Assassins Tale (2013) User Reviews (11)

Bad Editing Ruins The Ambiance

[jegd-847-631407 · 5/10 · 29 November 2013]

The opening sequence grabs you. It is brilliantly executed. It's a simple scene with a professional assassin (played by Guy Garner) handing his knife over to the client named Marcus (played by John M Keating). Marcus we discover is a movie producer whose brother was murdered by a man bound to the chair in front of him.

Marcus fumbles with his latex gloves as the hit-man instructs him on what to do. His calm demeanor like an older brother teaching the younger to catch a baseball. I was on the edge of my seat watching these two.

Marcus can't do it. He can't even get the blade into the guy. He gets sick, vomits ...

The killer looks at him and says, "That's it? That's all you got? This is the guy that killed your brother. He tortured him. He mutilated his ass & that's all you have?" A great line. It sends Marcus into a rage as he takes the man's life. Repeatedly shoving the knife into this guy's belly. The professional calmly pulls him back explaining the guy is dead to the whimpering Marcus.

It's a perfect scene. It set a perfect tone.

Then the music starts ...

It was the wrong choice of music. Some piano rift about the "devil's due". I don't know the title. It was a little jazz/blues, but more upbeat & lighter than either. It immediately ruined the previous scene. You don't lead your audience into a dark tone and then cut to a delightful sunny helicopter ride over the city just for the opening credits. EDIT THAT OUT

You don't need that music there ... You don't even need an opening credit - no film needs credits to role at the beginning because it's like pasting "The End" at the finale of a film. We know the movie is starting. There's no need to remind us. Especially when capturing our attention so effortlessly at the start.

The introduction of the character Johnny Solo provides an unnecessary bravado; I was left to assume his dialog was an introduction for an incredibly sloppy character build. Something that could be spread out over a few good scenes that define the character's accomplishments. Instead we're delivered an ego trip like some school yard punk that's never had to fight.

Johnny Solo, who so far we have no reason to respect, dialogs about orphans & bad parenting until finally showing us his accomplices, Roman (played by the talented Michael Beach), "Anthony" and Grace (played by Lost Girl's Anna Silk).

We segue into Roman & Grace sitting on a sofa chatting. There's some sexual tension here which makes no sense because we were just told how she was raped by a step-father. "She got raped by her step-father. She cut off his dick" ... click ... "You know if I go home with you I'll be taping that".

Her rape was used as a hint to her toughness ... awesome guys ... Couldn't have made the rape joke funnier.

Soon the audience realizes the duo are in their target's apartment. Such a nice touch honestly, but it was in the wrong part of the film because of bad editing. Michael Beach's character Roman is everything Johnny Solo unnecessarily explained him to be; Ruthless & Skilled. He takes down (what I believed to be) the bodyguard - while Anna Silk's character Grace is shown strangling the target with piano wire. The brief tussle with the bodyguard was amazing. Roman's stone cold expression handling this guy like he was a child being put in the corner. I loved every second of that moment ...

CLICK ...

Bad editing takes us back to the beginning again, as apparently that perfect opening sequence wasn't quite finished yet. It's a short dialog that should have been kept in the opening - or not - I simply know that it should NOT require anymore of that music from earlier ...

(AWWW MAN)

An acoustic country song takes us back on our helicopter ride again before going to some unwanted montage of drug addiction. It then becomes what must have been "comedy relief"; Some guy talking about his girlfriend's dog over the phone and then showing multiple shots of a Chihuahua with its accompanied whine.

I was done.

13.5 minutes into this movie and I left.

I probably missed a great deal more of those perfect scenes like the opening, but I could not force myself to watch those minute episodes only to see it butchered by a failed edit.

Wonderful job for the actors involved, especially the opening sequence - but "no" ... whoever pieced this film together with the music & cuts needs to stay away from the glue & scissors. They're obviously sniffing the glue.

Cheap as anything

[Leofwine_draca · 2/10 · 29 May 2018]

ASSASSINS TALE is a cheap-as-anything crime story involving a trio of lead characters who are mixed up in the criminal underworld. It's one of those inconsequential low budget stories that opens with a graphic murder and goes from there. The video cover missells it as an action thriller but it's more of a talky character drama with a few violent moments. The whole thing feels tired and long-winded, let down by sub-par scripting which makes the characters themselves a real bore.

Not Bad

[tickin · 7/10 · 26 July 2013]

This is an OK little flick. It's a low budge movie but they seem to have spent the money wisely. The story was interesting and the acting & dialogue were equally good. It has twists and turns that are enjoyable and the characters were likable (so to speak, considering they're assassins). It has a melancholy feel to it that works pretty well. All in all I can't complain.

My general impression is, if this movie had a massive budget and big stars, the public would be falling all over itself to see it. The fact that it had none of that and was still entertaining makes it a worthwhile view.

If you come across it check it out.

Nom Nom Nom...

[joseph45-732-714081 · 8/10 · 18 July 2013]

...What a yummy movie!! With action, double-crosses, hundreds of thousands of dollars, heroin, silencers, bullets and knives, floating bodies, casino chips and other goodies, Assassins Tale really delivers the package!

It seems that there are a lot of hit men - and women - operating in L.A.; some of them as lone wolves and others who team up. Many of them receive their assignments through Woody, a go-between who enjoys tea and meditation, and who kills nobody, but sets up the hit-jobs for others. As the killers go about their deadly business, there are sometimes clashes and issues of mistrust...and then there's the one or two of them who are having doubts about the wisdom of continuing in their chosen profession. Meanwhile, an unseen N.Y. mobster is pulling some strings too.

Together with all this, the movie manages to touch upon some of the bigger issues also, including destiny, karma, and God's providence. 8/10.

Another jiggly-cam victim

[ginocox-206-336968 · 6/10 · 24 August 2015]

"Assassins Tale" has some good qualities. The characters are eccentric and complex. Some of the dialogue is quite clever, although there is often too much of it. The editing is impressive, although it sometimes becomes intrusive and distracting. It has a few nice touches, such as the bit with the casino chips.

On the down side, it tries too hard to emulate Tarantino in stead of carving out it's own identity. Even the poster art features a putatively female assassin with a katana who has apparently wreaked considerable havoc and destruction, although the image has nothing to do with the film. We have assassins who wax poetic on life, sex and philosophy and occasionally decide to defy orders and logic by allowing their targets to live. One of the assassins is a heroin addict. The movie breaks for musical interludes, although not of the caliber of the "Cat People" segment in "Inglourious Basterds."

It's passable low-budget entertainment, although it has some major flaws. The cinematography is marred by extended jiggly-cam shots that will leave the audience reaching for the Dramamine. Even the sweeping pans look as if they were shot by somebody in the midst of an epileptic seizure. The pistols often look like plastic toys. Make- up effects for wounds are basically nonexistent. The film switches between color and monochrome for no apparent reason other than to draw attention to the editing.

The actors talk and emote fairly well, but acting is about action. The two words have a common root. We call people in movies actors, not emoters or talkers. There are no car chases. The only time anybody operates a vehicle is in one shot where they drive into the scene. There's a little walking. One character swims. Another carries a surfboard on to the beach. But there is no fighting , climbing, horseback riding, etc. It's pretty much limited to people sitting or standing around talking and occasionally drawing weapons and shooting one another, interrupted by long transitions and unnecessary establishing shots.

The film has a lot of heart, but not much energy. The actors do as reasonably as can be expected with the material they're given, but their discourses on life and the ethics of their profession would have greater impact if they had to work at it and not simply stand there and pull a trigger, instantly dispatching their victims. Compare this to opening scenes in the most recent version of "Casino Royale," where James Bond has to work and risk his life to kill somebody who doesn't want to die.

Another movie about loquacious killers trying to find a meaning in life.

[siderite · 6/10 · 4 November 2013]

The discussions between Samuel L. Jackson and John Travolta in Pulp Fiction started up this genre, with assassins that speak a lot about their feelings or thoughts. Those dialogues taken separately are better than most movies in this niche in their entirety and, unfortunately, Assassin's Tale falls into the same category.

The problem is that killers talking about themselves is just cutting corners on some real film making, where one would construct a story to develop the characters. Instead we are regaled with verbal diarrhea that means nothing and reveals nothing and just takes up from the viewer's time.

In this particular group of films, this one is not actually that bad. The beginning, at least, starts up very smartly, with lines that just feel original and surprising. I kept imagining what the characters would say and they would do something really different, but also real feeling. It didn't last though, as a big part of the movie was hijacked by the usual tough guy underworld and psychopathic wise guys and that sort of crap that completely balanced out the good starting bits.

And then there was the end, fragmented, pointless, unrealistic and lame. The point of a low budget movie is to show a good idea or the effort one puts into the script or acting, not to rehash an already obsolete recipe.

While I am sure the film makers meant well, I am sorry, but I cannot recommend this movie for any reason.

A fun ride

[albrechtcm · 8/10 · 26 July 2013]

This is a film that keeps you watching. A lot of dialog, but it's interesting in itself, and if the story line gets a bit confusing at times, it all works out by the end. Although this tale deals with hit men and women, it's a slightly different take on the profession with some interesting sidelights. The soundtrack is right on and fits in perfectly with the action. I was surprised to see that this was filmed on a Top Ramen budget, but the producers made every penny work. Overall, the production values make this look like a more expensive undertaking. I hope to see more from the various actors as well as from the writers and the director. Good entertainment!

I SWALLOW MY SPIT, I SWALLOW MY PRIDE

[nogodnomasters · 6/10 · 11 April 2019]

Carlos Manfeddy dies and leaves his crime empire to his son and an illegitimate son. Carlos jr. hires Jason (Rob Roy Fitzgerald) to have his people perform the hit on the illegitimate son to insure he doesn't have to share anything. The problem is no one exactly what he looks like, but there are pictures of several people who might be his son. The man carrying the pictures gets killed by Woody's (Kaiwi Lyman) assassins who takes the pics and hunts down the illegitimate son on his own for the money. Of course there is a lot of double cross and plot twists.

On the surface the plot isn't that great. The film reminded me of a low budget poorly scripted "Smokin' Aces" without the over the top characters and humor. On the plus side, was the sound track which featured a few good original songs. The film had some good scenes, but like the acting, it was spotty. This is a low budget, low action crime movie that attempts to deal with characters coming to terms with their occupation, i.e. killing innocent strangers may be wrong.

It was okay as a lower tier rental. Writer/director Arthur Louis Fuller doesn't appear to have reached his potential.

Parental Guide: F-bomb, sex, token nude scene.

A coarse-grained, micro-budget treatment of the world's oldest profession

[mecheart · 7/10 · 7 August 2013]

The only caveat necessary for the viewer going into 'Assassins' Tale'is that it is an extremely low budget production filmed in the style of short scenes divided by filler footage that amounts to clips of random scrolling scenery which may or may not represent the geographical setting of the story. Provided one can get past the visual quality, the film offers an interesting ride into human darkness at street level.

'Assassins' Tale' is a purely character driven story told as the recollections of a supporting character's extensive interactions with the three protagonists. These recollections are reinforced by scenes involving the heroes themselves as they ply their titular trade and an in depth study is made of the deeply personal negative effects their chosen profession has taken on their minds, souls and bodies.

Admittedly, after taking in the first few moments of the film, I was ready to turn it off and watch something else. The visual presentation is less than mediocre, especially so soon after viewing 'Pacific Rim'.

However, by the time I was ready to hit 'Stop', the character's stories had hooked me and I wanted to find out how it all ended. I really cannot praise enough the characterization skills evinced throughout by the three lead actors.

Michael Beach plays a thoughtful, introspective killer who on the surface comes off as a hardcore gunslinger, but who is really a sensitive philosopher wobbling on his last emotional leg. He's a big, tough guy, yet recent events in his life have left him questioning his place in the grand scheme of it all. His assassin is played in the tradition of Samuel Jackson's Jules Winnfield from 'Pulp Fiction' although Beach adds to that character's mythology - if such a classification exists.

Guy Garner plays perhaps the most pure or committed hit man. His character is a hungry student of the profession and the acts it requires to fulfill various assignments. He's a cold blooded surfer savant who seems to take the filth of the world in stride, yet has buckled badly on the inside and relies on narcotics to get through. He's a stone faced gargoyle of a man who appears to enjoy his work, yet would likely find other employment if not for the other two people who share his life and method of making a living, who seem to also tow him along and propel him to lead them from murder to murder.

Anna Silk is Grace, a living bridge between the other two hit men, and a force to be reckoned with herself. Her haunted, street weary portrayal of life in one of the oldest trades is quite understated in its bare bone power and arguably less than ethical connection to both her colleagues. She is their savior, their crutch and yet imperfect in her crusade to save them. As she lends them intimate support at various times so does she also seem to view them as father figure and brother in some light. She draws just as much strength from them as they from her.

The three killers who bring 'Assassins' Tale' to life are of the lower rent variety in that they are often hired to knock off street scum as opposed to high profile targets. This "street gutter" vibe is very well conveyed and explored throughout the film, and achieves an absorbing change of pace from the clean lines of huge budget flicks.

The script wraps its character studies in an interesting enough plot which ultimately leads to a life or death test of its killers' loyalty, friendship and love and forces each of them to examine the most personal and professional sides of their lives. No amazingly new story is generated here, yet what there is entertains in a strangely addictive manner. If you give the film ten minutes, you will likely be hooked.

Overall 'Assassins' Tale' is a thoughtful, low budget study of those at street level who accept payment to take the lives of thugs, low lives and other assorted bad people. It's a serious film that realizes and expresses its flaws; a film that does not project itself as more than what it is.

Get past the filming quality, and you'll find a decent story populated by interesting characters who just might grow on you. Five stars out of ten for effort and achievement with such low funding plus two for performances that get better as the story progresses.

Really fun movie

[Dickstanton · 9/10 · 31 July 2013]

Finally getting away from the standard cold-blooded assassins of every other movie, Assassins Tale shows the internal conflicts such a job entails, and shows how they deal with it (often unsuccessfully). Trust no one, try to laugh, and embrace your own quirks. The plot twists are well planned, and the scenery shots are really creative, illustrating the beautiful world that surrounds these dark souls. All in all, a really fun movie to watch - reminds me a little of Pulp Fiction and The Usual Suspects, but with different twists. Arthur Louis Fuller did a great job writing and directing this, and putting together a great film on a low budget. This one is definitely worth 90 minutes of your time!

Came for Anna Silk, stayed for Michael Beach

[faradaygrean · 8/10 · 23 April 2015]

If you're looking for a high action assassin flick, this is not it. Although there are a few twists in the storyline, there is a lot more dialog than action. Michael Beach, Anna Silk and Guy Garner are three assassins contemplating life and love, loyalty and deceit. The scene depicted in the poster has nothing to do with the film. The budget is low, but the dialog is well written and the acting is well done. All three wonder about their inevitable future and what's to come while dealing with their current lives. Rob Roy Fitzgerald and Kaiwi Lyman also do a fantastic job. I wouldn't say this is one of my all time favs, but on a rainy Saturday afternoon I would watch this again!