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Multi-faceted talent Kevin Grevioux brings his graphic novel King of Killers to life in a same-titled film from Lionsgate. Following the murder of his wife, former Agency hitman Marcus Garan (Alain Moussi) is down his luck. While his mother-in-law and daughter try their best to support him, Marcus has seen better days. His former handler, Robert Xane (Stephen Doff), thinks Marcus should cool his jets when it comes to unraveling the mystery behind a tragic incident.
Marcus receives an intriguing offer from a stranger – a $10 million contract to eliminate the world’s most notorious hitman. He accepts and travels to Tokyo to meet the client, Jorg Drakos (played by Frank Grillo). To his surprise, Marcus discovers that he wasn’t the only killer invited – others included Asha (Marie Avgeropoulos), Dyson (Kevin Grevioux), Andre (George St-Pierre), Rick (Ruyan Tarran), and Ren Hiro (Shannon Kook).
The group is informed by Jorg that he intends to organize a competition among the assassins. This competition aims to determine which of the participants is the best assassin in the world. The competition winner will then be given the opportunity to confront the legendary, deranged assassin in a final showdown. Given the high stakes involved, the question on everyone’s mind is, who will come out on top?
In the simplest terms, King of Killers is a low-budget level action movie. I grew up watching the type of movies on HBO and Cinemax on Friday night. Primarily, I watched this film for Frank Grillo. The actor first came to my attention in the role of Hart on Guiding Light. After watching the film Warrior, I was thoroughly impressed with Frank Grillo’s career shift and became a fan. His ability to effortlessly embody the alpha male persona in action movies has made him one of my favorite actors. Whether he portrays a hero or a villain, I am always captivated by his on-screen presence and thoroughly enjoy watching him dominate his opponents.
Our lead actor in the film is Alain Moussi, who has established himself as a direct-to-home market action hero. As usual, Moussi shows off his skills in martial arts, fisticuffs, and weapons combat. However, he wisely avoids overdoing his action scenes and enjoys himself in the film.
The supporting cast doesn’t have a significant role, but that’s fine. Kevin Grevioux understands what the viewers expect, so he assigns the remaining murderers with general personality traits. However, each actor performs their part convincingly despite the overused and predictable content. While some movie enthusiasts may criticize the inadequate budget, I commend the director for achieving so much with the resources at hand.
The movie concludes with an unexpected plot twist that sets the stage for a potential franchise. I would enjoy watching another action-packed film featuring the same cast and crew. Although King of Killers may not appeal to everyone, it offers a satisfying way to spend an hour and a half for those who enjoy mindless action.
Final Grade: B
King of Killers is available On Digital and On Demand.
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