Based on a long running French graphic novel by writer Alexis Nolent aka Matz (“Bullet to the Head”) and artist Luc Jacamon, “The Killer” is a violent film neo-noir from the great David Fincher (“Zodiac”), starring Michael Fassbender as the assassin without a name. Unfortunately, he is also without a heart, a soul or a personality.

The action begins in Paris. The killer is a like a monk in his cell, not praying, but waiting in extremely stoic circumstances (a breezy construction site) for his target to appear. We hear the assassin narrate the action in a monotone. He tells us that boredom is his enemy. An electric heater glows by his side. He wears black rubber gloves and quotes Popeye. He practices some form of yoga. He eats from McDonald’s, wears shades and a hat with a drawn-down band in public. In a park, a boy shoots a woman in the head with a toy gun. Is it his mother? His nanny?

Ah, the banality of gun violence. Remember when Fassbender was in everything? He’s taken a bit of a break and hasn’t had a film credit since 2019 after the dreary thing that was “Dark Phoenix.” “The Killer” is hardly a great return to form. Didn’t Fassbender already make this when it was called “Assassin’s Creed?” It wasn’t very good then either. The Paris hit does not go well. The killer, who may remind some of the much more soulful one played by Alain Delon in Jean-Pierre Melville’s classic “Le Samurai” (1967), escapes, erasing any memory of him as he goes, helmet in the Seine.

In his use of one of many false names, he uses a credit card with the moniker Felix Unger, one-half of the 1970s TV show “Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple.” Our man is the odd single. The killer has a fatal attraction to the uniquely mewling music of the Morrissey-fronted, post-punk 1990s band The Smiths.

The killer is a man of few words. “Empathy is weakness,” is his mantra. He retreats to Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic. A local woman he cares about was savagely attacked. The attackers were looking for him, of course. Now, he seeks revenge (Isn’t this a form of empathy?). Next  he is in New Orleans, and he’s got a nail gun. As a lawyer trying to talk his way out of getting nailed, Charles Parnell is a breath of fresh air. The killer knows how long it takes three nine-gauge nails to the chest to kill and how much sleep-aids to mix with meat to knock out a pit bull. These are dark arts.

The film’s highlight is a fight scene (from the director of “Fight Club,” no less) between the killer and an actor credited as The Brute (Sala Baker, TV’s “The Mandalorian”). It must be five minutes long and really is something to see. But great action alone does not a great movie make.

Fassbender is not a compelling figure in the tradition of Clint Eastwood or Denzel Washington. He is an intelligent Everyman. The last victim, the killer was told, “resembles a Q-Tip.” Of course, that turns out to be second-billed Tilda Swinton, who is in the film for about 15 minutes and sports a white ‘do. Swinton and supporting cast member Arliss Howard command the screen. But the killer remains a nobody, and I never liked The Smiths. “Heaven Knows I’m Miserable,” indeed.

(“The Killer” contains extreme, graphic violence, profanity and brief sexuality)

“The Killer”

Rated R. At the Kendall Square and Coolidge Corner. Grade: B-

Clare Ryan Bradley said she didn’t do very well when St. Paul Academy practiced penalty kicks Wednesday, but the sophomore came through Thursday.

“I knew I was going to make it today because I knew I could do it,” she said.

Ryan Bradley scored the final goal in the shootout and the Spartans made all five of their kicks to defeat Esko 2-1 in a damp state quarterfinal at Irondale High School.

Sawyer Danielson, Lucia Gonzalez, Aurelia Meza and Elizabeth Tuttle also scored shootout goals for No. 4 St. Paul Academy.

“We played the full 100 minutes; this is what we’ve been training for. We’ve been doing PKs every practice, getting them consistent. I guess it paid off,” said Danielson, a junior who’ll play at the University of Minnesota.

The Spartans (10-6-4) get top-seeded Providence Academy in a semifinal at 5 p.m. on Halloween at U.S. Bank Stadium.

Last year, St. Paul Academy lost in the championship game.

“We went last year for the first time in a while. It’s nice to go back and prove it wasn’t like a lucky run,” Danielson said.

Ryan Bradley scored in regulation for the Spartans; Britta Koski scored for Esko.

Koski got Esko (13-3-3) on the board with probably one of the easiest team-high 19 goals she’s had this season.

Jordyn Randa dribbled down the left side, and, approaching the goal line, centered to Koski in front of the net for a simple redirect less than three minutes into the game.

The game’s next goal came early in the second half — the game’s 44th minute. This time it was the Spartans getting the equalizer, a tally that nearly came a couple feet away from not happening.

Sprinting past a defender while chasing a long ball from Gonzalez, Ryan Bradley was able to chip the ball over the Esko goaltender a split second before the ball would have entered the box and been picked up. The orb bounced a couple times on the turf and across the line.

St. Paul Academy had a couple prime chances later in the half, including a 2-and-1 with about 16 minutes left, and a centering pass by Danielson just missed being converted nine minutes later.

Twice in the first overtime the Spartans could not convert a corner kick that went through the box.

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Far too often, the public gets a stark reminder of why law enforcement is important.

Wednesday night’s mass shooting at a bowling alley in Lewiston, Me.; the gunfire at a Dorchester parade in August that left eight injured, the shootings that shatter the peace of Boston’s streets night and day. These are, sadly, just to name a few.

Law enforcement is vital to the central nervous system of this city, and a crucial voice at the table.

Unfortunately, it doesn’t have one.

The Boston City Council votes on the Boston Police Department budget, makes declarations and proclamations and protestations about neighborhood policing and safety, but none of the councilors knows what it’s like to work those streets as a police officer.

Enter Jose Ruiz.

The City Council candidate for District 5 has been in the BPD for 29 years. He can speak from experience of what’s needed to make communities safe, because he’s seen what happens when they’re not. And not from the vantage point of a press conference, or day-after statement at City Hall, but as a first responder at the scene of a crisis.

We need this wisdom and lived experience now more than ever. Even sections of the city not known for gun violence have been disrupted by demonstrations and riots in recent years, from outside agitators to home-grown protests. The rancor over the terrorist attacks in Israel has spurred a heightened sense of vigilance, particularly in public spaces.

While the council had a heated discussion last week regarding the Israel-Hamas war, police set up a barricade at the entrance to City Hall.

And no plan for Mass and Cass is possible without a BPD component, requiring officers to work in a dangerous, often violent area most people try to avoid.

None of this is abstract. Policing is boots on the ground, real-life, real-world efforts to keep Boston safe and communities strong.

We need a police veteran like Ruiz to add depth and breadth to the council.

The progressive agenda holds that crime can be solved not so much by going after criminals, but by strengthening the foundations of neighborhoods. Ruiz has that covered.

Uplifting communities has been a key part of Ruiz’ contributions to Boston. He organized the largest city-wide youth baseball and softball league, including life skills presentations for players. He doesn’t talk about giving back – he does it.

The elections on Nov. 7 will come and go. After the dust has settled, there will still be criminals trafficking in drugs and illegal firearms, there will still be murders committed with ghost guns, predators stalking the vulnerable, and any number of sudden, unexpected events that necessitate all hands on deck for local law enforcement.

These could be talking points for the city council, issues of debate swayed by agendas. Or, a new voice on the council could bring insight and expertise and ideas that have real-world resonance.

This is critical if Boston is to grow and thrive.

The city needs Jose Ruiz as councilor for District 5.

 

 

Dear Abby: I have been dating “Paul” for several years. He lives about an hour away, and we see each other a few weekends a month. I know he loves me. A few months ago, his dog suddenly died from cancer. It was traumatic because “Bruiser” was his best friend.

Paul has been different since Bruiser’s death. He has zero interest in anything physical. To me, touch is important — not just sex. There’s shared intimacy in holding someone’s hand or kissing. I feel like a plant that’s wilting with no sun. I know Paul is struggling, but I don’t know how to help him through. We talked about it once, but other than acknowledging he’s struggling, he has done nothing further.

I don’t want to force the issue, but time is precious. I know what it’s like to struggle with depression, and I recognize the signs, but he won’t get help. How can I support him through this and get over my selfishness? — In the Dark in New York

Dear In the Dark:  Tell Paul you know he is hurting because since Bruiser’s death, his behavior has changed. Explain that he may be depressed — AND WITH GOOD REASON — and that it might help him to contact his veterinarian and ask if there are grief support groups for pet owners who have lost their furry family member. His vet may be able to suggest one or more. However, if that doesn’t appeal to Paul, he should consider talking to his doctor because he is exhibiting some classic signs of depression. After that, the ball’s in hiscourt.

Dear Abby: I am one of nine children who all still get along. One sibling belongs to a religious order. At least one (for sure) is not a Christian. One is a born-again Christian. One of us is gay and married. We are not all of the same political persuasion. Yet somehow, after all these years, we have managed to get along and still gather for family fun, whether it’s a holiday or just a cookout. We don’t all live in the same state, but more often than not, most of us are there.

There’s no secret to us still loving as well as liking each other. We simply respect each other’s opinions and realize that although we don’t always agree, it’s not worth cutting out of our lives someone we have known “forever.” I can’t imagine losing even one sibling over a silly disagreement. That’s not to say we haven’t had arguments, because we have certainly had our share, but we simply take the high road and agree to disagree. I love my siblings with all my heart. Just wanted to share an uplifting note with you. — No Problems Here

Dear No Problems: Most of the mail I receive concerns relationships that fractured because of a lack of respect for someone’s feelings. Thank you for your, frankly, refreshing letter. If more people emulated your family’s example, this world would be a happier, less complicated place in which to live. I wish your attitude were contagious.

Dear Abby is written by Abigail Van Buren, also known as Jeanne Phillips, and was founded by her mother, Pauline Phillips. Contact Dear Abby at www.DearAbby.com