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Assassin (2023 film)

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Not to be confused with The Assassin (2023 film).
Assassin
Theatrical release poster
Directed byJesse Atlas
Written by
  • Jesse Atlas
  • Aaron Wolfe
Based on
Let Them Die Like Lovers
by
  • Jesse Atlas
  • Aaron Wolfe
Produced by
  • Joel Shapiro
  • Jeff Elliott
  • Alex Eckert
  • Thomas Sjolund
  • Najeeb Khuda
  • Gavin Lurie
Starring
CinematographyBryan Koss
Edited byPhilip Harrison
Music byMark Tewarson
Production
companies
  • Endless Media
  • Brickell & Broadbridge International
  • magiCity Studios
  • Altamira Media
  • 120db Films
Distributed bySaban Films
Release date
  • March 31, 2023 (2023-03-31)
Running time
87 minutes[1]
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Box office$66,813[2][3]

Assassin is a 2023 American science fiction action film starring Nomzamo Mbatha, Dominic Purcell and Bruce Willis in his final film role (to date) before his retirement due to aphasia. It was directed by Jesse Atlas, in his feature film directorial debut, written by Aaron Wolfe, and is based on Atlas and Wolfe's short film Let Them Die Like Lovers.

Assassin was released by Saban Films in select theaters and VOD on March 31, 2023.

Premise

A private military operation, led by Valmora, invents futuristic microchip tech that enables the mind of an agent to inhabit the body of another person to carry out covert, deadly missions. But when Agent Sebastian is killed during a secret mission, his wife, Alexa, must take his place in an attempt to bring the man responsible to justice.[4]

Cast

Production

On April 29, 2021, it was announced that Bruce Willis would star in Soul Assassin, a thriller film in which Nomzamo Mbatha and Dominic Purcell entered negotiations to star.[5] Filming began on June 15, 2021, in Bessemer, Alabama.[6][7][8] In July 2021, Saban Films acquired the distribution rights to the film.[9] In the same month, Barry Jay Minoff was cast in an undisclosed role, while Jeff Elliott was revealed to have produced the film, through Endless Media Brickell & Broadbridge International, alongside 120dB Films.[10] In August 2021, Mustafa Shakir was cast in an undisclosed role.[11][12] The film was retitled to Die Like Lovers and later to its current title Assassin.[13] By May 2022, Hannah Quinlivan and Fernanda Andrade were cast.[14][15] Assassin is the final film of Willis's career. He retired from acting in 2022 because he was diagnosed with aphasia, and was diagnosed with frontotemporal dementia in 2023.[16][17][18]

Release

Assassin was released by Saban Films in select theaters and VOD on March 31, 2023.[19][18] The film was originally set to be released in September 2022, under the title Die Like Lovers.[20]

Box office

As of January 3, 2024, Assassin grossed $66,813 in Turkey, South Africa, the United Arab Emirates, and Russia.[2][3]

Critical reception

On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 9% of 11 critics' reviews are positive, with an average rating of 4/10.[21]

Dennis Harvey, of Variety, gave the film a negative review, writing that "the multinational cast seems assembled for reasons other than serving defined character needs. None of them are able to rise above the vague material".[22] Richard Roeper, of Chicago Sun-Times, gave the film a 2/5 rating, saying "it's sad to see Bruce Willis in his final film, lacking his trademark twinkle".[23] Robert Kojder, of Flickering Myth, gave the film a 1.5/5 rating, summarizing that it's "an illogical and dull flick that doesn't even thrill when it shifts into action mode".[24]

References

  1. ^ "Assassin (15)". British Board of Film Classification. Retrieved March 29, 2023.
  2. ^ a b "'Assassin' (2023)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  3. ^ a b "'Assassin' (2023)". The Numbers. Retrieved January 4, 2024.
  4. ^ Billington, Alex (February 9, 2023). "Bruce Willis & Nomzamo Mbatha in Sci-Fi Action 'Assassin' Trailer". First Showing. Retrieved February 10, 2023.
  5. ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (April 29, 2021). "Bruce Willis Boards Feature Thriller Soul Assassin". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on April 29, 2021. Retrieved April 29, 2021.
  6. ^ "Film and TV Projects Going Into Production – Soul Assassin". Variety Insight. Archived from the original on May 6, 2021. Retrieved May 6, 2021.
  7. ^ "Bruce Willis, others shooting film in Bessemer". WSFA. June 22, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  8. ^ "Photos: Bruce Willis is filming a new movie in Bessemer". Bham Now. June 23, 2021. Retrieved June 27, 2021.
  9. ^ Hopewell, John (July 9, 2021). "Saban Films Takes Soul Assassin Starring Bruce Willis, Nomzamo Mbatha (Exclusive)". Variety. Retrieved October 23, 2021.
  10. ^ Gonzalez, Umberto (July 9, 2021). "Bruce Willis Revenge Thriller 'Soul Assassin' Acquired by Saban Films". The Wrap. Retrieved September 15, 2022.
  11. ^ Jackson, Angelique (August 3, 2021). "Ben Foster Joins Will Smith and Antoine Fuqua's 'Emancipation' for Apple". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  12. ^ Welk, Brian (August 3, 2021). "Will Smith's 'Emancipation' Adds Ben Foster, Charmaine Bingwa, Gilbert Owuor and Mustafa Shakir to Cast". TheWrap. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  13. ^ Knight, Rich (October 7, 2021). "Die Like Lovers: 7 Things To Know About The Upcoming Thriller From Jesse Atlas". CinemaBlend. Retrieved February 5, 2022.
  14. ^ Hopewell, John (February 8, 2022). "Bruce Willis' 'Soul Assassin' Adds Hannah Quinlivan, Closes Italy, Korea (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  15. ^ Grobar, Matt (May 5, 2022). "Fernanda Andrade Joins Paramount+'s 'Finestkind'; 'The Throwback' Adds Michelle Randolph". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved September 9, 2022.
  16. ^ Rosenbloom, Alli (February 16, 2023). "Bruce Willis' family shares an update on his health and new diagnosis". CNN. Retrieved February 18, 2023.
  17. ^ James, Meg; Kaufman, Amy (March 30, 2022). "Concerns about Bruce Willis' declining cognitive state swirled around sets in recent years". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved May 18, 2022.
  18. ^ a b Brown, Jodee (January 5, 2023). "Bruce Willis' Final Film, Assassin, Debuts a First Look". Comic Book Resources. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  19. ^ Fuge, Jonathan (January 5, 2023). "Assassin Image Reveals Bruce Willis in One of His Final Movie Roles". MovieWeb. Retrieved January 20, 2023.
  20. ^ Jackson, Angelique (April 1, 2022). "What's the Status of Bruce Willis' Final Movies?". Variety. Retrieved April 21, 2022.
  21. ^ "'Assassin' (2023)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved October 18, 2023.
  22. ^ Harvey, Dennis (March 29, 2023). "'Assassin' Review: Bruce Willis' Farewell Film Doesn't Hold a Candle to His Career Highs". Variety. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  23. ^ Roeper, Richard (April 3, 2023). "'Assassin': It's sad to see Bruce Willis in his final film, lacking his trademark twinkle". Chicago Sun-Times. Retrieved April 7, 2023.
  24. ^ Kojder, Robert (March 31, 2023). "Movie Review – Assassin (2023)". Flickering Myth. Retrieved April 6, 2023.
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