Asesina a sueldo

I rarely bother writing reviews, but having read some of the reviews here, felt I had to say a few things, as it seems people are taking this series far too seriously and not getting the daft and dry British humour of the show.

Before watching, I guessed this would be a ludicrous plot and would be a parody of the whole "retired assassin" genre. I mean, Keeley Hawes as a menopausal super assassin and her son played by the eternally child-like Freddie Highmore? Yeah, this is no John Wick lol.

Of course it's not a masterpiece, but it's great fun throughout, never gets boring and is well written and acted - and ridiculously violent and gory for good measure. It's a massive pisstake, as we say in the UK, of the entire "badass comes back from retirement" movie/TV trope. You almost expect Keeley Hawes character to get out a tissue and wipe the blood off her son's cheek throughout.

It's completely unbelievable, but then that's the point. It's also incredibly funny and enjoyable, and "knows" it is ridiculous, so it knowingly takes us viewers along for the ride. Just sit back and enjoy that ride and you'll not be disappointed.

I'm not sure what the producers of this were aiming at. It is not a witty take on the retired assassin coming out of retirement. Neither is it a thrilling ride around Europe. It is slow, turgid and devoid of both the above elements. The story is laboured, slow and overly drawn out. This is not a great showcase for British humour either. It just reminds you of those Netflix productions that throw money at the locations but neglect a coherent plot and providing run if the mill action scenes. Unfortunately the actors engender little or no depth and, if this was real life, would have happily died the first time they appear onscreen, just to try to save any self respect they may have left.

Why did Keeley do this awful series? Didn't she read the script? Terrible casting too. Freddie is terrible. The story is a mess. Lots of sarcasm, which is poorly delivered. There are plenty of better series out there. This one is just very poor. Lots of dreary characters. Jack Davenport had a short and daft appearance too. Avoid if I were you.

Having consumed all six episodes of 'The Assassin' (2025) in a single viewing, I can confidently assert the reliability of my assessment. A common sentiment among lower-rated reviews suggests an expectation of a more somber tone, akin to 'Dept. Q,' perhaps with a touch of humor and tones of cursing/F-word. However, 'The Assassin' distinguishes itself from such comparisons, save for the presence of dry British humor, which may not resonate universally out of the UK. While I also totally enjoyed 'Dept. Q,' finding it comparable to 'Sherlock Holmes,' 'The Assassin' aligns more closely with the unserious nature of 'The Black Doves,' released during the Christmas season.

What's undeniable is that Keeley Hawes absolutely shines as a retired assassin obliged to get back into murky business, continually delivers compelling moments amidst a narrative that embraces its own absurdity. The series thus eschews seriousness in favor of an entertaining and unpredictable experience, balancing humorous dialogue and actions with intense action sequences; even if those sequences occasionally stretch the boundaries of the believability and the established rules of espionage/assassin thrillers. While Freddie Highmore's performance occasionally falters, particularly in portraying stronger reactions to early violence as he's still unfamiliar with lethal territory (I firmly believe he's still stuck in "The Good Doctor" phase - since he played the role for so long that he could've easily obtained an MD degree and even further pursued a PhD in medicine - that he should take the very much needed break to try to get out of the character), his dedication is certainly quite evident.

Ultimately, I recommend viewers approach 'The Assassin' with an open mind, appreciating it for its intended nature rather than preconceived expectations.

Just finished the final episode and honestly feel robbed of the hours I spent hoping it would improve. It didn't.

The acting was mostly poor-often wooden to the point that I couldn't stay invested in the story. The only standout was David Dencik as Jasper, who brought some much-needed energy and humor as an eccentric, anxious prisoner/IT guy.

The plot was both ridiculous and frequently boring. The number of gruesome deaths was excessive-so over the top it felt lurid rather than dramatic.

The Greek setting was beautiful, sure-but ultimately felt pointless. It added nothing to the story and came off as contrived and self-indulgent, like a scenic backdrop chosen more for the cast and crew than for the plot.