Facebook Twitter Instagram
    Latest
    • Thank You
    • 4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)
    • 3999. The Pianist (2002)
    • 3998. Philadelphia (1993)
    • 3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)
    • 3996. The Green Mile (1999)
    • 3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)
    • 3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Home
    • Blog
      • All Posts
      • Best Of The Year
        • Best Of 2015
        • Best Of 2016
        • Best Of 2017
        • Best Of 2018
        • Best Of 2019
        • Best Of 2020
        • Best Of 2021
        • Best Of 2022
      • The Decade In Review
      • Box Office Analysis
      • James Bond
      • Oscars
      • RANKED
      • Star Wars
      • The Big Questions
      • Top 10
      • World Cinema
    • Ratings
      • Top 250
      • Top 100 Foreign Films
      • Bottom 50
      • 0 – 1.9
      • 2 – 3.9
      • 4 – 5.9
      • 6 – 7.9
      • 8 – 10
    • Genres
      • Action
      • Anthology
      • Animation
      • Christmas
      • Comedy
      • Crime
      • Documentary
      • Drama
      • Fantasy
      • Film-Noir
      • History
      • Horror
      • Kids’
      • Musical
      • Psychological
      • Romance
      • Sci-Fi
      • Short
      • Silent
      • Sport
      • Superhero
      • Survival
      • Thriller
      • Western
    • Release Year
      • 2020s
      • 2010s
      • 2000s
      • 1990s
      • 1980s
      • 1970s
      • 1960s
      • 1950s
      • 1940s
      • 1930s
      • 1920s
    • Country
      • Afghanistan
      • Argentina
      • Australia
      • Austria
      • Belgium
      • Brazil
      • Cambodia
      • Canada
      • Chile
      • China
      • Colombia
      • Costa Rica
      • Czechoslovakia
      • Czech Republic
      • Denmark
      • East Timor
      • Faroe Islands
      • Finland
      • France
      • Germany
      • Georgia
      • Greece
      • Hong Kong
      • Hungary
      • Iceland
      • India
      • Indonesia
      • Iran
      • Iraq
      • Ireland
      • Israel
      • Italy
      • Japan
      • Latvia
      • Lebanon
      • Laos
      • Malaysia
      • Mexico
      • New Zealand
      • Nigeria
      • North Korea
      • Norway
      • Paraguay
      • Peru
      • Philippines
      • Poland
      • Romania
      • Russia
      • Saudi Arabia
      • Singapore
      • South Korea
      • South Africa
      • Soviet Union
      • Spain
      • Sweden
      • Switzerland
      • Syria
      • Taiwan
      • Thailand
      • Turkey
      • Uganda
      • United Kingdom
      • United States
      • Uruguay
      • Vietnam
      • Zambia
    • About
    The Mad Movie Man
    You are at:Home»Review»1602. The Killing (1956)

    1602. The Killing (1956)

    0
    By The Mad Movie Man on January 2, 2017 1956, 6 - 7.9, 80-89 mins, Crime, Drama, Jan 17, Movies Of 2017, Review, Thriller, United States
    7.1 Not quite thrilling enough
    • Acting 7.1
    • Directing 7.1
    • Story 7.0
    • User Ratings (0 Votes) 0

    Starring: Sterling Hayden, Coleen Gray, Vince Edwards

    Director: Stanley Kubrick

    Running Time: 85 mins


    The Killing is an American film about a group of criminals who attempt to pull off a daring robbery of a horse racing venue, however the plan hits numerous obstacles along the way.

    Whilst The Killing is a pretty entertaining thriller, it’s not a film that I’ll remember as one of the most exhilarating of all. Unfortunately missing a real intensity and pace for the majority of the runtime, I wasn’t able to really feel fully enthralled by the tightrope walk of pulling off this heist, and although it features some entertaining moments, there’s not much that makes The Killing stand out amongst the crowd for me.

    First off, though, you may have noticed that the film’s director is one Stanley Kubrick. Put simply, this film is nothing like the surreal and chilling epics he’s often best remembered for, and plays out a lot more like a standard thriller. That said, there are some interesting moments in the film that hint towards a darker and more unnerving tone, particularly towards the final fifteen minutes or so.

    As it was released before his first real classic, Paths Of Glory, I think it’s best to have an open mind going into The Killing, not expecting the normal Kubrick affair, because it can feel like a bit of a let down in comparison to some of his most famous works, simply because it’s not all that innovative or intense.

    But then again, that doesn’t mean it’s a badly-directed film at all. In fact, in some of the moments where the stakes are at their highest, Kubrick does well to inject a powerful sense of nervousness and uncertainty surrounding all the characters. Whilst the plan the crooks devise seems impressive, Kubrick does well to paint them as slightly more inefficient criminals, thereby giving them a good deal of vulnerability in the final act.

    One thing about The Killing that starts off quite well, but doesn’t really hold up throughout, is the characterisation. The performances are generally pretty good, and particularly from the story’s most fiery couple, there’s some enjoyment and intrigue to be had from the characters they play. However, whilst the first act sets up a wide array of personalities that could have made for a lot of interesting friction, the conflicts that arise seem forced, and the characters become little more than vehicles to carry out the robbery.

    On the whole, the story isn’t stellar, and apart from that one couple’s individual story arc, the film only really thrills at a few moments. The ending is great, and the first act is pretty entertaining, but as far as a polished, intense and truly exhilarating thriller goes, The Killing just wasn’t the one for me, which is why I’m giving it a 7.1.

    Share. Facebook Twitter Pinterest LinkedIn Tumblr Email
    The Mad Movie Man
    • Website
    • Facebook
    • Twitter

    The Mad Movie Man, AKA Anthony Cullen, writes articles and reviews about movies and the world of cinema. From January 1st, 2013 to December 31st, 2022, he watched and reviewed a movie every day. This is the blog dedicated to the project: www.madmovieman.com

    Related Posts

    8.2

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    Follow Me Online!
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
    • Tumblr
    New Releases
    8.2
    December 25, 2022

    3994. Glass Onion: A Knives Out Mystery (2022)

    5.6
    December 10, 2022

    3969. Falling For Christmas (2022)

    6.9
    December 4, 2022

    3956. The People We Hate At The Wedding (2022)

    5.4
    December 3, 2022

    3954. Disenchanted (2022)

    7.4
    December 3, 2022

    3953. Meet Cute (2022)

    7.6
    November 23, 2022

    3934. Do Revenge (2022)

    7.0
    November 18, 2022

    3929. The Wonder (2022)

    6.7
    November 13, 2022

    3924. See How They Run (2022)

    Recommended Movies
    8.4
    Review
    June 2, 20170

    1775. Welcome To The South (2010)

    8.6
    Review
    October 20, 20160

    1523. Kick-Ass (2010)

    8.1
    Review
    April 22, 20150

    936. The Avengers (2012)

    8.1
    Review
    March 11, 20140

    484. Ted (2012)

    8.2
    Review
    November 13, 20140

    749. Taxi Driver (1976)

    Popular Posts
    December 31, 2022

    Thank You

    8.2
    December 31, 2022

    4000. Scenes From A Marriage (1973)

    7.8
    December 30, 2022

    3999. The Pianist (2002)

    8.2
    December 29, 2022

    3998. Philadelphia (1993)

    7.5
    December 28, 2022

    3997. Jeanne Dielman, 23 Quai du Commerce, 1080 Bruxelles (1975)

    9.1
    December 27, 2022

    3996. The Green Mile (1999)

    7.6
    December 26, 2022

    3995. Doctor Zhivago (1965)

    © 2023 ThemeSphere. Designed by ThemeSphere.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.