The Gunman
Directed by Pierre Morel
- action
- drama
- crime
The story
Eight years after fleeing the Congo following his assassination of that country's minister of mining, former assassin Jim Terrier is back, suffering from PTSD and digging wells to atone for his violent past. After an attempt is made on his life, Terrier flies to London to find out who wants him dead -- and why. Terrier's search leads him to a reunion with Annie, a woman he once loved, who is now married to an oily businessman with dealings in Africa.
What it’s like
Sun-bleached Central African dust, washed-out greys and browns, and the hard blue glare of a Barcelona afternoon give this thriller a weary, overexposed look, shifting to cooler, rain-slicked London streets and dim interiors as it moves. The camera stays close and restless during the fights, with quick cuts and tight handheld framing, while the quieter scenes of a wounded man digging wells under open skies breathe with long, patient shots. The score leans on low synth pulses and brooding strings that swell when the violence starts. The vibe is melancholy and sombre, a grown-up action film with guilt at its centre, and it suits a rainy weekend night or a film-club double bill. Pacing starts slow and reflective before tightening into a series of set-piece chases and gunfights. The intensity is moderate to high: frequent shootings, brutal hand-to-hand fights with real impact, and some bloody wounds, plus scenes of cruelty and menace, but little explicit gore and no sexual content. It is for viewers who want tense, character-driven action about a man trying to atone for his past, with a bittersweet romance running beneath the danger.
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