absurdity. Whether they take a dramatic angle that places you in the mind of a morally flexible contract killer or something more broadly observed antics of a hatchet man, there’s still this pervasive sheen of cool that has no place in reality. And yet, it’s a (basically fictional) career that is continually used in movies because there’s something fun and/or alluring about watching these particular people doing their jobs. The Killer’s Game is not setting out to provide any new perspective on the life of a button man. It does aim to give many excuses to put together a fun cast of actors and notable stunt performers in the same room for a series of comic book-like fights. It’s most certainly a movie leaning on the broad side of the life of an assassin, but it has enough of a fun spirit to make do with how silly it all is despite Dave Bautista once again showing what he’s got as a proven performer."

       Travis Hopson of Punch Drunk Critics says, "The Killer’s Game will be a blast for anyone who shows up to watch Bautista throw down, but they’re also going to get a glimpse at the rest of his career taking on more diverse roles."

       Wilson Chapman of indieWire was less impressed, stating, "Alas, Bautista hasn’t gotten a straightforward rom-com vehicle yet. But, while it’s probably not the type of movie he was thinking of when he made his initial plea to become America’s sweetheart, “The Killer’s Game” comes closer than expected. From stunt choreographer-turned-director J. J. Perry, the R-rated Lionsgate release is a bloody action-comedy that struggles to pair its two separate genres together into a cohesive whole. Interestingly though, it’s at its best not when it’s placing Bautista in guts-and-gore-filled fights, but when it’s letting the actor do his best Hugh Grant impression as a sad sack just looking for love."

Photo by Felix Mooneeram on Unsplash

       Frank Scheck of Hollywood Reporter writes, "Much of the comedy stems from Joe’s loving relationship with his handler Zvi Rabinowitz (a very funny Ben Kingsley, clearly relishing the opportunity to unveil one of his many accents) and Zvi’s exuberant wife (Alex Kingston), who treat Joe like the son they never had. Their barb-filled banter could easily be taking place on a bench in Boca Raton, with Zvi frequently spouting an aphorism about how to leave their profession: “You walk away clean, or you go out on your back.” The picture benefits greatly from its beautiful European locations, especially Budapest, whose opera house is the setting for the elaborate opening action sequence. And the love story improbably works, with Bautista looking like a besotted Shrek when he scoops up the lithe Boutella in his arms and displays the wide smile that makes him look lovable rather than menacing. The actor’s decidedly offbeat screen presence, plus of course his formidable physicality, make him a perfect fit for the character."