Kubrick's third film tells us the story of the racetrack robbery, detailed planning, and successful execution, which ends ingloriously. You could say this black and white noir is the "Ocean's Eleven" of the fifties. In fact, "The Killing" is the film that inspired the original "Ocean's Eleven" as well as many other iconic films, including Tarantino's "Reservoir Dogs" (1992). With its non-linear flow from different perspectives, it confused the audience of the time, and it did not do particularly well back then, but it was appreciated by filmmakers and secured Kubrick the direction of "Paths of Glory" (1957).
Many consider this film to be Kubrick's first masterpiece. Perfectionist that he was, Kubrick paid attention to every detail in this film, and the script is impeccably precise and the film superbly shot, but even though I love Kubrick, it didn't leave a particular impression on me. Maybe the movie has aged badly, maybe I've seen too many movies and I can't put myself in the perspective of the fifties, when this was something new and exciting, but with all the objective qualities, the overall impression was quite unimpressive. Except for the unforgettable ending, which is simultaneously hilarious and tragic and, I suppose, represents a lesson that crime does not pay.
7/10.
Many consider this film to be Kubrick's first masterpiece. Perfectionist that he was, Kubrick paid attention to every detail in this film, and the script is impeccably precise and the film superbly shot, but even though I love Kubrick, it didn't leave a particular impression on me. Maybe the movie has aged badly, maybe I've seen too many movies and I can't put myself in the perspective of the fifties, when this was something new and exciting, but with all the objective qualities, the overall impression was quite unimpressive. Except for the unforgettable ending, which is simultaneously hilarious and tragic and, I suppose, represents a lesson that crime does not pay.
7/10.