I always say that you can tell if a movie is going to be really good or flat out stink by the first ten minutes. And that’s because the first ten minutes is when any sensible filmmaker starts off with a hook. It’s a device that gives us something of a bang for our buck that convinces us to stay or just flat out leave it out in the cold for someone else to deal with. Sadly, “Why Hire a Killer?” leaves very little reason to stick with it. Judging by the five minute long opening credits, Director Oscar Sanders really doesn’t have the ability yet to hit us with a hook.
Instead he attempts starting the movie with an establishing shot of two main characters engaged in exchanges that Sanders desperately attempts to sound intelligent and then treats us to views of a city scape that lasts longer than the movie. If it seems like I’m being too hard on Sanders and his obviously limited budget, it’s only because Sanders seems to really have some good ideas for a film that don’t quite match his skill level as a filmmaker. “Splitting Hairs 2.0” was terrible, but it had an ambition to it that assured us the man wasn’t totally void of talent.
“Why Hire A Killer?” feels like a double of his aforementioned title because it doesn’t take the time out to feel unique from its predecessor. Instead Sanders goes for the same camera tricks, the same film wipes, and the same generic sound track that doesn’t amp up the energy a bit. Sanders seems to be trying hard to provide quality entertainment but there’s so much on screen that works against him that it’s often quite irritating. Even with the obviously small budget, Sanders doesn’t make his film work for him.
Instead he subjects us to horribly stilted performances from actors (who always sound like they’re having trouble memorizing their lines) and a story that barely makes any sense most of the time. I’m not completely giving up on Sanders just yet. The man has good ideas to work with, just not the resources to bring them to life. I’m waiting for a surefire hit from him I’m sure will arrive at our doorstep sooner or later. Director Oscar Sanders has an ambitious determination that doesn’t always reflect on his films. Like “Splitting Hairs 2.0” his second film is ripe with a terrible score, a confusing narrative, an often redundant script, and acting that’s awfully cringe worthy.