Based on a graphic novel by writer-director Kevin Grevioux, King of Killers follows former Agency hitman Marcus Garan (Alain Moussi) as he attempts to unravel the mystery behind a tragic incident. When offered a $10 million contract to eliminate the world’s greatest assassin, Marcus travels to Tokyo to meet the client (Frank Grillo), but discovers other professional killers have been invited as well. Now Marcus and the others must confront this deadly, mythical assassin…or die trying.
For in-depth thoughts on King of Killers, please see my colleague Liselotte Vanophem’s review from its original theatrical release here.
Video Quality
King of Killers arrives on Blu-Ray with a really good 1080p presentation in its original 2.39:1 aspect ratio that impresses in high definition. Color saturation is thorough with the reserved color palette presenting moments exactly as intended. Some instances of the production design, lighting, and costumes make a solid impression as they pop off the screen. Skin tones are natural overall with some exposed skin showing off grime, bruises, and scars as the narrative develops. The clarity throughout is notable with subtle textures in the backgrounds and in the different outfits and environments coming through perfectly. Black levels showcase a good depth and do not fall victim to substantial digital noise or banding outside of a handful of shadowy moments. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has delivered a commendable high definition presentation here.
Audio Quality
The DTS-HD 5.1 Master Audio track brings this conflict to life exactly as intended. Dialogue comes through clearly as it balances well with the music and the sound effects. This narrative is replete with action, including a low-end response that makes a great showing during altercations and other sporadic elements. This story features occasional moments of quiet which puts a greater emphasis on the sounds of the world around the characters, which the soundscape disseminates from numerous directions. The movie uses environmental sounds very effectively, and the track never falters when bringing it to life. This track does everything that is asked of it and more. There are English SDH, French, and Spanish subtitles provided.
Special Features
- Behind The Scenes: An eight-minute featurette in which the cast and creative team discuss what drew them to the project, trying to find new creative pockets within the genre, the casting of the feature, and more.
- Trailer: The two-minute trailer is provided here.
Final Thoughts
King of Killers mostly delivers what is promised by the premise, but there is not much flair in the execution. Frank Grillo is doing the heavy lifting in the charisma department while everyone else feels disposable, especially our lead character. Every single beat feels like it has been done before (and much better) in other films. The extremely obvious setup for a sequel does pique our interest in the slightest, but it is unlikely that we will be inspired to return to this world if it does materialize. Lionsgate Home Entertainment has released a Blu-Ray with a very strong A/V presentation and a fine supplemental feature. This one is only recommended if you are an easy mark for throwaway action films.
King of Killers will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray and DVD on October 31, 2023. The film is currently available on Digital.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Lionsgate Home Entertainment has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
