Thoughts on 'The Killer Inside Me'

So I guess it’s worth starting this with by making it clear what kind of film ‘The Killer Inside Me’ is. It’s a film that focuses on the perspective of a deliberate but deranged psychopath. It’s also a movie that includes two scenes of brutality against women. If the idea of seeing a film featuring a killer’s perspective rendered in almost banal clarity seems upsetting then don’t watch this. If you believe that violence against women shouldn’t be shown in detail then don’t watch this movie. It’s a perfectly valid argument to believe that the scenes within this film shouldn’t have been shot the way they are and if you’re likely to agree with this viewpoint (‘Frenzy’, ‘Straw Dogs’ or ‘Irreversible’ are probably as good examples of what to expect as anything else) then it’s probably a film worth skipping. As accomplished as this film is it’s hard to argue it’s worth the level of offence it may cause some.

But with that said this does stand as an accomplished adaptation of a Jim Thompson work. Thompson is the writer regarded as the most challenging and transgressive of the ‘Pulp’ novelists. His works often feature narrators that can’t be believed or who are missing the big picture and ‘The Killer Inside Me’ might be the greatest example of this collusion between author and character against the reader.

The film revolves around the actions of a small time Deputy in West Texas, a man who doesn’t even carry a gun. Seemingly a kind man, always willing to do a favour for another, almost from the moment the film begins it seems clear that his perception of himself and how he’s seen by others are at odds with each other. Although this develops as the film continues even in early scenes there are hints from characters reluctant to discuss certain topics. It may be wishing for too much from the script but I certainly had a sense that people had reasons to be wary of our main character.

This is made all the more clear when revelations about his childhood and implications about his protectors in adulthood begin to peep through our protagonist’s perception of the world. It seems that many people have bet on a character who is without merit. As he himself points out, there really isn’t much crime in his city or county and as a result this isn’t a twisted hero or killer on the look for redemption. This is a banal, abused and abusive man who has grown to resent the world around him.

As the film progresses we see things that are quite simply brutal, perhaps the most brutal that a semi-mainstream film has chosen to show. There has been some argument about how bloody some scenes are but that seems like a critics’ game. There’s no point arguing that ‘Texas Chainsaw Massacre’ wasn’t really that bloody, it was still fucking horrific and the same is true here. It doesn’t matter what is on screen because it’s the audience that counts and their horror is clearly what was desired in these moments. That is the strength of the film though, it moves away from the image of a psychopath as a deranged intruder and presents a man with an ability to charm, though only his victims (and we, the audience, seem deliberately excluded from this as well), but more often to inspire pity and boredom.

From very early in the film it’s clear that our protagonist is suspected of the crimes he commits and this is where the film becomes fascinating. Most of the movie reminded me of the sadly little-seen closing scenes of the Johnny Depp starring Stephen King adaptation ‘Secret Window’. There’s a lot to dislike in that movie but the end shows a town horrified by a character who they know is guilty but they just can’t prove it. Much of ‘The Killer Inside Me’ feels the same way, except here we are seeing this reaction through the delusion and social incompetent eyes of the lunatic we are following.

This combination of delusion, a hidden plot involving the investigation that circles the film but we never see, the banal reactions of the killer and the film’s refusal to tone down the violence it’s character commits makes ‘The Killer Inside Me’ stand out as unique. It’s certainly not perfect and it’s a difficult film to watch (and again not one I’d recommend to many people) but it is striking and unusual.

In a world where ‘Saw’ or ‘Hostel’ are common favourites its commendable to see a film that shows a killer not as a genius trickster, sadistic foreigner or Thomas Hardy inspired superman but instead as what so many serial killers really seem to be, permanently broken men without insight or conscience. Perhaps revealing that does justify showing just how violent crime can be, I don’t know, but I think it’s nice to see a film about a killer where it’s unlikely people will be putting his picture on a wall or buying the Deputy Lou Ford action figure…