The Assasin is a crime thriller created by Harry and Jack Williams and led by Keeley Hawes and Freddie Highmore, which follows a mother and son duo as their past begins to haunt them. While the mother is an assassin the son returns to her asking questions about who his father is. Meanwhile, a unknown group puts a heavy bounty on her head making it impossible for the two of them to have real conversation without racking up dead bodies around them.
Stars: 3/5
The show begins with Keeley Hawes as Julie at a young age in 1994, fighting off a group of Russians to get to her target. Despite being offered a lot of money, she finished her mission and left the money behind. However, just as she confirms her kill and is about to move on to her next, the timer on her watch rings out to let her know it’s time to check the pregnancy test. 31 years later, Julie has retired and is living on a small Greek island alone while waiting for her estranged son to come visit her.
On the other hand, Freddie Highmore as Edward is seen running through the airport, delaying the inevitable. Questioning is his decision to see his mother is the right one. Even after coming face-to-face with her, he still isn’t sure if it’s the right thing. The two try to spend time together, ask about how they have been since they parted, but the awkwardness in the air is so fresh, it adds to the depth of both characters.
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Despite thinking her work was long behind her, when she gets a call from her handler, Julie can’t get it out of her mind. To smooth things over with Edward, she takes him to a wedding on the island which will be attended by everyone, but it ends up turning their lives upside down. After denying the chance to come out of retirement, Julie becomes the target, and the ones after her won’t stop at anything unless she gets to them first.
For the rest of the series, the makers not only slow the mystery about who called for the mission and who is attacking Julie, but also the mystery of Edward’s relationship with his mother. The truth about their lives, which Julie kept hidden from all of them. Meanwhile, another subplot in the series also follows the Aron Cross family, who have a lot of power, and where there is power, there are secrets.
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For a thriller with serious conversations about relationship, motherhood, the state of the world and the 1% population, The Assassin is un-jokingly nonchalant and funny. However, the nonchalant body dropping also making it more serious. The makers explore alot of under the surface, but the performances of really stand out through different tones of the sequences.
Overall, the performances and the cinematography really holds you on, but it is also the story and mystery of it all that won’t let you get away until the end.
Cover Image: Instagram