Michael Fassbender Addresses Whether The Killer Is Any Good At His Job (Or Is Just Lying)

Michael Fassbender has opened up about whether the titular assassin in Netflix’s The Killer is truly good at his job, or if he’s lying throughout the movie. The film features many voiceover narrations from Fassbender’s protagonist, many of which highlight how good he believes he is at his job. However, numerous decisions he makes throughout his quest for revenge end up putting him in detrimental situations.

Speaking with Josh Horowitz on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, Fassbender addressed whether The Killer‘s narration revealing his belief in his skills is true, or if he’s lying about how good he is.

Starting at 16:26, the actor said he believes the Killer is good at his job, given how much money he’s made and his age, indicating how long he’s been doing this successfully. However, he also explained the film was an “unraveling” for the character late in his career. Check out what Fassbender had to say below:

Well I think that’s kind of what’s happening there. You’re seeing the unraveling of this person and their process. And I think he is good at what he does, because obviously we see the fruits of his labor. He had made a significant amount of money, so one would imagine he’s been doing it for a while, since university and dropping out of that first career choice. And just by his age, one would imagine he’s been doing it, I would say, for 15 or 20 years. And…at this moment in time, perhaps he’s slipped a little bit, and we see cracks and certainly at the end you see the little crack with the twitch…. We meet him at a point where it’s starting, I think, to unravel. I always thought as well, with somebody like he says at the beginning, ‘If you can’t deal with boredom, then this isn’t the job for you.’ That’s the thing, he spends so much time by himself with these thoughts. There’s a chance one would go a little crazy.

Is Michael Fassbender Right About The Killer?

Fassbender’s defense of the Killer’s skill level is reflected by his prior successes, proven through the large, private home he shares with his girlfriend Magdala. To buy that home using the money he made as an assassin, he would need most of his jobs to go smoothly. This is further reflected by what happens when he fails, leading to The Killer‘s six-chapter story as he sets out on a path of vengeance he’s clearly never been on before.

While the protagonist may have been good at his job prior to the film, the mistakes he makes after his botched assassination attempt show his skills can’t stay pristine forever. The movie explores this idea through his path of revenge, which is often messier than he intends it to be. By the time The Killer‘s ending rolls around, it clarifies the film’s intent to explore the consequences of doing a bad job – for both the main character and his targets.

Given Fassbender’s defense of the assassin, it’s clear The Killer is exploring a point in his career where he’s beginning to slip. However, many parts of the film also work to underscore how good at his job he was prior to the events of the movie. This could also mean his latest mistake will be his only one, continuing his career with success after the film ends.