Assassin (2023)

Assassin has a pulpy, high-concept hook that’s hard to resist: a near-future mind-hopping microchip that turns covert ops into a literal identity swap, giving the familiar revenge-thriller engine a slick sci-fi jolt. Jesse Atlas keeps the vibe tense and grimy, mixing gunfire-and-conspiracy momentum with the eerie disorientation of watching one mission unfold through multiple bodies. Nomzamo Mbatha carries the story with determined urgency, while Bruce Willis brings a cool, calculating presence to the program pulling the strings. It’s not a delicate, world-building-heavy sci-fi drama—it’s a rough-edged, R-rated action ride—but if you’re in the mood for a brisk thriller that tries something different with its assassin premise, this one earns a look.

Assassin is aiming for a slick, high-concept sci-fi thriller about body-hopping espionage and a wife stepping into her husband’s mission for revenge, which is a solid hook on paper. In practice, the story comes off muddled and emotionally thin, with action that feels more routine than pulse-pounding and dialogue that doesn’t give the cast much to work with. Bruce Willis’s presence may tempt completists, but the material around him is noticeably lightweight, and the whole thing can feel like a rough draft that never got sharpened. If you’re happy with a low-budget, straightforward time-killer and can roll with sketchy logic, you might find some guilty-pleasure value; if you want tight plotting, strong performances, or memorable set pieces, this likely isn’t your night.