Mike Mendez’s Killers is not the kind of film that lets you walk away unscathed. Released in 1996, the movie emerged at a time when the indie scene was still riding the wave of Tarantino-inspired grit and raw, low-budget energy. But while some may lump it in with other hyper-violent crime films of the era, Killers distinguishes itself by digging deeper into the dark psychology of its characters. Mendez’s directorial debut is a bleak, unrelenting dive into the minds of two deeply broken men, and while the film isn’t perfect, it’s an impressive first feature that showcases the filmmaker’s willingness to get his hands dirty—both figuratively and literally. Killers follows the story of two serial killers, Raymond (Dave Larsen) and Kyle (David Gunn), who embark on a brutal killing spree across the Midwest. The duo, though united by their violent tendencies, have distinct approaches to their horrific deeds. Raymond is older and more calculating, a veteran of depravity who derives a sick sati