Today’s quick review: Killers. While on vacation in France with her humdrum parents (Tom Selleck and Catherine O’Hara), Jen Kornfeldt (Katherine Heigl) falls in love with Spencer (Ashton Kutcher), a handsome stranger who’s secretly a government assassin. Spencer returns her feelings and hangs up his gun for a life of domestic bliss—until three years later, when a brush with an old associate (Martin Mull) puts Spencer and Jen in the crosshairs.
Killers is a romantic action comedy about an assassin who settles down with the woman he loves. Killers draws most of its humor from the contrast between Jen and Spencer’s mundane suburban life and the violence of Spencer’s old career. The movie aims to be a fun romp that emphasizes the banter between its leads, the colorful friends and family that surround them, and the offbeat nature of their relationship. However, its execution leaves much to be desired.
Killers has a promising setup, but it’s burdened with a host of problems. The biggest one is the movie’s leads. Katherine Heigl and Ashton Kutcher have only a fraction of the chemistry they need to carry the movie. Jen comes across as awkward and insecure, while Spencer splits the difference between long-suffering and sarcastic. The two have a few good moments together, but their relationship as a whole feels forced and even a little bitter.
Other parts of the movie have problems as well. The plot is oddly structured, with a long introduction, a late start to the action, and no clear finale to build to. The logic of the story hangs together poorly, beginning with Jen and Spencer’s relationship and continuing to the final twist. Killers’ subtlest issue is its sense of humor. Many of the jokes work well on paper, but the movie delivers them by rote, never working them into a cohesive style.
In spite of its many faults, Killers is a passable pick for anyone in the mood for something light and modestly amusing. The comedy is inconsistent but occasionally hits the mark, and the premise has genuine potential. But the combination of poorly matched leads, mediocre humor, and a lackluster plot leaves Killers outclassed by the other movies that play in a similar space. Most viewers would be better off looking elsewhere.
For a more charming movie with a similar premise, try Knight and Day, Mr. and Mrs. Smith, or RED. For a quirkier take on a similar romantic pairing, try Mr. Right. For another comedy about an assassin who’s weary of his job, try The Matador. For a black comedy with a similar tone and sharper writing, try Grosse Pointe Blank.
5.4 out of 10 on IMDB. I give it a 6.0 for a fun setup whose execution largely falls flat.