WARNING: SPOILERS ahead for The Killer.
Summary
- The Killer’s reference to Densuke watermelons reveals deeper themes of wealth and consumerism in the movie, criticizing the blinding exuberance of wealth and how it makes people throw caution to the wind.
- The movie, like Fight Club, is critical of consumerism and its impact on humanity, and uses corporate branding to make a joke out of it.
- The Killer’s assassin protagonist uses a billionaire’s addiction to consumption to exploit his need for unnecessary luxuries, showing how consumerism can be weaponized.
The Killer‘s main assassin character says something about “Densuke watermelons” that perfectly illustrates one of the primary themes in the movie. Based on Alexis “Matz” Nolent’s French graphic novel series of the same name, The Killer, on the surface, follows the revenge-fueled pursuit of a skilled assassin. However, several subtle details, action scenes, and quotes in the movie reveal how it is way deeper and thematically rich than it initially seems. One of these details lies in the main character’s reference to Densuke watermelons.
Throughout its runtime, David Fincher’s The Killer presents the inner thoughts of its protagonist as intricate monologs that offer insight into his perception of his job and worldview. However, since so much goes on in The Killer‘s brief runtime of close to two hours, it is hard not to miss out on a few essential details that Michael Fassbender’s assassin character gives away with his rants about the world around him. Owing to this, his “Densuke watermelons” reference and its meaning may be overlooked.
Densuke Watermelon Is A Rare Fruit That Can Cost Thousands Of Dollars
Densuke watermelon is a rare variant of watermelon that is exclusively grown on the island of Hokkaido in northern Japan. It is specifically produced in the town of Tohma because cultivating it is only possible under the island’s specific climate conditions and mineral-rich volcanic soil. Because of how much time and effort it takes to produce one Densuke watermelon, it is considered one of the most expensive fruits in the world. It is often sold at auctions in Japan, and its price can even go as high as thousands of dollars. As random as The Killer‘s reference to the exotic fruit may seem, there is more to it than meets the eye.
What The Killer’s Line About Billionaires Wanting Densuke Watermelon Really Means
Before meeting Claybourne, the Michael Fassbender character says, “Who needs a Trojan horse when you’ve got Postmates? ‘Cause everything’s airtight till the billionaire wants Densuke watermelon.” His reference to the fruit seemingly criticizes the blinding exuberance of wealth and how it often makes people throw their caution to the wind. On paper, the Killer would have needed a proverbial Trojan Horse to find a way through Claybourne’s security. However, since Claybourne, too, has his eyes set on his selfish pursuits and unnecessary wants like the Densuke watermelon, he fails to notice a major discrepancy in his meticulously designed security system.
Similar to Fight Club, David Fincher’s The Killer does not shy away from being critical of consumerism and its impact on humanity. Like Fight Club, the movie keeps drawing attention to corporate branding. However, instead of directly criticizing consumerist behavior like Fight Club, The Killer makes a joke out of it by showing how its main character uses it as a guise. Even in the Densuke watermelon scene, The Killer highlights how its assassin protagonist makes a weapon out of a billionaire’s addiction to consumption by exploiting his need to surround himself with unnecessary luxuries.