3) The way he seemed to really connect to the jazz guy, gave him a chance to be saved, and treated him with almost tenderness when he killed him.
- I really loved this scene, because up to the last second you really believe that Vincent was going to spare the guy. But again, this is actually simply Vincent being as efficient as possible. He engaged the jazz guy in conversation simply to ensure that they are left as the only people in the club. He waited until the last server left the room and gave her a minute or two to get out of the building. He was going to kill the guy regardless of his answer.
And the way he gently laid his head down- I think that has more to do with not wanting any unnecessary noise or mess.
- Another explanation is that Vincent might have actually spared the guy if he proved himself to be clever enough and lucky enough that he could disappear and Vincent could claim to have finished the job. But that doesn’t seem probable. Vincent is not the kind of guy who would leave things to chance like that.
4) The visit to Max’s mother. My friend argued that either Vincent was seeing Max as a real person (which is more proof that he would have spared him if Max had cooperated), or that Vincent was giving Max a chance to say goodbye to his mother before he killed him at the end of the night.
- I feel that he simply didn’t want to raise suspicions and saw an opportunity to find out where Max’s loved one was so that he could use her as leverage (which he did, soon after)
5) Vincent had time to kill Max and Annie before he himself died , but he didn’t possible out of a sense of good sportsmanship.(sort of ’you bested me in a fair fight’)
- Vincent didn’t kill out of a sense of revenge, power, honor, hatred or even enjoyment. He killed because it was to his own benefit. Killing them now would not benefit Vincent in any way, so he chose not to.
6) The only issue my friend brought up that stumped me was the fact that Vincent did not kill Max before he fled from the overturned taxi. The only explanation I could think of is that he didn’t have time to shoot him before the cop came. But that feels weak to me. Could he really not spare the two seconds?
Anyone have a better explanation?
reply
share
Medinensis
9 years ago
The only issue . . . . was the fact that Vincent did not kill Max before he fled from the overturned taxi. , , , Could he really not spare the two seconds?
Vincent lost his gun in the collision from what I remember. His first reaction after the crash was to reach for his gun. I remember he started poking Max with something (both in anger that Max crashed the car and probably out of frustration that he couldn't kill him since his gun was absent). Then immediately Vincent saw the approaching police vehicle with sirens blaring.
Later we see a unconscious (probably dead) security officer with a empty holster. The implication being that Vincent took his gun.
Lastly, when Vincent had his shootout with Max, he obviously missed his mark with Max, but his next motion was to reach for a clip in order to reload and kill Max and Annie. But while he instinctively reached for a clip -- it wasn't there because he didn't have a clip to match the gun he lifted from the guard. Either that or he didn't have a clip at all.
reply
share
safods
8 years ago
Vincent did have a spare clip but dropped it on the floor. Im guessing because his body is beginning to shut down after Max hits him in the abdomen as Vincent seems a bit confused when he drops the clip.
I had some of the same thoughts as the op's friend, but after I Just rewatched it again, Im with the op. Although there does seem to be some, if not regret, then remorce/annoyance after Vincent kills the jazzman.
Great movie.
reply
share
KutWrite
8 years ago
My interpretation was that the magazine (not a clip) would not fit the gun he lifted from the security guard so he dropped it in a kind of "what the hell" gesture.
It looked like the guard's gun was 9mm, but the cartridges in the magazine he had looked larger, like .45 or .40.
reply
share