Is The Killer Based On A True Story?

David Fincher is back in full force with "The Killer," a project that truly captures his obsession with morality, consumerism, and cynicism. Starring Michael Fassbender in the titular role, the film follows a hitman whose life goes in a speculatory chaotic direction after a career-changing hit. Extremely realistic and methodical in its depiction of the world of contract killing, it's easy to think that "The Killer" is based on a true story because of how grounded it is. However, Fincher's latest isn't based on the real-life exploits of a career hitman. Instead, the picture is based on the graphic novel series of the same name. 

Written by Alexis Nolent and illustrated by Luc Jacamon, the first issue of "The Killer" debuted in 1998. "The Killer" wrapped up its run in 2014. The entire saga can now be read in whole with "The Complete The Killer,"  which includes every issue packaged together. 

Per Rolling Stone, David Fincher first became interested in the comics in 2007 — the same year he brought "Zodiac" to the big screen. The rights were quickly scooped up and a draft manifested, but work on "The Curious Case of Benjamin Button" got in the way of development. 

In 2015, fresh off the heels of the Oscar-nominated "Gone Girl," comic writer Alexis Nolent followed up with Fincher, curious to know if the director would want to revisit the idea of an adaptation. Fincher obliged, asking Nolent to cook up a draft. "I asked him to do a pass at it, partially because I wanted to understand what he was going for with the graphic novels," Fincher told Rolling Stone. Afterward, Nolent's version of the script went to Andrew Walker, Fincher's "Seven" writer. Walker wasn't interested in that version and wanted to dig deeper into the comics and some of his own personal interests. "So I went back to the comics, I read Camus' 'The Stranger,' I looked at some research on Nietzsche from when I'd done a polish on 'Fight Club,'" the screenwriter told the outlet. 

While "The Killer" adaptation does take creative liberties from the source material, it still features a nihilistic monologue-heavy protagonist and extremely practical setpieces, which is probably why some think it's a true crime story brought to life. While speaking at the Venice Film Festival (via Variety), Fincher discussed how he hopes the project terrifies its audience, saying "My hope is that someone will see this film and get very nervous about the person behind them in line at Home Depot." 

Those who do sit down to watch "The Killer" shouldn't feel guilty for thinking the film is based on a true story. The flick is extremely realistic in how it depicts the behind-the-scenes happenings of hitmen and feels grounded in its mundane portrayal of the cruel job. So much of the film takes place in the protagonist's head, with a monologue constantly reminding audiences of how this is an extremely biased POV of contract killing.

This semblance of realism extends to how the titular Killer goes about his day-to-day, ordering products on Amazon, and ruminating on how his protein-forward diet keeps him grounded. Even the action sequences lack flashy pizzazz and style, focusing instead on sheer brutes and wits. And the titular Killer's mission feels too personal, almost as if it was ripped from an all-too-violent autobiography. Compared to other hitman flicks, "The Killer" stands out because of how genuine and honest it feels. 

Released on Netflix to critical acclaim, "The Killer" is maybe Fincher's most candid film. Looper critic Dominic Griffin was absolutely enthralled with the revenge thriller, describing it as a "slickly shot, brilliantly acted, and cleverly written little B-movie" that doubles down on the thematic aesthetics of "Fight Club." Over on Rotten Tomatoes, the picture is a clear winner, boasting a Fresh score of 86%, signaling a positive reception from verified critics. Audiences, however, were more mixed on Michael Fassbender's latest — "The Killer" has a verified audience score of 62%. 

"The Killer" is streaming on Netflix.