The Killer’s Game (4K UHD Blu-ray Review)
When I see or hear about action films about assassins, I feel like they’re either going to go the way of the dark such as something like John Wick or we will get a film in the style of the silliest of Guy Ritchie films. A kindred spirit film to Kill Bill perhaps? I like the subgenre, but there’s always that one or the other feeling. The Killer’s Game is the latest assassin action flick to hit cinemas and now, very quickly, 4K UHD Blu-ray. Another of Lionsgate’s not so successful films of 2024, The Killer’s Game came with no fanfare when it was released to theaters barely 2 months ago. Did the film deserve more than it got? Find out below, and don’t forget to watch out for stalking assassins!
Film:
In the new action-comedy The Killer’s Game, when top hit man 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 hit men 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.
Joe Flood is a killer for hire, working a job in Budapest. As he’s accomplishing his gig, some things go awry and he rescues Maize, a dancer in the ballet his mark is attending. When he finds her phone, he has an excuse to return it to her and does. Not long after their not-so-meet-cute, Joe and Maize begin to see each other. They take trips, they pack on the PDA, and they fall in love. That is until Joe discovers that the migraines he’s been having are a terminal illness. Struggling to accept that this will be his way out and wanting Maize to be financially well after he’s gone, Joe puts a hit out on himself. When Joe’s mentor (Ben Kingsley) refuses to take the job, Joe has to go elsewhere to get what he wants.
When the ruthless Marianna Antoinette (Pom Klementieff) takes Joe’s contract, the assassins come out of the woodwork. There are sets of brothers, one set who kill in tandem and one who are deadly but impossible to understand. There are two sexy stripper assassins too, who personify the idea of “if looks could kill”. Another assassin kills to the beat of his favorite songs in his favorite pair of boots. We also have a lothario type, embodied by Terry Crews himself! Things get really complicated when the assassins find out about Maize, and Joe finds out he’s been misdiagnosed! Then it’s an all-out battle for love and survival.
The Killer’s Game is nothing new at the end of the day. I’d say this is a disappointment, but the well-worn plot of the film is embodied nicely for this new film. There is a feel to the film that invites viewers that are older to have a modern film they can get into. There is also an opportunity for fans of fast-paced action films to get their fix. The film is simple and easy to enjoy, making it something that could be bad or mediocre, but somehow is neither. Dave Bautista has long been an actor to watch, bringing calm and commanding together in a buff package. His depth goes beyond his physique, and you fall for his smile when he decides to show it too. Even in a film with a ridiculous premise such as this one, you can see his Joe Flood as a charming real person. The same can be said for Sofia Boutella, who along with Bautista makes a very nice match. They have good chemistry immediately, and that gives the films rom-com side some warmth.
The assassins all have that Guy Ritchie style. You see their names fly across the screen when they’re introduced and how they murder their marks. Some of it is funny, and some of it is gory, but it’s always interesting. J.J. Perry directs the film with a style that makes the imagery fly from the screen. Doing my nosy research thing, I learned that The Killer’s Game was made for about $30 million. It looks like $130 million. The action is fast, the humor is cheeky and there’s just the right amount of cheesy too. If this is a B-grade film, then so be it. It’s a B-movie I thoroughly enjoyed, and I think if there was more love put into promoting this film, it would’ve had more eyes on it in theaters. Of course, now that its available to watch at home, I sure do hope people see it and enjoy it, much like I did.
Video:
Encoding: HEVC / H.265
Resolution: 4K (2160p)
Aspect Ratio: 2.00:1
Layers: BD-100
HDR: Dolby Vision
Clarity/Detail: Without fail, Lionsgate has produced a stunning 4K image on disc for The Killer’s Game. Clarity is exacting and since the film is new it looks new. This is the kind of image we look for as 4K collectors, with excellent stability, gorgeous colors and a crisp look overall.
Depth: The focus of individual shots is pristine, with foregrounds and backgrounds looking neat and clean with zero softness.
Black Levels: Blacks are of the deep variety. There is no evidence of crush during the film.
Color Reproduction: Colors are bright and beautiful. There is an air of candy-coated color throughout that is really nice to look at.
Flesh Tones: Skin tones are excellent also, with some of the makeup effects looking pretty natural as well.
Noise/Artifacts: Clean
Audio:
Audio Format(s): English Dolby Atmos, Spanish Dolby Digital 5.1
Subtitles: English SDH, Spanish
Dynamics: Modern look, modern sound. Busy surround speakers, some fun height channel moments and deep bass come into play during the film. Don’t expect anything to fall flat with this Atmos mix!
Height: Above the listener, you hear sounds of music, whizzing bullets, sounds of fights and of course, cars and trucks aplenty!
Low-Frequency Extension: Bass is reserved for music, gun and explosive blasts and rumbling engines.
Surround Sound Presentation: Surrounds are busy with music cues, echoes and ambiance. There is consistent activity in scenes with multiple characters or in busy venues, so you’re placed right in the middle of everything.
Dialogue Reproduction: Clear and perfectly intelligible!
Extras:
Extras are scant for The Killer’s Game, no surprise there… The release comes with a slipcover, bundled Blu-ray and digital code. There is also a Steelbook option available!
Special Features:
Meet Joe Flood – A feature about the main character.
The Conductor – A piece about the film’s director J.J. Penny.
World of Assassins – All about the many assassins within the film,
Killed It! – Action and stunt sequences are profiled here.
Theatrical Trailer
Summary:
The Killer’s Game is a silly B-movie with a very A-grade look. Dave Bautista, an excellent character actor most of the time, turns in an earnest, capable leading performance in amongst all the silliness. His warm smile and charisma shine through some of the mediocrity here, as does the radiant Sofia Boutella. The film is imperfect, imperceptible and even in a few instances, dumb. On the flipside of that criticism, I also found myself engaged and fully enjoying the film throughout. So, yes, call me dumb, but sometimes a silly flick is worthy of being good for some of us! The A/V side of this release is excellent and worth a look for the curious! If you like a silly action pic, this one is worth a Sunday afternoon.
Order your copy of The Killer’s Game HERE
Order The Killer’s Game Steelbook HERE
Adam Toroni-Byrne
Adam is a lifelong physical media collector. His love of collecting began with a My First Sony radio and his parent's cassette collection. Since the age of 3, Adam has collected music on vinyl, tape and CD and films on VHS, DVD, Blu-ray and UHD Blu-ray. Adam likes to think of himself as the queer voice of Whysoblu. Outside of his work as a writer at Whysoblu, Adam teaches preschool and trains to be a boxer although admittedly, he's not very good.
