Director Gonzalo López-Gallego is perhaps best known for 2011’s “Apollo 18”, a creepy found-footage sci-fi horror film that never got the respect it deserved. After a few direct-to-video feature films and some work on television, López-Gallego returns with “American Star”, a captivating thriller led by its equally captivating star, Ian McShane.

Set in the Canary Islands, “American Star” tells the tried-and-true story of a hitman on what might be that one final assignment. But rather than going the more conventional action-packed route, López-Gallego and screenwriter Nacho Faerna give us something existential and melancholic. They give us a slow-burning character study that’s far more interested in exploring humanity than generating genre thrills.

What better actor to lead a movie like this than Ian McShane. The 81-year-old Englishman, more recently of John Wick fame, oozes sophistication and charm like few others. Here he plays Wilson, a contract killer who seems worn down by the life he has chosen. He’s quiet and somewhat cryptic; easygoing yet clearly burdened with emotion. McShane conveys it all through a brilliantly tempered performance that allows us to glean as much through sheer observation than anything we hear or are told.

We first meet Wilson as he arrives on the island of Fuerteventura. After renting a car, he drives out to a posh ultra-modern residence in the middle of nowhere only to discover his target isn’t home. So Wilson drives out to the coast and checks into a beachside hotel, intent on waiting for his target to return so he can carry out his job. But over the next couple of days he finds himself drawn to the cozy island and its community which prompts him to contemplate the life he has lived.

There are several things that spur Wilson’s self-reflection. Among them is his reoccurring encounters with a young woman named Gloria (Nora Arnezeder). She’s a bit of a free spirit who immediately takes a liking to him. There’s also a young boy named Max (Oscar Coleman) who’s staying in the same hotel. He’s vacationing with his parents and forms a sweet bond with Wilson. Then there’s his feelings of kinship to an old shipwreck on the other side of the island – a massive vessel called the American Star that has been grounded since the early 1990s.

But no matter how much he entertains these tastes of inner peace, Wilson is frequently reminded of who he is and what he’s there to do. His employer sends a younger fellow hitman named Ryan (Adam Nagaitis) to the island. The two colleagues know each other well and even share dinner. But the more Wilson keeps running into Ryan the more suspicious of his presence he becomes.

López-Gallego’s patience is one of the film’s greatest assets. His deliberate pacing allows the story to develop and unfold organically. And he wisely leans into McShane’s scene-carrying charisma and the gorgeous cinematography of José David Montero who artfully captures the many facets of the alluring island, often using his images to convey something much deeper than just pretty scenery.

I can almost sense specific criticisms “American Star” will face. Some may feel it meanders while others may say nothing happens. There may even be some who are hungry for more action. I get those critiques to a degree. But (respectfully) they almost seem rooted in a misunderstanding of what this film is going for. “American Star” is far less interested in intricate plotting or genre expectations. It’s a pensive yet slightly opaque character study that delves into the complexity of life via one man’s soulful reckoning. He just happens to be a hitman with a job to do. “American Star” releases January 26th in select theaters and on VOD.

VERDICT – 4 STARS