The Killing of John Lennon (2007)

Cockrell gives the film a strongly positive verdict, calling it a harrowing, propulsive character study. He especially praises Jonas Ball’s commanding performance and Piddington’s intense visual approach.

The critic calls the film a transfixing recreation of the events surrounding Lennon’s murder. Jonas Bell’s performance, drawing on Chapman’s own words, is singled out as extraordinary and chilling.

French gives a positive assessment of the film, highlighting its striking central performance. He also notes its grainy documentary-like look and the apparent use of authentic records.

Gonzalez finds the film’s psychological portrait of Chapman unconvincing and overly detached. He faults its trivia-like details and staged scenes for avoiding any real diagnosis of Chapman’s rage.

The critic has several issues with the film’s reconstruction of the days before Lennon’s murder. They acknowledge its style, while questioning its claimed accuracy.

The review finds the film technically proficient and historically authentic but ultimately exploitative and lacking sufficient depth. It praises Jonas Ball’s restrained, unsettling performance as Mark David Chapman.

The critic finds the film watchable but ultimately unremarkable, overlong, and overly focused on the killer. The visual photography is praised, though the review says the film adds little and offers insufficient insight into Chapman’s state of mind.