Unfairly Trashed: The Untold Story of Bruce Willis’s Swan Song ‘Assassin’

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Bruce Willis is undeniably one of the most exceptional action movie stars to grace the silver screen, showcasing a versatile range in various genres before retiring from acting in 2022. He impressed audiences with his diverse talent by accepting roles in comedies such as “The Whole Nine Yards” and “Cop Out,” dramas like “Armageddon” and “The Sixth Sense,” and even venturing into borderline musical films like “Hudson Hawk,” consistently proving his skills.

At the later stages of his acting career, Willis starred in films that received harsh criticism from reviewers and indifference from audiences. However, contrary to their poor ratings on platforms like Rotten Tomatoes, some of these movies are not as poor as they seem upon first glance. It’s essential to watch them with a better understanding of the context in which they were produced and with complete knowledge about them.

The movie titled ‘Assassin’ is under discussion here. This piece will delve into its plot, reception, and provide reasons as to why the criticism it faced might have been undeserved.

‘Assassin’ Was Based on a Short Film Called ‘Let Them Die Like Others’

As a movie reviewer, I’d say: In the past, talented director Jesse Atlas and writer Aaron Wolfe created a thought-provoking short film titled “Let Them Die Like Others“. Now, they’ve decided to expand this concept into a full-length feature film. Initially known as “Soul Assassin“, the project eventually adopted the title “Assassin” for its official release.

Jesse Atlas spoke with MovieWeb in 2023, at which time he said this about the premise of the movie:

In simpler terms, my collaborator Aaron Wolfe and I often draw inspiration from our friends in Israel who serve in the military for three years and also participate in civilian military roles. This means they wear a uniform during the day but return to civilian life at night. The blending of these two identities has always led us to ponder about modern warfare and technological advancements in warfare. We’re not discussing traditional wars where soldiers leave home for extended periods, but rather, we’re considering situations where service and civilian life overlap continuously. This concept has been the foundation for much of our work.

As a cinephile, I’d rephrase that as: “In my fictional world, I’m exploring a concept where an individual can momentarily take over another person’s consciousness through a device embedded in their physique. In this narrative, the project is led by none other than Valmora (played by Bruce Willis). Our characters, Alexa (portrayed by Nomzambo Mbatha) and her partner Sebastian (Mustafa Shakir), were initially part of this program. However, a tragic turn of events unfolds when Adrian (Dominic Purcell) snatches the technology, fatally shooting Sebastian while he’s still inhabiting another body.

As the one determined to see justice served for Adrian, I’ve adopted various personas to gain his trust. Eventually, I succeeded in my mission while working under the identity of an artist called Mali, played by Andy Allo.

Critics Called ‘Assassin’ a “Regrettable Close” to Bruce Willis’s Career

In his review, Dennis Harvey of Variety didn’t mince words about the movie Assassin. He criticized it for its plot inconsistencies, weak character development, and subpar acting performances. Essentially, he saw it as a routine genre film that was unremarkable and disappointing, particularly because it marked the end of a notable career.

Harvey shared a common nostalgia for the days of Willis, as Richard Roeper from the Chicago Sun-Times pointed out, highlighting movies like “Glass” and “Motherless Brooklyn” from 2019 as more recent treasures in Willis’ impressive collection of high-quality projects. Unfortunately, films such as “Assassin,” which were released directly to video, became typical of the disposable productions that Willis made towards the end of his career.

Although many critics gave Assassin a poor review (with a 9% score on Rotten Tomatoes), the film has managed to earn a 68% rating from its audience on the site. Some spectators found its narrative somewhat original and had a favorable ending, while others appreciated some intriguing plot twists. In general, it was considered an engaging movie, albeit not everyone was ready to label Assassin as a flop.

It’s important to note that while Assassin isn’t the most critically acclaimed film in Willis’s extensive movie career on Rotten Tomatoes, it still fares better than some of his other movies such as 2015’s Rock the Kasbah , Vice , and even The Whole Ten Yards from 2004. Interestingly, some of Willis’s biggest box office hits, like G.I. Joe: Retaliation from 2013 and Armageddon from 1998, were not well-received by critics either.

Bruce Willis Retired In 2022, One Year Before ‘Assassin’ Was Released

It might be clearer in hindsight why the movie ‘Assassin’ wasn’t as good, considering that in March 2022, Bruce Willis’s family revealed his retirement from acting due to a diagnosis of aphasia, a condition affecting his ability to speak.

Approximately a year prior to the launch of “Assassin,” and a year following the claim by Willis’s peers that they believed his health was deteriorating, came the announcement. Director Mike Burns from “Out of Death” allegedly removed some lines from Willis’s part, shortening his speeches to eliminate monologues. In the subsequent film Burns was planning with Willis, “Wrong Place,” it appeared that the actor’s condition had worsened: he seemed more impaired.

As a devoted cinephile, I never believed he outshone others; instead, I felt his performances were lackluster at best. Once the credits rolled, I declared, “That’s it for me. No more Bruce Willis films on my watchlist.

The team and fellow actors discussed various occurrences that caused concern, yet nobody sustained any injuries due to incidents related to Willis.

Following Willis’s recent announcement, I, as a cinephile and follower of these events, noticed that the organizers of the Razzies decided to rescind the nominations the actor had received in recent years. They clarified their decision by stating that they felt it was appropriate given the circumstances.

If a person’s health situation influences their choices or work output, we recognize that it would be inappropriate to grant them a Razzie (a mock award given for the worst performances in film).

Rent or buy Assassin on Prime Video or Apple TV.

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2025-03-09 08:02