One of the best films ever made about a hitman, this spiritual, familial take on a life of violence is more than meets the eye, thanks to Bassam Tariq’s excellent direction. Mahershala Ali gives one of his deepest performances and commits to the character, feeling like a father first, from a decisional and instinctual perspective.

The violence is limited but visceral, and Son Lux’s score stands out powerfully. John Cho plays an astounding antagonist who feels like he could’ve emerged from today’s deepest, darkest corners of the internet, and Giancarlo Esposito continues to provide gravitas to every role he embodies. If anything is jarring, it’s the final twist that may take a moment to unpack but works well with the film’s tonal and thematic threads.