There’s no way to touch the masterpiece that is 1989’s “The Killer.” A berserk, stylized, wonderfully melodramatic creation, the picture is rightfully considered by most to be director John Woo’s finest film. It’s a very special offering of action cinema. 35 years later, Woo returns to the material for something along the lines of a remake, with screenwriters Brian Helgeland, Josh Campbell, and Matt Stuecken working to update the story with a cooler sense of personal engagement, also westernizing the distinctly Hong Kong original. “The Killer” doesn’t live up to the 1989 production, it doesn’t even try to for the most part, with Woo now an older man creating an offering for streaming audiences. However, it’s not completely subdued work, with the effort rising up to deliver some key moments of violence, giving stars Nathalie Emmanuel and Omar Sy something to play as they bring life to a less operatic viewing experience. Read the rest at Blu-ray.com