"Killer No Holiday": a city, a scene

Movies with killers as the protagonists are not uncommon, or nervous about killing decisions, or cruel to flesh and blood. There are two classic killer films in my mind, namely "Bloody Two Males" and "This Killer Is Not Too Cold".

Breaking through the stereotypes and opening up new styles is the cornerstone of the inheritance and development of any art genre; therefore, as far as art is concerned, alternative means either being pretentious or creating something new and unique. And I think killers don't have a holiday that belongs to the latter category.

The literal translation of the title of Killer No Holiday is "In Bruges", and the whole story of the film is indeed staged in this medieval belgian ancient city. I especially want to praise the filming of the film, crisscrossing waterways, bluestone bumps in the streets, vine-strewn facades, quaint and elegant bridges, just following these exterior pictures, we can feel the aesthetic temperament of Bruges, and it is this temperament that sets off the elegant atmosphere of the film.

Yes, I do describe the word elegance in a movie about a killer, but that's not a contradiction. After reviewing the whole film, we can feel that "Killer No Holiday" is actually not depicting violence, but fits an ancient spirit, which has undergone great changes like the ancient city of Bruges, but is still brilliant at the moment.

The killers Ken and Raymond were sent to Bruges by the leader of the order to rest and stand. The elder Ken cherishes this holiday, and he lingers in the ancient city of Bruges, enjoying the moments of integration into the elegance of Bruges. Raymond, on the other hand, is preoccupied, with no interest in the rich history of the ancient city and the mysterious atmosphere around him, but passively accompanies Ken when he has nothing to do.

Bruges is the art mecca of Belgium, with countless monuments in the city, as well as churches, galleries, museums and more. Ken and Raymond came to the famous Church of the Holy Blood, whose solemnity gradually aroused the consciousness of faith; later, in an art museum, looking at the paintings depicting Christian themes such as heavenly condemnation, hell, purgatory, and judgment day, Raymond was shocked, and his mood began to become sad and low.

It turned out that during one of the assassination attempts, Raymond had mistakenly killed a young boy, which made him feel extremely remorseful. Raymond looks brave and fierce, but in fact, he has delicate feelings, especially eager to get the peace of mind. Although Bruges makes him feel bored, Raymond strives to find something that can comfort his soul, he uses alcohol and drugs to anesthetize himself, and pursues unexpected love, but the shadow of the little boy who was killed by him by mistake is still entangled all the time.

Ken was instructed by the leader of the order, and as I expected, Ken's new mission was to kill Raymond. At this point, the film begins to enter the portrayal of the inner world of the characters, and the human heart is often deeper than the complex exterior. In a remote corner of the park, Ken hesitates to do so, but what he sees is Raymond about to shoot himself. It's an unexpected black humor, and the killer's target is actually going to commit suicide! It is such a magical consternation that makes the subsequent development of the story even more grotesque.

Ken couldn't bear to do it, raymond was discouraged, and eventually both of them went against their will. Ken let Raymond fly away, but summoned Harry, the leader of the organization who vowed to kill Ray, and after one dramatic mistake after another, Ken fell from a height to protect Raymond, Raymond was shot by the leader, and Harry committed suicide by drinking bullets. This is a rather messy ending, but if we look closely at the whole film, we will understand that everything that happens can actually be summarized into two words: principle.

Yes, it's the principle. The killers in "Killers Don't Have Holidays" all adhere to a stubborn and even pedantic code of conduct. For example, since Ken promised to let Raymond change his mind and start a new life, he did not hesitate to stop Harry from killing Ray; for example, raymond and Harry met in the narrow road of the hotel, in order not to hurt the pregnant lady, the two retreated to the hotel to fight each other. The most lamentable is the death of Harry, who inadvertently killed a dwarf in the process of hunting down Raymond. Raymond thought that the dwarf was a child, so he chose to commit suicide with the original intention of killing Raymond, and practiced his principles with death.

Bruges maintained the true colors of the ancient city under the erosion of time, and the killers adhered to the principles from birth to death. "Killers Don't Have Holidays" calls out to medieval chivalry with the charm of a city, and asks us to wonder whether principles are still necessary for survival in the ever-changing new era. Of course, the film ridicules principles in a blackened way, but this does not mean that we can give up the persistence of faith and the persistence of faith.

Three killers killed Bruges, but they all seemed to me to be admirable. All three of their once sinful souls can be redeemed, because at least in abiding by principles, they are completely unashamed.